One Hundred
Benchmark Whiskies

1The Macallan, Fine & Rare series

Speyside · Scotland

The auction room's most traded single malt.

A vintage-dated series drawn from the distillery's oldest sherry-seasoned casks, running back to 1926.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

40–60%

Guide price

$15,000–60,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength, no further ageing

Production

Single cask releases

Established

Distillery from 1824

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned European oak

Serving

Neat at room temperature, water to taste

Vintages

1926, 1937, 1946, 1961, 1971

More photos

2The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak

Speyside · Scotland

The benchmark sherried Speyside malt.

Matured solely in sherry-seasoned oak from Jerez, a practice the distillery has kept since the 1800s.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$350–500

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1824

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned European oak

Serving

Neat, or a few drops of water

Vintages

Annual releases

More photos

3Ardbeg Supernova

Islay · Scotland

Extreme peating, released in limited runs.

Phenol levels far above the distillery's standard; the name refers to a batch sent to the space station.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50–55%

Guide price

$400–800

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1815

Malt and cask

Heavily peated malt

Serving

Neat, water opens the smoke

Vintages

2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2019

More photos

4Ardbeg Uigeadail

Islay · Scotland

Peat and sherry cask in balance, at cask strength.

Named for the loch supplying the distillery's water; a marriage of bourbon and sherry casks.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

54.2%

Guide price

$90–130

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1815

Malt and cask

Peated malt, sherry and bourbon casks

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

5Lagavulin 16 Year Old

Islay · Scotland

The classical Islay malt: smoke, iodine, depth.

Long fermentation and slow distillation give the weight for which Lagavulin is known.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 16 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$90–130

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1816

Malt and cask

Peated malt

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

6Port Ellen Annual Release

Islay · Scotland

A closed distillery whose stock only diminishes.

Silent since 1983; annual releases from remaining casks made it a collector's benchmark.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

52–57%

Guide price

$3,000–8,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

A few thousand bottles per release

Established

Closed 1983

Malt and cask

Peated malt

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

1978, 1979, 1982, 1983

More photos

7Brora Annual Release

Highlands · Scotland

Waxy, lightly peated Highland malt from a silent era.

Closed in 1983 and reopened in 2021; old stock remains scarce and keenly collected.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48–56%

Guide price

$2,000–6,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Limited release

Established

Closed 1983, reopened 2021

Malt and cask

Lightly peated malt

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

1972, 1977, 1981, 1982

More photos

8Springbank 21 Year Old

Campbeltown · Scotland

Floor-malted, family-owned, sold out on release.

The only Scottish distillery to malt, distil, mature and bottle entirely on site.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 21 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$800–1,500

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1828

Malt and cask

Floor-malted barley

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Periodic releases

More photos

9Springbank 15 Year Old

Campbeltown · Scotland

Sherry-influenced Campbeltown of oily depth.

Allocated tightly; retail demand far exceeds the distillery's modest output.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 15 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$150–250

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited allocation

Established

Distillery from 1828

Malt and cask

Floor-malted barley

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

10Highland Park 25 Year Old

Orkney · Scotland

Heather-peat smoke and sherry from the far north.

Peated with Orkney heather turf rather than mainland moss, giving a floral smoke.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

45.7–48%

Guide price

$800–1,200

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1798

Malt and cask

Heather-peated malt

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

11Talisker 25 Year Old

Isle of Skye · Scotland

Maritime pepper and smoke, aged long.

The only distillery on Skye for most of its history; a peppery finish is its signature.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

45.8%

Guide price

$500–800

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1830

Malt and cask

Peated malt

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

12Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore

Islay · Scotland

Legendary sherry-darkened Islay from 1964.

Distilled in 1964 and matured in oloroso casks; releases in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

49–50%

Guide price

$15,000–30,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Fewer than 2,000 bottles total

Established

Distillery from 1779

Malt and cask

Peated malt, oloroso casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1964

More photos

13Laphroaig 25 Year Old Cask Strength

Islay · Scotland

Medicinal Islay softened by decades in cask.

Still floor-malts a portion of its barley over local peat.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48–52%

Guide price

$800–1,200

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1815

Malt and cask

Floor-malted, peated

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

14Bruichladdich Octomore

Islay · Scotland

The most heavily peated whisky made.

Phenol levels above 150 ppm in some editions, several times the Islay norm.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

57–61%

Guide price

$180–280

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited editions

Established

Series from 2008

Malt and cask

Scottish barley, extreme peating

Serving

Neat, water strongly recommended

Vintages

Editions 10 to 15

More photos

15Glenfarclas 40 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

Family-owned sherried Speyside at a fair price.

