Some believe that whisky is an acquired taste, and that only drinking the finest whiskies is worthwhile. However, if you are going to drink only the finest whiskies, it is going to cost you a pretty penny, and could actually break the bank. Most of us would not want to pay a sum over 3 figures, but bottles of whisky are now reaching sums in the hundreds of thousands. For those interested in the many forms of whisky available, here are my favourites from the list of the most expensive whiskies ever sold.
Macallan “M” – $628,205 (£400,474.94)
Top of the pile is this Scotch whisky blend form Macallan. Macallan “M” was mixed from 7 casks of the finest whiskies available in the Macallen range, which were aged between 25 and 75 years old; making this a very special blend. It is not just the whisky that is special though; the bottle it comes in is a bit special too. Standing 28 inches tall and big enough to hold six litres, it was handcrafted in France and went through as meticulous a process to create as the whisky inside. Even though the whisky and bottle are of the highest possible quality, many would consider the price to be a bit too high when single malt whisky is available for much less that tastes great.
Macallan 1946 – $460,000 (£293,245.79)
For four years before the creation of Macallan “M”, Macallan 1946 was the most expensive bottle of whisky you could buy. This decanter of whisky sold for nearly a half a million dollars in 2010, and was also packaged in outstanding glassware. The Lalique Cire Perdue decanter is a beautifully crafted and fitting container for this expensive tipple. The whisky inside is unusual because of the period it was made, as the second world war and expensive coal prices helped to shape the taste of another Macallen masterpiece.
Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve 1955 – $94,000 (£59,924.14)
This bottle has an interesting history as well as a very interesting price tag. The granddaughter of the founder of Glenfiddich whisky reached the ripe old age of 110 before she passed away, and to commemorate the passing, a cask was opened that had been aging since 1955. The whisky was used to make 15 bottles, of which only 11 were sold to the public, the rest being given to the family. What finer way could there be of relating this tale of the whisky’s creation than while sipping a glass of this fruity, sweet whisky.
Dalmore 62 Single Highland Malt Scotch Matheson – $58,000 (£36,974.47)
A single malt is a whisky that is only brewed in one distillery, but this great bottle of whisky has been blended from four great whiskies from different years of one distillery. This type of blending is not that uncommon in whisky circles, though the act of friendship by the buyer of this bottle could be considered to be so. The story goes that within hours of purchasing one of the 12 bottles of this prized blend, the buyer had opened it and drunk it with 5 of his closest friends; a great gesture in anybody’s eyes.
Macallan 55-Year-Old – $12,500 (£7,968.64)
The last bottle I have chosen is this comparatively inexpensive Macallan whisky. At considerably less than the cost of the other Macallen’s on this list, the 55 year old represented a chance for the less affluent whisky connoisseur to buy an exclusive whisky. Once again, packaged to perfection in a beautiful Lalique Crystal Decanter, a hallmark of this great whisky producer, the 55 was a whisky for the masses… or perhaps not.
There is nothing like a great glass of whisky after dining out with your friends, and what better way to impress them is there than rounding the night off with the best whisky you can afford? Perhaps the bottle of Dalmore would be going too far, but fine single malts are available at very reasonable prices. Go on spoil your friends, and introduce them to the world of high class whisky.