Japanese brands such as Yamazaki and Karuizawa have seen their bottle prices rise by as much as 30 times; Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 sold for around £100 on release and now trades at over £3000.

“The UK has been the global centre of the drinks trade for years, so there’s always a desire for buyers and consumers to look for new tastes, creating new fashions and commercial opportunities,” said BI managing director, Gary Boom.

Asia’s taste for rare Scottish whisky has also continued to grow, with sales of Macallan up 97% and Glenfarclas up 84% in the last 12 months.

Boom added: “Japanese whisky is certainly the latest discovery for whisky connoisseurs and the growing popularity is leading to increasing prices for the rarest varieties.

“That said, Scotch is still the king of whiskies when it comes to heritage and prestige, giving it enormous global appeal in markets that seek out the finest in luxury goods.”

On the whole, the average price per bottle of whisky sold by BI in the past 18 months is up 65% to almost £450 per bottle.