Experts warn scotch lovers will soon pay more for some single-malts

Single-malt scotch is a particular taste — with devoted fans. Some of those fans are sounding the alarm, though, with outlets from the Wall Street Journal to CNN reporting that stocks of some well-aged single-malts are drying up, as demand for fine whisky increases.

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"I think the appreciation for what whisky is now starting to be realized again, and consumers don't mind spending a couple extra dollars to have a higher end product than your standard $20 bottle of rye," said Matt Hendriks,the master distiller at Park Distillery in Banff, Alta., a fledgling distillery now venturing into whisky.

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That higher-end product Hendriks is talking about makes a bigger dent in your wallet, and some are warning as supplies dwindle, we may see costs for some single-malt scotches climb further.

That's the liquor that is distilled in Scotland and made from one type malted grain — not a mix.

But not everyone is convinced the shortage reports are a reason to panic.

"[It's] kind of clickbait/fear mongering," said Johanne McInnis, who writes the blog Whisky Lassie.

"If I all of a sudden say to the world, 'Oh my gosh, get out there and buy up all the old whisky you can because there's a shortage,' are you part of the issue that you're now creating the shortage because you're running out and buying all the whisky you can?"

While she hesitates to call it a shortage, she does acknowledge there are trends in drinking habits.

Andrew Ferguson said those trends can play into how much things cost and what's available. 

He owns Calgary's Kensington Wine Market and is part of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, an international group  dedicated to whisky appreciation.

"People's tastes are fickle," he said. "There will always be a core group of people that want to drink a single-malt scotch because they like the flavour profile ... But there is a certain amount of a cultural appeal to it too, and I think there is a bit of that going on right now."

He said that's what happened in the early 1980s to single-malt scotch. It saw a boom in popularity, more distilleries opened and then some closed as scotch faded in popularity.​

Hendriks agrees single-malt scotch, and whisky in general, is seeing another boom in popularity. 

He said there are many factors at play, but he doesn't rule out the "Don Draper effect" from all the whisky consumed on the TV show Mad Men.

Reasons aside, he said those who appreciate the finest scotch won't get it cheaply in the future.

"If you want something with age, you better get ready to pay," he said. "Iif something is $100 now, expect to see $400 or $500 down the line."  

Ferguson agrees some premium scotches will command a premium price going forward.

"Whiskies from the 70s, 80s and 50s, 60s — stocks won't get cheaper because there's very few of those left," he said.

But he also says the prices may not stay high in the long term. 

"I think you will see a correction in the next five to 10 years as the distilleries' production starts catching up with what they need to sell to consumers," he said.

"But the wild card there is, will that growth continue?"