World’s first regulated whisky investment fund launches in Stockholm

Fund is targeting a return rate of 10 per cent each year

The fund gives investors the chance to buy a small part of a bigger collection of rare and limited-edition whiskies (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

For years, individuals with cash to splash have had the opportunity to invest in funds dedicated to vintage cars and fine art as well as the more prosaic options of stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities.

But now another slightly quirky asset class has been added to the line-up: rare whisky.

Launched by Swedish whisky enthusiast, Christian Svantesson, the Single Malt Fund, gives investors the chance to buy a small part of a bigger collection of rare and limited-edition whiskies.

The whiskys held by the fund will be selected by five portfolio managers. Fans of the spirit can buy single bottles from the fund’s online inventory as the fund realises – or liquidates by selling off – its investments.

Sales will be managed through a website, where rare whisky will be made available to investors before going on sale for the general public, the managers said on Monday.

The fund will be supervised by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority and has also been approved for launch on the Nordic Growth Market (NGM) exchange in Stockholm. That, the fund’s managers said, makes it the world’s first regulated and publicly listed single malt whisky fund.

It’s scheduled to liquidate after six years, and is targeting a return rate of 10 per cent each year.

“With global demand for rare whisky continuing to soar, I hope that our fund will make the rare whisky market more inclusive and accessible for even more rare whisky enthusiasts,” said Mr Svantesson.

He said that his inspiration for the fund had come from his own passion for the beverage.

“Knowing how much my own limited rare whiskies have appreciated in value, I spotted an opportunity to take a more professional approach to the whisky investor market,” he said.

“As an entrepreneur, I couldn’t resist the temptation to combine my passion for whisky with my entrepreneurial drive,” he said.