Owned by the Grant family since 1865 and matured in first-fill sherry butts.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 40 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$700–1,000

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1836

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned oak

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

16Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength

Speyside · Scotland

The original cask-strength Speyside.

Named for 105 British proof; among the first cask-strength malts sold commercially.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

60%

Guide price

$70–100

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Released from 1968

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned oak

Serving

Neat, water recommended

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

17The Balvenie 30 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

Honeyed Speyside with its own floor maltings.

One of few distilleries still growing barley and malting on site.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 30 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

47.3%

Guide price

$1,000–1,500

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1892

Malt and cask

Estate barley, floor-malted in part

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

18Glenfiddich 40 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

Solera-style release from the largest malt distillery.

Each batch retains a portion of the previous, so the wine of earlier releases persists.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 40 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

45–46%

Guide price

$4,000–6,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

~600 bottles per batch

Established

Distillery from 1887

Malt and cask

American and European oak

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

19The Glenlivet 25 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

The distillery that gave Speyside its template.

The first licensed distillery in the parish, in 1824, and long the region's reference.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$400–600

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1824

Malt and cask

Oloroso-finished

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

20Glenmorangie Signet

Highlands · Scotland

Built on chocolate-roasted malt, no age statement.

Uses high-roast malted barley, unusual in Scotch, for a coffee-toned character.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$200–300

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Released from 2008

Malt and cask

Roasted malt, designer casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

21Glenmorangie 18 Year Old

Highlands · Scotland

Tall stills, delicate spirit, sherry finish.

The tallest stills in Scotland give a light, floral distillate.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$120–180

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1843

Malt and cask

Bourbon and oloroso casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

22Dalmore 40 Year Old

The Dalmore

Highlands · Scotland

Deeply sherried Highland malt in luxury dress.

Finished in rare Matusalem and Apostoles sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 40 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

42–45%

Guide price

$8,000–15,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

A few hundred bottles

Established

Distillery from 1839

Malt and cask

Sherry cask finishing

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Periodic releases

More photos

23Glenglassaugh Rare Cask releases

Highlands · Scotland

Coastal Highland malt from long-silent stock.

Closed from 1986 to 2008; pre-closure casks are increasingly scarce.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

40–50%

Guide price

$1,500–4,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask releases

Established

Distillery from 1875

Malt and cask

Sherry and bourbon casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1963, 1967, 1972, 1973

More photos

24Clynelish 14 Year Old

Highlands · Scotland

The waxy Highland style prized by blenders.

A distinctive waxiness, attributed to the distillery's receivers, made it a blending cornerstone.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 14 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$70–100

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1967

Malt and cask

Bourbon casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

25Caol Ila 18 Year Old

Islay · Scotland

Restrained Islay smoke, elegant with age.

Islay's largest distillery by volume, though most output goes to blends.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$120–180

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1846

Malt and cask

Peated malt

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

26Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old

Islay · Scotland

Islay's unpeated exception, sherried and salty.

Made chiefly from unpeated malt, unusual on the island.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46.3%

Guide price

$500–800

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1881

Malt and cask

Unpeated malt, sherry casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

27Kilchoman 100% Islay

Islay · Scotland

Barley grown, malted and distilled on one farm.

Islay's first new distillery in over a century, and a working farm.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50%

Guide price

$100–150

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited editions

Established

Distillery from 2005

Malt and cask

Estate barley, floor-malted

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual editions

More photos

28Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Blended, various regions · Scotland

The blend that made luxury Scotch a category.

Blended from a small pool of rare casks; launched in 1992.

Classification

Blended Scotch

Grain

Malted and grain barley

Alcohol

40%

Guide price

$180–250

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Released from 1992

Malt and cask

Multi-distillery blend

Serving

Neat or over a large ice cube

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

29Royal Salute 21 Year Old

Chivas Brothers

Blended, various regions · Scotland

Created for a coronation, still in porcelain.

Launched in 1953 to mark the coronation of Elizabeth II.

Classification

Blended Scotch, 21 years

Grain

Malted and grain barley

Alcohol

40%

Guide price

$150–220

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Released from 1953

Malt and cask

Multi-distillery blend

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

30Compass Box Hedonism

Blended grain, various · Scotland

Grain whisky treated as a fine spirit.

John Glaser's blending house argued for grain whisky's quality when few did.

Classification

Blended grain Scotch

Grain

Grain whisky

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$90–130

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Batch limited

Established

House from 2000

Malt and cask

American oak

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

31Yamazaki 18 Year Old

Suntory

Osaka Prefecture · Japan

Japan's first malt distillery, sherried and deep.

Founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii; mizunara oak features in the older stock.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$800–1,200

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Tightly allocated

Established

Distillery from 1923

Malt and cask

Sherry, bourbon and mizunara oak

Serving

Neat, or as a highball

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

32Yamazaki 25 Year Old

Suntory

Osaka Prefecture · Japan

Among the most collected Japanese whiskies.

Drawn largely from sherry casks laid down before Japanese whisky's global boom.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$5,000–10,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

A few hundred bottles

Established

Distillery from 1923

Malt and cask

Sherry casks, some mizunara

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

33Hakushu 18 Year Old

Suntory

Yamanashi Prefecture · Japan

Forest distillery; green, lightly smoked malt.

Sits at 700 metres in the Southern Japanese Alps amid forest.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$700–1,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Tightly allocated

Established

Distillery from 1973

Malt and cask

Lightly peated malt

Serving

Neat, or as a highball

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

34Hibiki 21 Year Old

Suntory

Blended, Japan · Japan

The blend that won Japan its global standing.

Blends Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita grain; repeated world whisky honours.

Classification

Blended Japanese whisky, 21 years

Grain

Malted and grain barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$1,200–2,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Tightly allocated

Established

Released from 1989

Malt and cask

Multi-distillery, mizunara in part

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

35Hibiki 17 Year Old

Suntory

Blended, Japan · Japan

Discontinued in 2018; prices rose sharply after.

Withdrawn when aged stock ran short; familiar from its role in Lost in Translation.

Classification

Blended Japanese whisky, 17 years

Grain

Malted and grain barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$800–1,400

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Discontinued

Established

Released from 1989

Malt and cask

Multi-distillery blend

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Pre-2018 stock

More photos

36Karuizawa 1960s and 1970s vintages

Nagano Prefecture · Japan

A closed distillery whose casks broke auction records.

Closed in 2000 and demolished; the final casks were bottled and sold individually.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

55–65%

Guide price

$10,000–100,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask releases

Established

Closed 2000

Malt and cask

Sherry casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1960, 1964, 1967, 1971, 1981

More photos

37Hanyu Ichiro's Malt Card Series

Saitama Prefecture · Japan

Fifty-four casks, fifty-four playing card labels.

Ichiro Akuto saved his family distillery's final casks and bottled them one by one; the full set sold for millions.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

55–60%

Guide price

$8,000–40,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask releases

Established

Series 2005 to 2014

Malt and cask

Various cask types

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1985 to 2000 distillates

More photos

38Chichibu The First

Saitama Prefecture · Japan

The debut bottling of Japan's craft leader.

The first release from Ichiro Akuto's new distillery, in 2011.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

61.8%

Guide price

$3,000–6,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

~7,400 bottles

Established

Distillery from 2008

Malt and cask

Bourbon casks

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

2008 distillate

More photos

39Nikka Yoichi 20 Year Old

Hokkaido · Japan

Coal-fired stills and coastal smoke.

Masataka Taketsuru chose Hokkaido for its resemblance to Scotland; the stills are still coal-fired.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky, 20 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

52%

Guide price

$2,000–4,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Discontinued

Established

Distillery from 1934

Malt and cask

Peated malt, coal-fired distillation

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Pre-2015 stock

More photos

40Nikka Taketsuru 21 Year Old

Blended malt, Japan · Japan

Pure malt blend named for the founder.

Blends Yoichi and Miyagikyo malts; the age-stated version was withdrawn in 2020.

Classification

Blended malt Japanese whisky, 21 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$800–1,400

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Discontinued

Established

Released from 2000

Malt and cask

Two-distillery blend

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Pre-2020 stock

More photos

41Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old

Old Rip Van Winkle

Kentucky · USA

The most sought bourbon on the American market.

Wheated mash bill; annual allocation is a fraction of demand and secondary prices are many times retail.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon, 23 years

Grain

Corn, wheat, malted barley

Alcohol

47.8%

Guide price

$3,000–6,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

A few thousand bottles

Established

Brand from 1972

Malt and cask

Wheated mash bill

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

42Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old

Old Rip Van Winkle

Kentucky · USA

The most drinkable of the Van Winkle range.

Widely held to be the sweet spot in the line for balance of age and fruit.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon, 15 years

Grain

Corn, wheat, malted barley

Alcohol

53.5%

Guide price

$1,200–2,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual allocation

Established

Brand from 1972

Malt and cask

Wheated mash bill

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

43George T. Stagg

Buffalo Trace

Kentucky · USA

Uncut, unfiltered barrel-proof bourbon.

