Looking for a non-traditional asset? Invest in whisky by the barrel

Scotland, the world's biggest whisky seller, exports more than 1 billion bottles a year

Nigel Isherwood was so concerned about the fate of the global financial system last year that he turned to booze.

Since July, Isherwood has used a UK-based exchange to buy £41,000 ($51,300) of unbottled whisky still maturing inside 200-litre (53-gallon) oak casks — a bet that the Scotch will increase in value over time. His portfolio also includes fine French wine and precious metals. He sees those non-traditional assets as a financial hedge, especially if inflation takes off. 

“I don’t know anything about whisky, but it doesn’t matter to me,” Isherwood, 50, said by email from Adelaide, South Australia, where he works