If you happen to own any Japanese whisky, check the labels. A shortage in Japan could mean two types of whisky Hakushu 12-year or Hibiki 17-year become super, super valuable.
What it means: Japan is very good at making whisky, but in whisky terms, it's a pretty new entry to the market. Whisky lovers worldwide want to get their hands on it, and there isn't enough to go round.
According to the company which makes those two types of whisky, demand is outstripping supply. That means distillers can't make enough whisky to fulfil all the orders from all around the world. They're taking them off the market to allow the distillers to catch up.
The whisky shortage is made worse by the fact it takes so bloody long to make – the clue's in the name of those two bottles, they've been sat in a barrel for 12 and 17 years respectively. The people who started making those bottles nearly two decades ago, would've had to predict just how popular it was going to be to make sure they made enough.
That's part of the reason why whisky has a monetary value other than just how delicious it is. It's a bit like wine, people buy and sell it, often with no intention of ever actually drinking it, in the way they buy and sell shares in companies, because they're betting on the fact it'll be valuable some day.