Part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, released each autumn at full barrel strength.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon

Grain

Corn, rye, malted barley

Alcohol

62–72%

Guide price

$800–1,500

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Collection from 2000

Malt and cask

High-rye mash bill

Serving

Neat, water strongly recommended

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

44William Larue Weller

Buffalo Trace

Kentucky · USA

Barrel-proof wheated bourbon, annually released.

Shares its wheated recipe with the Van Winkle line and draws the same demand.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon

Grain

Corn, wheat, malted barley

Alcohol

60–68%

Guide price

$800–1,500

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Collection from 2000

Malt and cask

Wheated mash bill

Serving

Neat, water strongly recommended

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

45Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye

Buffalo Trace

Kentucky · USA

Barrel-proof rye from the Antique Collection.

Named for the New Orleans barman credited with the Sazerac cocktail.

Classification

Straight rye whiskey

Grain

Rye, corn, malted barley

Alcohol

62–66%

Guide price

$500–900

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Collection from 2000

Malt and cask

Rye mash bill

Serving

Neat, water recommended

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

46Michter's Celebration Sour Mash

Kentucky · USA

A blend of the house's rarest barrels.

Released only a handful of times, each from a small selection of exceptional barrels.

Classification

American whiskey

Grain

Corn, rye, malted barley

Alcohol

55–60%

Guide price

$5,000–8,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

~300 bottles per release

Established

Releases from 2013

Malt and cask

Selected barrels

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

2013, 2016, 2019, 2022

More photos

47Michter's 25 Year Old Bourbon

Kentucky · USA

Very old bourbon that avoided over-oaking.

Released only when barrels of that age are judged to have held their balance.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon, 25 years

Grain

Corn, rye, malted barley

Alcohol

58.1%

Guide price

$3,000–5,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

A few hundred bottles

Established

Releases from 2008

Malt and cask

Selected barrels

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Periodic releases

More photos

48Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Eagle Rare 17

Kentucky · USA

Aged bourbon at drinking strength, not barrel proof.

The gentlest member of the Antique Collection, bottled at a lower strength.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon, 17 years

Grain

Corn, rye, malted barley

Alcohol

50.5%

Guide price

$500–900

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Collection from 2000

Malt and cask

Standard mash bill

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

49Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Rye

Willett Distillery

Kentucky · USA

Single-barrel rye with a devoted following.

Bottled barrel by barrel, so each release differs; older barrels command steep prices.

Classification

Kentucky straight rye whiskey

Grain

Rye, malted barley

Alcohol

55–65%

Guide price

$400–1,200

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Single barrel

Established

Distillery from 1936

Malt and cask

Rye mash bill

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Single barrel releases

More photos

50Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch

Kentucky · USA

Annual blend drawn from ten distinct recipes.

The distillery runs two mash bills and five yeast strains, giving ten separate spirits to blend.

Classification

Kentucky straight bourbon

Grain

Corn, rye, malted barley

Alcohol

54–58%

Guide price

$200–400

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Series from 2007

Malt and cask

Ten-recipe blending

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

51Redbreast 27 Year Old

Irish Distillers

County Cork · Ireland

The flagship of Irish single pot still.

Pot still whiskey uses both malted and unmalted barley, a style unique to Ireland.

Classification

Single pot still Irish whiskey, 27 years

Grain

Malted and unmalted barley

Alcohol

54.6%

Guide price

$500–800

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Brand from 1903

Malt and cask

Sherry and ruby port casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

52Redbreast 21 Year Old

Irish Distillers

County Cork · Ireland

Sherried pot still of great consistency.

Matured in a combination of bourbon and oloroso sherry casks.

Classification

Single pot still Irish whiskey, 21 years

Grain

Malted and unmalted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$250–350

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Brand from 1903

Malt and cask

Bourbon and oloroso casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

53Midleton Very Rare Vintage Release

Midleton Distillery

County Cork · Ireland

An annual vintage from Ireland's flagship distillery.

Each year's release is signed by the master distiller and dated.

Classification

Blended Irish whiskey

Grain

Malted and unmalted barley, grain

Alcohol

40%

Guide price

$250–400

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Series from 1984

Malt and cask

Bourbon casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual since 1984

More photos

54Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy

Midleton Distillery

County Cork · Ireland

Pot still whiskey honouring a master distiller.

Named for the distiller born on the distillery grounds; matured in American oak.

Classification

Single pot still Irish whiskey

Grain

Malted and unmalted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$300–450

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Released from 2011

Malt and cask

American oak, some virgin

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

55Green Spot Château Léoville Barton

Mitchell & Son

County Cork · Ireland

Pot still finished in Saint-Julien claret casks.

