(TDB) - The value of whisky traded at auction crossed £16 million in the past six months, according to the 2018 half year report by whisky broker and investment analysts Rare Whisky 101, representing a 46% increase on the previous year.

Rare Whisky 101’s (RW101) 2018 Half Year Report shows that the value of rare Scotch whisky in bottle sold at auction has exceeded £16 million during a six month period for the very first time, reaching £16,335,635 – a year-on-year increase of 46% compared with the £11,176,000 traded during the same period in 2017.

Only five years ago, during the first half of 2013, the value of Scotch whisky sold at auction was just £2,232,000 for a total of 8,825 bottles sold. Since then, the market has grown 732% in value and 563% in volume. By volume, 49,719 were sold in the first half of the year.

RW101 also noted a “growing gap” between value and volume, reflected in the average per-bottle price, which has risen once gain to a new record of £328.56, up 14.83% on H1 2017’s average price of £286.13.