9 Most Expensive Whiskeys
Whiskey is one of the most popular drinks in the world, and its popularity has only increased over time. The number of whiskey brands available on the market is staggering, but some cost a pretty penny. These whiskeys are often made with rare ingredients and aged for decades before they're ready to be sold.
What are some of the Most Expensive Whiskeys?
Whiskey connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike will appreciate the list of the
the most expensive whiskies in the world. Each of these spirits is made with the finest ingredients and spells out luxury – no matter how you choose to drink it.
The following nine whiskeys are some of the most expensive in the world:
Isabella's Islay
The most expensive whiskey in the world is Isabella's Islay. It is a blend of rare single malt scotch whiskey aged over 30 years. A bottle of this whiskey features an exquisite decanter and costs USD 6,400,000.
The bottle contains 8,500 diamonds, 300 rubies, and other precious stones like white gold. The cap features a hand-carved miniature portrait of Isabella Blow, making it even more special than any other bottle!
Isabella Blow was an art collector with a passion for jewelry and other precious things, so she commissioned this amazing piece tribute to her love for all things beautiful. She passed away in 2007, but her legacy lives on through this masterpiece which will surely be remembered as long as there are people who appreciate art and craftsmanship.
The Emerald Isle Collection
In February 2021, The Emerald Isle Collection was sold at auction for $2 million. The collection included a 30-year-old whiskey from Bushmill Distillery, an 18-karat gold Celtic Egg created by Fabergé, a bespoke timepiece made of gold and platinum by Cartier, and a cigar encased in 24k gold with a gold-plated cutter created by Cohiba.
The Irish Bradley family assembled the collection.
The Macallan 1926
The 1926 Macallan—sold at a Sotheby's auction for USD 1.9 million in 2019—is considered by many to be the world's most expensive whiskey. It is part of a collection called "The Macallan Fine and Rare." The bottle features artwork by Irish artist Michael Dillon, who painted it in 1926. This was the first time Dillon worked on a bottle for Macallan, which led some to call it "the holy grail of whiskey."
The Macallan Michael Dillon 1926
The Macallan has long been considered one of the world's best whiskies, and this example from 1926 was the most expensive whiskey ever sold at auction when it was purchased in 2018 by an anonymous bidder.
The Macallan Speyside estate’s Easter Elchies House, which Irish artist Michael Dillion painted, was depicted on a 60-year-old bottle of The Macallan released in 1999. The artwork was sold at Christie’s auction in November 2018 for $1.53 million. Noteworthy is that this piece is the only one of its kind regarding design because only one bottle was produced for this particular label.
Hanyu Ichiro's Full Card Series - USD 1.52 million
The Hanyu Ichiro’s Full Card Series comprises 54 bottles, each representing a playing card in a deck, including two joker cards. Founded in 1941 by Isouji Akuto, his grandson only managed to conserve 400 casks of the whisky from this particular distillery, out of which he taste tested and hand-selected 54 individual whiskies for each playing card. This set of whiskey was released between 2005 and 2014 and was finally sold at an auction house in Hong Kong for US$1.53 million.
The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 - USD 1.1 Million
The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 was designed and crafted by pop artist Valerio Adami. Distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986, the whiskey is estimated to have a price tag of US$ 1.1 million. It was last sold through an auction in 2020 when a famous whiskey collector from Colorado called Richard Gooding passed away, and his collection was auctioned off. It is believed that out of the remaining 11, one was destroyed in an earthquake, and the other has been drunk.
The Macallan Peter Blake 1926
The Macallan Peter Blake 1926 60-year-old whisky was crafted from a cask seasoned with sherry, bottled in 1926, and aged in Speyside for 60 years until 1986. Out of 40 bottles, 24 were decorated by artists Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon; one bottle was commissioned to be painted, while two were auctioned in blank bottles. The remaining 14 bottles were offered as part of The Macallan’s vintage release program. The first release of the 12 bottles occurred in 1993, and to reflect their exclusivity, The Macallan teamed up with pop artist Sir Peter Blake (best known for his design of the album cover for The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) to design the label; it is truly valuable. One of these bottles was auctioned off in 2018 at Bonhams in Hong Kong for approximately US$1.04 million.
The Macallan Lalique Legacy Collection is a set of six decanters containing some of the rarest of The Macallan’s single malts aged 50 to 65. Each decanter was originally a single release and is the product of a decade-long collaboration between The Macallan and Lalique. The bottles are housed in a bespoke natural ebony cabinet, six miniatures, and six pairs of Lalique Macallan glasses. It sold for US$993,000 at Sotheby’s in April 2017.
In 2020, the Macallan Red Collection was auctioned off at Sotheby's in London for a record-breaking US$975,756. Featuring the oldest whiskey ever to be released by the Macallan at 78 years old, this collection also includes a 74-year-old whisky as part of its rare six bottles. Despite being made available to purchase in extremely limited numbers ($100,000), it differs from the standard release thanks to its rare whiskies and exclusive labels illustrated and signed by Spanish artist Javi Anarez. There are reportedly only two sets in existence.
The set auctioned off was acquired by a private Asian collector, with proceeds going to City Harvest London to provide almost two and a half million meals for those in need.
Conclusion
You may wonder how the price can get so astronomically high, and the answer is simple. The high demand for these whiskeys comes from their reputation; every palate wants to try them at least once just for the experience!