5 of the most expensive whiskies in the world


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I don't partake in high end spirits myself. For those that do. Do you think there are diminishing returns after a certain point? Whether it be whiskey, Cognac, Bourbon, wine, etc?  The most expensive bottle of wine I've ever had was a 2003 Chateau  Brane-Catenac that I paid around 125Euro just for the experience.   While I admit it was an excellent wine, I can't imagine how much better the next tier wine in the 4 digits would fare. 

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Unfortunately I think that part of the equation has to do with storage = length of the aforementioned.

There has been an ongoing debate about age statements associated with whisky ( and similar affiliations). There are less and less in inventory- which further exacerbates the price.

There is also the potential difference in methodology back in those days (non chill filtered, pot still, no colouring, etc).

I have found ( personal experience nothing beyond 25 years old) that methodology is more important, in particular: single cask, cask strength versus some of the current spate of flavouring.

Even if there were no economics involved - ultimately it is all about the flavour profile on your palate. Hence, I would hate to spend that type of coin - for a virtual unknown "flavour"...

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7 hours ago, targa88 said:

Unfortunately I think that part of the equation has to do with storage = length of the aforementioned.

There has been an ongoing debate about age statements associated with whisky ( and similar affiliations). There are less and less in inventory- which further exacerbates the price.

There is also the potential difference in methodology back in those days (non chill filtered, pot still, no colouring, etc).

I have found ( personal experience nothing beyond 25 years old) that methodology is more important, in particular: single cask, cask strength versus some of the current spate of flavouring.

Even if there were no economics involved - ultimately it is all about the flavour profile on your palate. Hence, I would hate to spend that type of coin - for a virtual unknown "flavour"...

Agree with you on several points here.

And extra age does not always mean better.  Different yes, not always better. At these age statements, the barrels are nearly empty resulting in low yields.  Which for the unseasoned drinker/buyer is supposedly a selling point.

And at these price points, the juice is literally not worth the squeeze.

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On 9/29/2021 at 10:27 PM, therealrsr said:

Taking the Balvenie as the lowest cost example at $30,000

To be fair, the bottles listed in that (in my opinion, stupid - they didn't even actually list the "most expensive" whiskies as they intended to in the title) article are more collectible rather than worth the liquid that's inside. You may draw parallels with pappys (or whatever's collectible in the world of Bourbon, sorry I'm not well versed). 

Regular drinking scotch is probably similar priced to bourbon in the same class

On 9/30/2021 at 10:09 AM, Puros Y Vino said:

Do you think there are diminishing returns after a certain point?

Definitely. I think with all goods that are reaching the limit of "perfection", the price always jumps exponentially at the upper end of the scale. 

The most expensive wines and whiskies I've tasted were around a couple thousand USD/bottle. Nothing compared to those in the article. 

Were they good? Yes. Were they the best I've ever tasted? Even accounting for placebo, I'm inclined to say yes. If I tasted them blind I'm pretty sure I'd have rated them really highly. 

Are they "worth" the amount I paid? That's a question only your net worth can answer. 

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This sort of thing is only very tangentially about the experience of drinking the liquid. It’s much more about the idea of exclusivity, for which some wealthy people are prepared to spend an astronomical amount.

The good news for mere mortals is that the absolute quality difference between ‘truly excellent’ and ‘money no object’ is pretty small when it comes to most luxury consumables. Of course, part of the schtick is that the very wealthy consumers of the ‘very best and most expensive’ can really appreciate the difference. It’s about signalling taste and sophistication. 
 

The fact is, most of those ultra wealthy people can’t tell the difference. A few are genuine experts and connoisseurs. But most simply don’t know. The most telling example of this was the amazing story of Rudy Kirnawian. Any truly blind tasting reveals the same thing.

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On 9/29/2021 at 10:11 PM, Nino said:

I could ask a friend for a sip/drop of the 1926 Macallan - he has it.

But I really would love this bottle ... only 150 made. Only 78.000€ ... 🙂

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilyprice/2019/06/03/suntorys-rolling-stones-bottle-from-2012-is-expected-to-sell-for-44k-at-auction/?sh=3963d790305b

Nino, you a Rolling Stones fan too? I'd love to have that bottle on the shelf...but I'd drink the whisky and use it as a decanter haha

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7 minutes ago, ChanceSchmerr said:

Nino, you a Rolling Stones fan too? I'd love to have that bottle on the shelf...but I'd drink the whisky and use it as a decanter haha

Hell yeah - and have had a sticky tongue tattoo ( with the Cuban flag ) on my right ankle for over 40 years now to prove it  🙂

http://flyingcigar.de/startseite/tattoos-and-cigars/

540266342_RSTattoo.jpg.ce2ad535ec7ef14811b0e91e24c2d191.jpg

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Huge diminishing marginal returns to all cigar, wine and spirit related vices. I grew up in a wine importing business and have tasted stuff  from 1940s to present vintages. I love finding wines in the $20-30/btl price range…they are really good. I did have a magnificent 2005 Pape Clement  last week that made me reminisce. But I find 20-30/btl in still wines, 30-50/btl in whiskey and cognac provides huge flavor/experience for the price. Still fun to drink a pappy once in a while, though I prefer the antique 107 usually. I’m also lucky in that I prefer bourbon over scotch….much less expensive for the fancy stuff. 

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