When there's a Scotch, you automatically feel wealthy and sophisticated. Thus, it should be no surprise that the priciest whisky bottles can demand a high price. This kind of liquor, often produced from fermented barley, corn, rye, or wheat, is expensive not because of the time it is aged but because of the container used.
The term "single malt" is frequently seen on the labels of the priciest whiskies. That still only indicates that the alcohol was derived from a single ingredient—typically barley—as opposed to rye and barley together.
These whiskies are typically pricey because of their age, rarity, and presumed excellence. They are typically served in opulent decanters. Scotch, Irish, and Japanese whiskies are worth seeking on this list. Price highly differentiates between whiskies and its cases. But, surely taste may vary in terms of smoothness and price range. The more bitter but smooth a whisky may be the more pricier it is and vice-versa.
Of course, this does not imply that these are the best whiskies because they are pricey. Due to their rarity and class, these are frequently auctioned off. This is merely a list of whiskies based on price. Keep reading!
World’s Most Expensive Whiskies
Isabella’s Islay
Isabella’s Islay whisky is the priciest whisky available in a bottle. The decanter that holds it accounts for its price tag, which exceeds 50 Crores per bottle. It is adorned with stunning white gold, 300 rubies, and 8,500 diamonds. In terms of the whisky itself, it is among the best and represents the pinnacle of upscale scotch whisky.
Emerald Isle Collection
The Emerald Isle Collection, which was offered for sale in February 2021, came in a package with seven items along with a 30-year-old whisky. It was crafted by the Irish Bradley family, and it was sourced from the world's oldest distillery in Bushmill, Ireland (the world's rarest and oldest triple-distilled whisky). The whisky was then aged in Pedro Ximenez casks. Craft Irish Whisky Co. is renowned for using traditional methods of manufacturing Irish whisky to produce premium whiskies. These range from 16 crores.
1926 Macallan
Distilled in 1926, it was originally marketed in cask number 263. This was the first bottle in the 'The Macallan Fine and Rare' line to have an artwork by Irish artist Michael Dillon painted by hand. People call it "the holy grail of whisky". Just 40 bottles of The Macallan 1926, the oldest Macallan vintage, were ever made. These bottles were sold after being matured for sixty years in sherry casks. These are prices for more than 20 crores and can mostly be seen in auctions.
The Macallan Michael Dillon
This 60-year-old whiskey was painted by Irish painter Michael Dillon on contract for Fortnum & Mason. It was first available in 1999 and brought for 10 crores at a Christie's auction in November 2018. The stunning Scottish Highlands and the famous Easter Elchies House of The Macallan are portrayed in the artwork. The product is presented in an opulent wooden case bearing the name "The Macallan 60-Year-Old", and it comes with a certificate of authenticity from the brand that guarantees its lineage and originality.
Hanyu Ichiro
Although they received a substantial payment of INR153 crore for the 54 bottles, they were sold as a set since they are genuinely valuable. The Hanyu Ichiro's Full Card Series is the only SIchiro'syle malt-made Japanese whisky. It comes in 54 bottles, each representing a playing card in a deck (with two joker cards). This collection is rare because the Hanyu distillery is no longer operating. Isouji Akuto founded this distillery in 1941, and only 400 whisky casks were preserved by his grandson.
Macallan Valerio Adami 1926
This whiskey decanter is housed in a unique cabinet; there are only 12 of its sort in the world, and they were created with pop artist Valerio Adami. This whisky, distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986, is estimated to be worth 10 cr. It was last sold at an auction at Bonhams in 2020 when the collection of renowned Colorado whisky collector Richard Gooding was up for auction.
Macallan Peter Blake 1926
The Macallan Peter Blake 1926 was casked in a sherry-seasoned barrel. After being bottled in 1926, it matured in the Speyside distillery for 60 years until 1986. Of the forty bottles, twenty-four had labels created by well-known artists, including Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon, whose labels had sold for over 10 cr. in the last year. Macallan planned to offer the remaining 14 as part of their vintage release program.
Macallan Lalique Legacy Collection
The Macallan Lalique Legacy is made by French jeweller and glassmaker Lalique. It is a collection of six exquisite crystal decanters known as the Six Pillars Odyssey that hold some of the rarest single malts from The Macallan, who are 65 years old. The six coveted limited-edition decanters were created over ten years of partnership between Lalique and The Macallan. The bottles are kept in a custom-built natural ebony cabinet with six miniatures and six pairs of glasses by Lalique Macallan. It is priced at 40 crores and is mostly actioned.
Macallan Red Collection
This collection includes the 78-year-old most aged whisky the company has ever issued, and was put up for sale at Sotheby's in London in 2020. A collection of six whiskies, aged 74, is also included in the collection and will be auctioned off. Even though The Macallan Red Collection is only available in extremely limited quantities the collection would normally sell for approximately 1,00,000 INR. This specific series stands out from the regular release because it includes rare whiskies and unique labels signed and illustrated by Spanish artist Javi Anarez.
Macallan M
One of the world's most costly and historic whiskies is The Macallan M, available in 6-litre bottles. It is contained in a decanter made of handcrafted crystal, designed and produced by 17 artisans. The final bottle of Macallan M was auctioned off in Hong Kong for 62,82,05,000 INR, with the money going to a number of charitable organisations in Hong Kong.