There are numerous differences between the two drinks, besides how the alcoholic beverages taste, their alcohol level, and what they’re made of, such as fermented grapes or malted barley. These differences can affect your investment return.
Age
Wine is usually aged for 8 to 12 months before being bottled and continues to mature in the bottle. As the alcoholic drink ages, its chemical composition changes, and the fermentation process turns the wine into vinegar. The majority of wines should be drunk within a few years of bottling. Very few wines last beyond a decade and those that do are usually the ones worth investing in.
Whiskeys, on the other hand, are aged for many years in a barrel before being bottled and have higher alcohol content. This is why there are whiskeys, such as single malt whiskeys, that are 12, 20, 50, or even 75 years old. The alcohol bottles themselves are not that old, but the barrel in which the liquor matured is. This is one reason why it’s not uncommon for investors to buy barrels of whisky as opposed to individual alcohol bottles. Once bottled, the flavour of the hard liquor doesn’t change (unlike wine)No maintenance
Whisky, unlike wine, does not mature or age further once it is bottled. Once whisky is in the bottle, the aging process essentially stops, and it will not continue to improve with time as it would in a cask. If stored properly, unopened bottles of whisky can last indefinitely.Storage
While both alcoholic drinks need to be stored, whiskey is much easier to store than wine. That’s because the value of fine wines can decline if not properly stored in a well-maintained cellar. Wine storage is key to increasing the longevity of your wine investment and is an added cost you should keep in mind. Whiskey bottles, on the other hand, can be kept in a cool area away from direct sunlight and excessive humidity. That means investors can keep the drink in their house without having to worry about their investment suddenly losing value (provided they can resist opening it, of course).