The Story Of…

Michiel Wigman entered his whisky trail when he was around 32 years old. He was used to drink whisky in his cola the years before. His first real bottle was a Glenlivet 12 year old. He bought it when he left his former girlfriend on his way to a new place to live on a camping site. The purpose was to give him some comfort and company in dark hours.

From this first bottle to the first 100 took about two years, but the huge mistake was that the amount was more important than the quality. The next step was the challenge to have at least one bottle of every distillery that existed after WOII. Another three years later finding the signatory Killiloch completed that task.

In the mean time he learned to know some other guys in the whiskyworld. Together the walked the path of discovering, enjoying, tasting and talking whisky. Bert Vuik, Hand Dillesse, Marcel van Gils were the first in Holland to connect with. Later the Dutch Connection was extended with Govert van Bodegom, Jeroen Koetsier, and Niels Harkink, Ronald Bouman en Arno Borsboom. We still see each other on a regular bases. The first 15 years Michiel travelled around parts of Europe with his good friend Bert Vuik. They started to open lots of older bottles and present them on various fairs with the possibility to buy the per dram.

Lots of fun, lots of happy moments and most of all lots of happy faces when we were able to find the right dram for the visitor.

The last 12 years Niels Harkink took over the role of Bert, and we still do the same with the same pleasure although the range of whiskies has changed a lot.

In the more then 30 years on the whisky journey Michiel met so many great people walking their own whisky trail. One very big lovely family. Almost all considered to be friends, Only a very few amount of exceptions.

The last 5-8 years however a lot changed as the investors came into the market. Prices exploded, not only from the good stuff. Talking money and value was sometimes more important then talking passion and taste. We have to learn this is also the new reality with pro’s and con’ts

What stays is building up a huge amount of great experiences that make wonderful stories. Michiel Likes to share his stories and passion. This it what he does individually talking with you on various occasions, but also in a collective way during tastings and events. That’s were he can share his passion and that is what makes him happy.

After he had the largest collection of springbank in the world with over 800 different bottles 14 year ago, he did stop collecting whisky after a large part of his collection was stolen. His collection was stolen, but not his passion. That’s why he still is in business but only buys bottles that he really likes for drinking and so to be opened now or in the near future.

After his hobby got out of hand completely he started to make a living form his hobby 4 years ago. Should have done that years before he often says.

Besides Old and rare from himself ore from collectors that want to sell (a part) of there collection he started also to bottle himself, based on the spoiled taste he has.

You can read more about him in most chapters of this website.

Enjoy exploring