As for acquisitions, the old stamp collecting, one-of-everything mentality has given way to a less-is-more approach.

ECONOMIST: From zoo cage to modern ark

With the passing of stamp and butterfly collecting into the obscurest realms of irredeemable geekdom, accumulating (and drinking) rare, unusual and generally very old whiskies has emerged as one of the more surprising--if less than headline-generating--trends of the 21st century.

FORBES: World's Most Expensive Whiskies