World’s Most Expensive Whiskey
Whiskey has always been a luxurious drink, and it is no wonder the richest people love to collect it. In this blog, we break down the 10 most expensive whiskies in the world.
Remember that we’re not including the rarest bottles in this list. Some whiskeys sell for millions but are impossible to find. The list below includes options that are still hard to find, but maybe not impossible.
Key Takeaways
- The list highlights the 10 most expensive whiskies globally, with prices ranging from $20,000 to $125,000. All entries are rare, but not impossible to find.
- Scotland dominates the list, with only one “Yamazaki 55-Year-Old” from Japan, valued from $70,000.
- Many of these whiskies are available only through exclusive channels such as private sales, auctions, or specialized retailers.
10. Highland Park 50-Year-Old
Price: $20,000 – $25,000
Country: Scotland
Kicking off our list is the Highland Park 50-year-old single malt Scotch whiskey. Established in 1798, Highland Park is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. Released only in 274 bottles, this whiskey has been matured in a combination of first-fill and refill sherry-seasoned European oak casks.
9. Glenfiddich 50-Year-Old
Price: $35,000 – $45,000
Country: Scotland
Located in the Speyside region in Scotland, the Glenfiddich Distillery has aged this whiskey for 50 years in two married American ex-bourbon oak barrels. The distillery uses pure spring water from the Robbie Dhu Springs, giving it a special taste highly sought by whiskey enthusiasts.
Traditionally, Glenfiddich only releases 50 bottles of this whiskey each year, with 450 bottles released to this day. While it’s occasionally available through specialized retailers, obtaining a bottle of this whiskey typically involves joining exclusive client lists or purchasing through private sales.
8. Gordon & MacPhail Generations Mortlach 75-Year-Old
Price: $40,000 – $45,000
Country: Scotland
Only 100 individually numbered crystal decanters of Gordon & MacPhail 75-year-olds are available. The “Generations” series celebrates The Urquhart family’s generational involvement in managing the distillery. At the time of its release in 2015, it was the oldest single-malt Scotch whiskey ever bottled.
7. The Dalmore Decades No. 6 Collection
Price: $275,000 for the entire collection of six bottles
Country: Scotland
Founded in 1839, The Dalmore has a rich history in whiskey making pioneered under the guidance of Master Distiller Richard Paterson. The six whiskies in this collection have been aged between 20 and 60 years using traditional copper pot stills. This whiskey is usually available in a decanter of six bottles, which usually costs $275,000.
Acquiring this collection is highly exclusive, and bottles are typically sold through private sales, auctions, or directly by the distillery to select clients.
6. The Balvenie 50-Year-Old
Price: $40,000 – $50,000
Country: Scotland
This is a rare single malt Scotch whiskey released in different batches. You can find The Balvenie 50-year-old matured either in European oak sherry hogshead or American oak ex-bourbon barrels. The Malt Master David C. Steward MBE is one of the industry’s most experienced malt masters. Due to its limited release, securing a bottle can be quite challenging and often involves joining exclusive waiting lists.
5. The Macallan “The Red Collection” 78-Year-Old
Price: $65,000 – $75,000
Country: Scotland
Distilled in the 1940s, this whiskey was crafted using traditional copper pot stills. The casks were sourced from Jerez, Spain, and are seasoned with Oloroso sherry.
The Red Collection includes whiskies aged 40, 50, 60, 71, 74, and 78 years and is inspired by the color red. It is a significant motif in The Macallan’s history, symbolizing pivotal moments, including founder Alexander Reid and the red print used historically to distinguish the distillery’s sherry-seasoned whiskey.
4. Yamazaki 55-Year-Old
Price: $70,000 – $80,000
Country: Japan
The Yamazaki 55-year-old is the only non-Scotch whiskey on our list. It was released by Japan’s first and oldest malt whiskey distillery. It is a blend of single malts distilled from two key years: 1960 and 1964.
This whiskey is presented in a crystal bottle made with the traditional “Edo Kiriko” technique. Initially released in 2020 in an exclusive 100 bottles for the Japanese market via a lottery system, Yamazaki released another 100 bottles for worldwide sales in 2021.
3. The Macallan “The Genesis Decanter” 72-Year-Old Lalique
Price: $75,000
Country: Scotland
This is a collaboration between The Macallan and the French crystal maker Lalique. It was the oldest release by The Macallan during the time of its release, aged for 72 years in sherry-seasoned oak casks.
With only 600 decanters produced, The Genesis Decanter is only available for purchase through private sales and auctions or direct contact with The Macallan.
2. Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80-Year-Old from Glenlivet Distillery
Price: $110,000
Country: Scotland
In second place, we have the oldest single malt whiskey from Glenlivet Distillery. It has been casked in a first-fill sherry butt and was released in only 250 individually numbered decanters designed by Sir David Adjaye OBE – a renowned architect.
1. The Macallan “The Reach” 81-Year-Old
Price: $125,000
Country: Scotland
Finally, the title for the most expensive whiskey goes to The Macallan’s “The Reach.” Matured for over 81 years in a single sherry-seasoned oak cask, it is also the oldest whiskey released by the distillery. It was distilled during World War II when many distilleries ceased production due to barley shortages and economic constraints.
The decanter was designed by the Scottish sculptor Saskia Robinson. Priced at approximately $125,000 for one decanter, only 288 bottles “The Reach” have been produced, which you can get hold of only through private sellers or The Macallan’s official channels.
This was the list of the world’s costliest whiskies. These are some of the ones that the most passionate collectors are always on the lookout for.
