Punatic, I like where you're coming from (and I don't mean Hawaii, although I like that too).
As to aging, it is both time consuming and expensive. But it's one of the keys to making great whisky. A keg loses about 2% a year, so a 12 yr single malt lost almost 25% of the original volume to aging. This loss is called the Angel's Share (one of the most poetical descriptions, gotta love it!).
Cost is not the issue, as Weaze said.... it's a HOBBY. Cost isn't the issue (well, let's be honest, it is an issue, but we don't let it stop us). It's all about the process, the quality, and the satisfaction we get from making our own..... whether it's beer, whisky, cooking, bbq, woodwork, music, .......whatever our hobbies are.