Whisky lovers will be asked to raise a glass to one of the tipple�s most enthusiastic and eccentric fans at an auction of rare Scotch later this year.

Whisky lovers will be asked to raise a glass to one of the tipple's most enthusiastic and eccentric fans at an auction of rare Scotch later this year.

American millionaire Willard S Folsom spent 20 years amassing a trove of more than 3000 rare malts, but following his death last year the collection is to be broken up and brought back to its home country to be auctioned.

The whiskies, which are due to go under the hammer at Bonhams' Edinburgh branch in November, are thought to be part of the largest private collection to be auctioned.

Mr Folsom, who died aged 64, devoted his retirement to scouring the globe for obscure and sought-after brands of Scotch, becoming well-known in the process for the determination and passion he displayed.

Friends remembered his unwavering optimism, characterised by his philosophy on life: "Some say the glass is half empty, others say it's half full. I say, pour the water out and put some Scotch in the glass."

Mr Folsom's interest in whisky was sparked by a 1988 newspaper article listing the best bars in the US for tasting single malt Scotch. Realising that one of them was just 10 minutes from his San Francisco home, he quickly became fascinated by the drink and set out to learn as much as he could.

As his hobby developed, he would regularly tour Scottish distilleries with his wife and children, buying whisky from all over the UK and having it delivered to a hotel in London.

It was kept under lock and key there, and Mr Folsom would pick it up in person during his frequent visits from the US. He joked that he used to bring his family with him not to broaden their minds but to ensure he had enough baggage allowance to transport his finds back to California.

Prior to his whisky obsession, Mr Folsom spent 36 years working for United Airlines, and led a colourful life as a racing car driver, a scuba diver, a sky diver and a trained salsa dancer. He died after a short illness last June.

The collection he has left includes commemorative and celebration malts from distilleries across Scotland, including Ardbeg, Bowmore, Dalmore, Glenfiddich, Laphroaig, Springbank and The Glenlivet, and many smaller producers are also well represented.

Martin Green, Bonhams' whisky specialist, said: "In over 20 years of conducting whisky auctions, this is the most exciting collection I have ever handled."

Mr Green added: "Many of the bottles included in the collection will never be released again or repeated by the whisky industry, and so the sale of the collection provides the opportunity to buy many collectables of the future."