The World's Most Valuable Whiskies
- Emma Gibbs
- Feb 21, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 26, 2024
The world’s most valuable whiskies. 🥃💎
Not always necessarily rare but available for purchase via private sale or auction at eye-watering prices. Here’s 5 of some of the most valuable whiskies today.
The Yamazaki 55 YO
The Yamazaki 55 was introduced by a lottery system in Japan in 2020 with only 100 bottles available for sale. The world’s oldest Japanese single malt whisky then went on to break the record as the most expensive Japanese whisky ever sold. The Yamazaki 55 has been vatted in mizunara and American oak casks and carries a woody note that complements the bitter-sweet flavour. The bottle comes hand wrapped in Echizen washi paper and is fastened with a plaited cord.
Value: £617,582
The Macallan 26
Officially the world’s most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold at auction. The Macallan 60 YO 1926 with a label designed and signed by Italian artist Valerio Adami, was sold at auction to an anonymous bidder at Sotheby’s in London on 18 November 2023. This whisky broke its own previous auction record when another bottle of Macallan 26 had been sold for £1,452,000 in October 2019.
Value: £2,187,500
Laphroaig 40 YO
The world’s most valuable bottle of whisky is officially a Laphroaig 40 YO, signed by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, now King Charles III and Queen Camilla and was verified by Guinness World of Records in October 2022. It was distilled in 1960 at the Laphroaig Distillery in Islay, signed in June 2008, and belongs to The Grande Whisky Museum in Suntec City, Singapore.
Value: £2,208,980
Emerald Isle – The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
This whiskey became one of the world’s most valuable Irish whiskeys at a private sale last month when it was purchased by American collector Mike Daley. The Irish whiskey, which has been aged for 30 years in a variety of casks, comes presented in a walnut case with a decanter, a pair of tulip-shaped glasses and a one-of-a-kind Faberge egg, is one of only 7 sets made.
Value: £2,217,490
Isabella’s Islay
Sometimes the perceived value of a bottle of whisky is not the whisky itself but is really just the bottle. Independent bottler, Luxury Beverage Company, created this Islay blend presented in a white gold decanter and studied with 300 rubies and 8500 diamonds. It is not known whether any of these have actually been sold.
Retail value: £4,909,563
Have you ever sampled any of these valuable whiskies? Comment below and let me know.
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