Whiskey, as both a cultural icon and palate stimulating experience, runs the gamut from gut rot to one of the most refined drinks money can buy (though it can require a lot of money). Only wine aficionados rival whiskey connoisseurs for their elevated standards and somewhat airy appetites. A great whiskey can be as much a revelation for the taste buds as any wonderful experience.
And such transcendent experiences, alas, can cost a pretty penny. So we answer the question, what is the most expensive whiskey? First we have to distinguish between the standard retail price and the highest price. The highest priced bottles of whiskey ever sold have been sold at auction. Such events are unique moments, embedded in particular circumstances and specific variables, which can never be precisely recreated again. All prices are subject to change, of course, but an auction price is especially volatile as a referent to future prices.
Watch for our article on the most expensive whiskey retail prices. It offers information for the whiskey connoisseur that is more relevant to actual market prices. Here, we simply engage in the vicarious fun ride of seeing just how crazy a price some have been willing to pay, under very particular circumstances, for a bottle of the most expensive whiskey. (And, as you'll see, the emphasis on "bottle" is not an idle qualification.) In order from least to most, the top five most expensive whiskey bottles ever sold are listed below for your edification and amusement.
5. Glenfiddich 1937 - $20,000
In one of the funniest films of the 90s, Swingers, Mike attempts rather awkwardly to make a good impression, ordering a whiskey. He rather importantly notes it mustn't be a blend, and suggests, "Single malt, Glen Livet, Glen Galley...perhaps...any Glen." Well, we're sure that Mikey would be happy to know that indeed a "Glen" made it to the top five. Distilled in 1937 in Glenfiddich's Scottish plant, this is a delightful whiskey which has benefited from being allowed to gracefully age. In 2001 it was bottle, resulting in a product line of a mere 61 bottles. Among those scant 61, the pricey bottle of note for our purposes was bought at a charity auction in New York in 2006.
4. Dalmore 62 Single Highland Malt Scotch Matheson - $58,000
Our number four spot on the list shows a dramatic jump in price for the number five spot. It is nearly three times the price! This Dalmore is noteworthy for its blend of four single malt whiskeys, each of them with diverse distillation dates. A mere 12 bottles were produced. Each one was given a distinctive name. The one that eventually was to claim the #4 spot on our list was named after the Dalmore estate owner, Alexander Matheson. The Matheson was anonymously purchased in 2005. Word on the whiskey-aficionado-street has it that the new owner of this velvety whiskey promptly cracked it open to polish off among some friends. We hope it's true.
3. Macallan 1926 - $75,000
Macallan's first splash on our top 5 list is a distinctive whiskey that ranks at the #3 spot. A testament to the enduring patience of elite whiskey producers, it was distilled in 1926, and only bottled in 1986. The distillation produced 40 bottles. Its mark of distinction is the remarkably dry and concentrated quality of the whiskey. These qualities resulted from the complete absence of added water. It was a South Korean businessman, who, in 2005, bought the third most expensive whiskey bottle ever. I can't confirm what he did with it.
2. Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve 1955 - $94,000
Did we fool you? Thought that that whole elaborate Swingers reference meant there was only one "Glen" on the list? Not at all. Glenfiddich, not to be held down to a mere fifth place, runs away with the number two spot on our list. This is a remarkable Scotch whisky that has been barrel aged since New Year's Eve of 1955. The 15 bottles resulting from the distillation were cast in honor of Janet Sheed Roberts, on the occasion of her passing at 110 years old. She was the granddaughter of the Glenfiddich founder and so the family retained four of these heritage bottles. The rest were put up to auction. The specific bottle that wins our runner up spot was purchased by an Atlanta whiskey connoisseur for the mighty impressive sum of $94,000.
1. Macallan 1946 - $460,000
If the price for the second most expensive whiskey bottle ever sold seems in an outer stratosphere, you might want to sit down for this last one. No, that's no typo in the price cited above. This Macallan 1946 did indeed sell for nearly five times the price paid for the runner up. This famous bottle of Macallan in fact provides a illustrative example of the point made above about the uniqueness of circumstances on the occasion of an auction. It is widely acknowledged that some considerable part of this extraordinary price was due to the elegant LaliqueCire Perdue decanter in which the whiskey was sold. There is of course no way of knowing precisely how much the exquisite decanter elevated the sale price. Likewise, when auctions raise money for charity, as was the case in the sale of this Macallan 1946, it is impossible to calculate the potential affect upon price of philanthropic minded buyers who are valuing more than just the whiskey (or even more than just the whiskey and decanter) in what they are willing to pay. So, you can see why auction prices aren't necessarily useful indicators of market value.
It would be a shame though if all of that were to distract us overly from the actual quality of this superior whiskey. It is acknowledged as one of Macallan's best, produced with peated malt. Its eye-popping $460,000 price tag was paid in a 2010 auction. If you're interested in knowing more about the story of this remarkable whisky auction, check out this Forbes video produced in anticipation of the then upcoming auction.
