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The World's Most Expensive Whiskey
By Staff Writer
In its original form, the word "whisky" meant "water of life." There's quite a variety of different whiskies (or "whiskeys," if we're talking about American or Irish liquors). Check out the most expensive whiskies in these popular varieties.
Bourbon
Many people confuse bourbon, scotch, and whiskey. The fact of the matter is, bourbon and scotch are types of whiskey, each named for the region they're from. Bourbon comes from a place called Bourbon, Kentucky, but unlike Champagne, it can be produced outside of this region and still be called bourbon. Known for its slightly sweeter and smoother taste, Bourbon has started becoming a lot more popular lately. If you have the means, and a taste for bourbon, you may want to try the most expensive bourbon in the world. A 750ML bottle of 16-year-old A. H. Hirsch Reserve will cost you about $300.This smooth whiskey was distilled at Michter's Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania in 1974 and left to mature until it was bottled in 1990. This is one of the few remaining examples of whiskeys brewed in the Kentucky pot-still tradition. Another expensive Bourbon, Evan Williams' 23 year old, was reported by Forbes to be the most expensive in 2006 at $350. It has since gone down in price, however, and may be had for less than $200. But that’s just pocket change compared to the rest of these pricey bottles.
Canadian Rye Whiskey
The world's most expensive Canadian rye whiskey was presented to Queen Elizabeth II at the Kentucky Derby in 2007. If it were sold, it would be expected to go for over $10,000 Dalmore 62 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
The expensive scotch was one of only twelve bottles produced in 1943 from four single malts dating from 1868, 1876, 1926, and 1939. Each was labeled with its own unique name, this one being called Matheson after the Dalmore Estate's owner, Alexander Matheson. It was purchased at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey, where the buyer reportedly shared it with five of his friends. It has been speculated that the buyer and his friends are the only people to have actually enjoyed a bottle of the expensive vintage.
The most expensive scotch broke a record previously held by another bottle of the same vintage, the Kildermorie, sold at auction in 2002 for £25,877 (over $40,000 USD) at McTear's auction house in Glasgow.
The most recent expensive scotch purchase happened at Christie's in New York, where a bottle of 1926 Macallan Scotch, bottled in 1986 and rebottled in 2002, was auctioned for $54,000. Taking place this past weekend, it was the first liquor auction allowed in New York state since the prohibition in 1920. It was expected to sell for between $20,000 and $30,000.
Pure Pot Still Whiskey
When the heir of the Persse family estate, including the Nun's Island Distillery in Galway, Ireland, decided to pursue racehorse training instead of continuing the family business, he probably didn't realize he was creating what may be the world's most expensive Irish whiskey-that is, if anyone ever buys it.
According to whisky seller Ken Thomas' story of the expensive bottle, it was brought to him by a customer who had inherited it from a lady friend of the Persse heir. Dating from the late 1800s, the 25 Year Old Pure Pot Still Whiskey was one of the last bottles produced by the Nun's Island Distillery, which closed its doors around 1913.
Thomas' Arkwrights Whisky and Wines store is offering the bottle, on behalf of its owner, for £100,000 (US $143,020). If it sells at that price, it won't just be the most expensive Irish whiskey ever sold-it'll be the overall most expensive whisky ever sold.