Rare Finds Worldwide, a tailored whisky brokerage company, has launched its bespoke rare whisky brokerage services in Malaysia, offering professional investors, family offices and high net-worth individuals the opportunity to invest in rare whisky.
The brokerage is the first of its kind in the country and will offer Malaysian investors unique access to mature and rare single malt Scotch whisky assets. The brokerage team comprises experienced banking and alternative investment professionals with a passion for whisky, offering a full suite of services – including valuation, consulting, sourcing premium collections and providing a platform to sell or exit whisky investments (including bottling).
In addition, the partners behind Rare Finds Worldwide are also extending capital raising in Rare Single Malts (the “fund”), a private equity investment vehicle focusing exclusively on rare whisky investments, single malt Scotch whisky casks, as well as limited-edition bottles and collections, for Malaysian investors who wish to invest in the fast appreciating whisky market that is uncorrelated to traditional asset classes.
The fund will primarily target hard to find undervalued rare whisky casks that are between 15 and 40 years old, as well as bottles and collections over 18 to 30 years, with a view to holding and realising growth through market appreciation, maturation and bottling
In the last 10 years, the value of whisky increased by 564%, significantly outperforming other alternative investments and collectibles including rare coins, cars, rare stamps, art and fine wine[1]. By 2020, Scotch whisky’s total export value reached £4.9 billion according to UK export data. Underscoring the growth in the value of whisky, last year culminated in a bottle of Macallan 1926, 60-year-old Scotch whisky setting a new world record after fetching £1.5 million (RM8.3 million) at auction.
The fund is being launched with a target commitment of £20 million (RM110.9 million) and a minimum subscription of £100,000 (RM554,700). Initial fundraising will focus on high net worth individuals, family offices and boutique institutional investors with the first close due in October 2020.
Murray Holdgate, General Partner, Rare Finds Worldwide, said:“Faced with extreme market volatility and a prolonged global recession, many investors are turning to alternative assets such as whisky to weather the storm. Whisky is fast becoming ‘liquid gold’, reflecting its growing status as a collectible asset that appreciates strongly in value due to its rarity. We believe this is an opportune moment to invest as the whisky market has reached maturity, with an abundance of collectors, investors and specialist auctioneers creating a highly liquid environment in which to trade.”
To coincide with the launch of the fund and brokerage in Malaysia, Rare Finds Worldwide has appointed George Koutsakis, renowned Asian whisky writer and connoisseur, as its new Investment Specialist and Marketing Director. Previously working for one of Japan’s largest importers of Scotch whisky, Koutsakis now writes extensively on the spirits industry and his work has been featured in Financial Times, Forbes, Food & Wine, Playboy, Liquor.com and many other publications.
George Koutsakis, Investment Specialist and Marketing Director, Rare Finds Worldwide, said: “Over the past decade, whisky investments have strongly outperformed many other assets in the traditional and alternatives markets. I am excited to join the Rare Finds Worldwide team, as it continues to establish and grow its premier whisky cask investment offering, bringing exclusive access to some of the oldest and most prestigious whisky assets in the world to private and affluent clients in Malaysia.”
