30 Over-the-Top Splurge Bottles for Whiskey Lovers
In the past year, you’ve probably seen news articles about higher and higher-priced whiskies, breaking records at auctions, or for oldest whisky on the market. While these sorts of high-end, special releases have been popular for some time, it seems like producers really ramped things up this year.
What makes a whiskey expensive?
Whiskies (and whiskeys) are very expensive for a number of reasons. Often it’s the sheer age: with Scotch, anything over about 35 or 40 years becomes extremely challenging to craft and bottle. Even properly aged, the angel’s share (alcohol evaporation) in chilly Scotland means a single barrel can be too low-proof or empty to bottle, and needs to be combined with other extra-old barrels on a regular basis. Sometimes a high-end whisky incorporates juice from long-closed distilleries, meaning only a very limited supply is available. Sometimes it’s a decently expensive whisky packaged in an obscenely expensive crystal or titanium bottle. And now, in the era of crypto, sometimes it’s because a moderately high-priced bottle has a very high-priced limited-edition NFT attached. Whatever the case, it’s increasingly common for brands to announce bottles costing $5,000, $10,000, $30,000 or more.
“With highly limited releases, such as the Balvenie Sixty or Glenfiddich 50-Year, oftentimes luxury bars, restaurants, and retail stores are aware of the products before they come to market, and seek them out,” says Greg Levine, Vice President of Marketing Single Malts for William Grant & Sons. “Whisky aficionados tend to reach out to those luxury establishments for information on how to secure their own bottle.”
Notable High-End Whiskey Releases
Mortlach Special Release
A brand-new release, this incredibly rich, full-bodied whisky is distilled in six stills a total of 2.81 times, split and finished in three casks—Bordeaux, Guatemalan rum, and calvados—then married in custom quarter casks. The result is intense, but with complex fruit notes, chocolates, caramel, and a long black pepper finish. Only 350 bottles of this extra-aged spirit (49.1% ABV) are released annually. Try Blackwell’s in San Francisco for a bottle.
Bowmore Collaborations
Islay-based Bowmore makes big, smoky whiskies that are, frankly, delicious. They’ve been releasing a number of pricy releases in the past few years, including 50-year expressions (the 1965 initially started at $30,000), annual releases of its 30-Year (around $2,800), and The Bowmore Masters’ Selection released in January. The 21-year, sherry cask-finished whisky is a collaboration with luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin, incorporating the concept of the Golden Ratio in its development (about $400). This fall, Bowmore took things next level with ARC-52, another collaboration with Aston Martin. 100 bottles of the 52-year-old rare release is the one of the oldest whiskies Bowmore has ever produced. The whisky comes from two barrels (equal parts): American Oak Hogshead and European Oak Butt, creating a vitally complex flavor profile that just keeps giving.
The Macallan M Collection
The Macallan, located in Speyside in the Scottish Highlands, may be the expert brand at astronomically expensive whisky releases. It’s regularly broken auction records, and releases several core bottlings (like Macallan M) that run into the several thousands of dollars. This year, there are three M releases, known collectively as the M Collection. Designed to reflect Macallan’s “Six Pillars” (Natural Color, Mastery, Curiously Small Spirit Stills, The Estate, Exceptional Oak Casks and Sherry Seasoning), each expression highlights a distinct pillar.
Whiskey Data and Pricing
| Whiskey Expression | Key Features | Approximate Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mortlach Extra-Aged Spirit | Only 350 bottles released annually; 49.1% ABV | $5,000 |
| Bowmore ARC-52 | 52-year-old; Aston Martin collaboration; 100 bottles | $75,000 |
| Bowmore 1965 | 50-year expression | $30,000 |
| Bowmore 30-Year | Annual rare release | $2,800 |
| Bowmore 21-Year | Sherry cask-finished; Aston Martin collaboration | $400 |
The Whiskey Bar Experience: Warren American Whiskey Kitchen
The casually sophisticated space known as Warren American Whiskey Kitchen focuses on serving up comfort fare with a twist. The restaurant is renowned for its premier whiskey collection, and the displays are stunning. One of the first things diners see when they enter the stylish restaurant is the impressive collection of nearly 1,000 bottles of whiskey that line that wall. They offer everything from single-barrel bourbons to rare, bottled scotches sourced from all over the world. Warren changed the foodscape of West Delray the second it opened with its world-beating whiskey collection and whiskey concierge, John Fitzpatrick.
Damn Good Hospitality plans to open its third American whiskey kitchen that will be called Warren Sarasota at 1400 Main Street. The area’s small-town Midwest feel, combined with its vibrant downtown district, offers the ideal setting for our next chapter. Damn Good Hospitality has two other Warren locations, one in Naples, one in Delray Beach.
Rye vs. Bourbon: Expert Advice
“Among the wide range of whiskeys, bourbon and rye are among the most popular options. They look similar, are often used in the same cocktails and many American distilleries make both types of whiskey. No wonder it’s so easy to get them confused,” says John “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick, beverage director and self-described “spiritual advisor” at Warren American Whiskey Kitchen. Which whiskey to select for a cocktail is a matter of personal preference. However, he traditionally reaches for a “deep, caramel-rich” bourbon to fill out an Old Fashioned, and rye for a Manhattan. The latter “introduces sweet vermouth, which would be the complement to spice.” That said, Fitzpatrick recommends that people try both in mixing drinks, to see which they prefer. “There’s no right or wrong with either cocktail,” he says.
