New Semantics for "Liquid Assets"

Back when I was living in Los Angeles, it was a good place to be for those interested in exploring the diversity of single malt whisky varieties from Scotland. The city seemed to have a critical mass of Japanese businessmen residing there, and their interest in some of the really special products of Scotch distilleries may well have surpassed their interest in vintage wines. These days China has become the new Japan, and the action is in China itself rather than in any of the American cities. One result has been the formation of the Single Malt Club in China (SMCC) to "take over" the connoisseurship of the best of the brews from Scotland.

Going the Japanese (at least) one better, SMCC has created its own investment fund of three million pounds Sterling. The purpose of the fund is to promote interest in single malts, buying them in quantity for distribution in China, and (presumably) benefiting from the results of the sales. The launch of the fund was announced by First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, who is currently leading a trade mission in China.

Profit motive aside (although I am sure it is never very far aside), it is nice to see an investment fund that will benefit one of the few bodies of small businesses that produces something other than toys for the idle rich!