Over the last year, we have done quite a bit of travelling through airports.  Not as much as many I know, for sure, but as I have more free time than most, I do find myself wandering around the duty-free shops and wondering to myself.  Wondering to myself at the price of malt whisky for example.  I suppose it is the entry of the Chinese into the world market that has sent the prices rocketing so high – it used to be the Japanese that were prepared to spend ludicrous amounts of money on Scotch, but not this much.  I can only think that it is the wealthy Chinese who have made the prices rise so much in recent years.  I mean who else in their right minds would pay this sort of price for what is essentially distilled beer?

30 Year Old Isle of Jura @ £330 a bottle

The Macallan Oscuro @£650 a bottle

Highland Park Thorfinn @ £875 a bottle

Just think of all those craft microbreweries setting up around the place – at these prices for the distilled version, why on earth would you want to stop at un-distilled phase?  I know in the UK you need a distillers license and all that, but really.  You could build a retirement plan based on these prices………