'Whisky auctions have seen increased interest over past five years'

Whisky is back on the menu at a Glasgow auction tomorrow (March 1) at McTear's Whisky Special Event - Island Odyssey. The sale is offering whiskies from the many island distilleries of Scotland.

A 12-year-old Port Ellen single malt, estimated to be worth between £3,500 and £4,500, is the anticipated highlight of the Scotland auctioneer's sale.

It was bottled to commemorate the Queen's visit to Port Ellen Maltings on the Isle of Islay in 1980.

Meanwhile, a Laphroaig 1960 single malt, bottled by D Johnston & Co on the same island, is another lot which promises to attract plenty of interest. It has a low end estimate of £1,000.

This Port Ellen single malt could make £4,500

McTear's managing director Brian Clements says the company's whisky auctions have seen increased interest from both UK and overseas investors in the past five years.

"Investors are looking primarily at rare bottlings of 'the big five' - Macallan, Bowmore, Highland Park, Springbank and Ardbeg," Clements explained.

"In recent years, investment returns on many of these bottles have proved to be more lucrative than a number of other, more traditional, sectors."

In 2010 the auction house sold a 50-year-old Glenfiddich for £10,600, with McTear's overall whisky sales increasing by 32% to £572,070 last year.

The world's most expensive whisky is currently a 64-year-old single malt Macallan, which sold at a New York auction for $460,000 in November.