Wine and Whisky Investment: Signs of Recovery in Asia
Fine Wine Market ‘Stuck in the Doldrums’? Why Now Could Be a Strategic Entry Point
Wine and whisky investment may not be grabbing headlines right now, but that’s exactly why serious collectors are paying attention. After a sluggish en primeur season and continued tariff uncertainties, the market appears to be bottoming out.
The Liv-ex report for May confirms what many in the industry already suspected: the fine wine market has softened, with major indices continuing to decline. Champagne took the heaviest hit, while Bordeaux Legends 40 and the Rest of the World 60 showed marginal positive movement, 0.1% and 0.4% respectively. While hardly meteoric, these are potential early signals of a market stabilising.
But if the UK and US are treading water, Asia is making waves.
Asia's Impact on Wine and Whisky Investment
Asian demand is rising fast, particularly in Burgundy. Purchase values from the region jumped 10.1% from April to May, and are up 33.7% compared to the 2024 average. The number of unique Burgundy buyers in Asia is at a two-year high, and there’s growing interest in iconic names and mature vintages.
Bordeaux in Asia remains more volatile, but that’s not necessarily negative. It suggests there’s still ample stock in the region, but investors are becoming more selective and strategic. As the Liv-ex report notes, Asian demand may be the early sign of a broader recovery.
Robbie Stevens, head of broking at Liv-ex, summarised it best: “Activity from Asian buyers provides some glimmer of hope that a half a decade stock overhang might be finally coming to an end.”
Why Now Is a Smart Time for Wine and Whisky Investment
Let’s be clear: the market is not booming. But this may be precisely when long-term value emerges. Prices have pulled back significantly, with many of the pandemic-era gains erased. For seasoned collectors, or those just stepping into the arena, this could be the lowest point in the cycle.
If you’re building or expanding a wine and whisky investment portfolio, now is the time to be looking closely at back vintages of First Growths, Super Tuscans, Grand Cru Burgundies, and emerging regions. The right buys today could be tomorrow’s outperformers.
Don’t Overlook Whisky
While wine markets recalibrate, the rare whisky market continues to show resilience. Asian collectors remain highly engaged, especially in Japan and Singapore, and demand for Scotch, particularly limited-edition single malts, remains robust.
Casks from prestigious distilleries and independent bottlers continue to attract interest as investors seek assets with low correlation to traditional financial markets. Whisky has the added allure of scarcity: once bottled and consumed, it’s gone for good.
We’re also seeing heightened interest in our Château Form whisky investment structure, a tailored way for investors to own casks and rare bottles with full transparency, storage, and exit strategies in place. It’s a modern, digital-first path to building a serious whisky portfolio.
Final Thoughts
Yes, the fine wine market is in a quiet phase, but it’s far from a crisis. Market slowdowns create windows of opportunity, and with Asia’s demand building and prices more accessible than they’ve been in years, there’s real potential for those ready to act.
Whether you’re rebalancing a wine portfolio or exploring whisky for the first time, this is a moment worth leaning into.