And such transcendent experiences, alas, can cost a pretty penny. So we answer the question, what is the most expensive whiskey? First we have to distinguish between the standard retail price and the highest price. The highest priced bottles of whiskey ever sold have been sold at auction. Such events are unique moments, embedded in particular circumstances and specific variables, which can never be precisely recreated again. All prices are subject to change, of course, but an auction price is especially volatile as a referent to future prices.
Watch for our article on the most expensive whiskey retail prices. It offers information for the whiskey connoisseur that is more relevant to actual market prices. Here, we simply engage in the vicarious fun ride of seeing just how crazy a price some have been willing to pay, under very particular circumstances, for a bottle of the most expensive whiskey. (And, as you'll see, the emphasis on "bottle" is not an idle qualification.) In order from least to most, the top five most expensive whiskey bottles ever sold are listed below for your edification and amusement.
5. Glenfiddich 1937 - $20,000
In one of the funniest films of the 90s, Swingers, Mike attempts rather awkwardly to make a good impression, ordering a whiskey. He rather importantly notes it mustn't be a blend, and suggests, "Single malt, Glen Livet, Glen Galley...perhaps...any Glen." Well, we're sure that Mikey would be happy to know that indeed a "Glen" made it to the top five. Distilled in 1937 in Glenfiddich's Scottish plant, this is a delightful whiskey which has benefited from being allowed to gracefully age. In 2001 it was bottle, resulting in a product line of a mere 61 bottles. Among those scant 61, the pricey bottle of note for our purposes was bought at a charity auction in New York in 2006.
4. Dalmore 62 Single Highland Malt Scotch Matheson - $58,000
Our number four spot on the list shows a dramatic jump in price for the number five spot. It is nearly three times the price! This Dalmore is noteworthy for its blend of four single malt whiskeys, each of them with diverse distillation dates. A mere 12 bottles were produced. Each one was given a distinctive name. The one that eventually was to claim the #4 spot on our list was named after the Dalmore estate owner, Alexander Matheson. The Matheson was anonymously purchased in 2005. Word on the whiskey-aficionado-street has it that the new owner of this velvety whiskey promptly cracked it open to polish off among some friends. We hope it's true.
3. Macallan 1926 - $75,000
Macallan's first splash on our top 5 list is a distinctive whiskey that ranks at the #3 spot. A testament to the enduring patience of elite whiskey producers, it was distilled in 1926, and only bottled in 1986. The distillation produced 40 bottles. Its mark of distinction is the remarkably dry and concentrated quality of the whiskey. These qualities resulted from the complete absence of added water. It was a South Korean businessman, who, in 2005, bought the third most expensive whiskey bottle ever. I can't confirm what he did with it.
2. Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve 1955 - $94,000
Did we fool you? Thought that that whole elaborate Swingers reference meant there was only one "Glen" on the list? Not at all. Glenfiddich, not to be held down to a mere fifth place, runs away with the number two spot on our list. This is a remarkable Scotch whisky that has been barrel aged since New Year's Eve of 1955. The 15 bottles resulting from the distillation were cast in honor of Janet Sheed Roberts, on the occasion of her passing at 110 years old. She was the granddaughter of the Glenfiddich founder and so the family retained four of these heritage bottles. The rest were put up to auction. The specific bottle that wins our runner up spot was purchased by an Atlanta whiskey connoisseur for the mighty impressive sum of $94,000.
1. Macallan 1946 - $460,000
If the price for the second most expensive whiskey bottle ever sold seems in an outer stratosphere, you might want to sit down for this last one. No, that's no typo in the price cited above. This Macallan 1946 did indeed sell for nearly five times the price paid for the runner up. This famous bottle of Macallan in fact provides a illustrative example of the point made above about the uniqueness of circumstances on the occasion of an auction. It is widely acknowledged that some considerable part of this extraordinary price was due to the elegant LaliqueCire Perdue decanter in which the whiskey was sold. There is of course no way of knowing precisely how much the exquisite decanter elevated the sale price. Likewise, when auctions raise money for charity, as was the case in the sale of this Macallan 1946, it is impossible to calculate the potential affect upon price of philanthropic minded buyers who are valuing more than just the whiskey (or even more than just the whiskey and decanter) in what they are willing to pay. So, you can see why auction prices aren't necessarily useful indicators of market value.
It would be a shame though if all of that were to distract us overly from the actual quality of this superior whiskey. It is acknowledged as one of Macallan's best, produced with peated malt. Its eye-popping $460,000 price tag was paid in a 2010 auction. If you're interested in knowing more about the story of this remarkable whisky auction, check out this Forbes video produced in anticipation of the then upcoming auction.
About the Author:
To keep up to speed on the rising trends in luxury whiskey, follow Mickey Jhonny's posts on the Most Expensive Whiskey site. He's also written a fantastic article on the role of high end whiskey and other old school charms in the success of the hit TV show Mad Men: The Don Draper Haircut and the Cool of Mad Men
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