Finished in casks from the Barton family's Bordeaux estate, itself Irish-founded.

Classification

Single pot still Irish whiskey

Grain

Malted and unmalted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$90–130

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Released from 2015

Malt and cask

Bordeaux wine cask finish

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

56Bushmills 21 Year Old

County Antrim · Ireland

Triple-distilled malt finished in Madeira.

Two decades in bourbon and sherry, then two years in Madeira drums.

Classification

Single malt Irish whiskey, 21 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

40%

Guide price

$250–350

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Licensed from 1608

Malt and cask

Madeira cask finish

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

57Waterford Single Farm Origin series

Waterford Distillery

County Waterford · Ireland

Terroir applied to whisky, farm by farm.

Each release traces to a single named farm, with soil and grower recorded.

Classification

Single malt Irish whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50%

Guide price

$80–120

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited per farm

Established

Distillery from 2015

Malt and cask

Single-farm barley, some biodynamic

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Farm-specific releases

More photos

58Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique

Yilan County · Taiwan

Subtropical maturation compresses decades into years.

Taiwan's heat drives extraction far faster than in Scotland; angel's share can exceed 10% a year.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

54–60%

Guide price

$250–400

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

Distillery from 2005

Malt and cask

Wine-treated barriques

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Single cask releases

More photos

59Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask

Yilan County · Taiwan

Dense sherried malt from the tropics.

Took a world's best single malt title in 2015, upending assumptions about origin.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

55–58%

Guide price

$250–400

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

Distillery from 2005

Malt and cask

Oloroso sherry butts

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Single cask releases

More photos

60Amrut Fusion

Amrut Distilleries

Bangalore · India

Indian and Scottish peated barley combined.

Blends unpeated Indian barley with peated Scottish malt, matured in Bangalore's heat.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50%

Guide price

$80–120

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Released from 2009

Malt and cask

Indian and Scottish barley

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

61Paul John Mars Orbiter

Goa · India

Peated Goan malt of tropical intensity.

Six-row Indian barley, unusual in whisky, gives a fuller body.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48–58%

Guide price

$120–180

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 2012

Malt and cask

Indian six-row barley

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Limited releases

More photos

62Mackmyra Moment series

Gävle · Sweden

Nordic malt aged partly in a disused mine.

Some casks mature fifty metres underground in a former mine at constant temperature.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46–52%

Guide price

$150–300

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1999

Malt and cask

Swedish oak in part

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Numbered Moments

More photos

63Stauning Rye

Stauning Whisky

Jutland · Denmark

Floor-malted Danish rye whisky.

Founded by nine friends; floor-malts its own grain and direct-fires its stills.

Classification

Rye whisky

Grain

Rye, malted barley

Alcohol

48%

Guide price

$90–130

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 2005

Malt and cask

Danish rye, floor-malted

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

64Sullivans Cove French Oak

Tasmania · Australia

The single cask that won world best malt.

Cask HH0525 took the world's best single malt title in 2014 and transformed Tasmanian whisky.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

47.5%

Guide price

$1,000–2,500

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask, a few hundred bottles

Established

Distillery from 1994

Malt and cask

French oak, ex-port

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Single cask releases

More photos

65Starward Nova

Melbourne, Victoria · Australia

Matured entirely in Australian red wine barrels.

Uses barrels from Barossa and Yarra wineries, unseasoned and still wet.

Classification

Single malt whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

41–48%

Guide price

$60–90

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 2007

Malt and cask

Australian wine barrels

Serving

Neat or over ice

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

66Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon

Hillrock Estate

New York · USA

Solera-aged American bourbon on a working farm.

Uses a solera system rare in bourbon; grain is grown and floor-malted on the estate.

Classification

Solera aged bourbon

Grain

Corn, rye, malted barley

Alcohol

46.3%

Guide price

$120–180

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 2011

Malt and cask

Estate grain, floor-malted

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

67Westland Garryana

Westland Distillery

Seattle, Washington · USA

Matured in a native Pacific oak species.

Quercus garryana grows only in the Pacific Northwest and is scarce as cooperage.

Classification

American single malt

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50–56%

Guide price

$150–220

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Series from 2016

Malt and cask

Native Garry oak

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual editions

More photos

68Balcones Brimstone

Balcones Distilling

Waco, Texas · USA

Texas corn whisky smoked with scrub oak.

Smoked with Texas scrub oak after distillation rather than by peating the grain.

Classification

Texas corn whisky

Grain

Blue corn

Alcohol

53%

Guide price

$70–100

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 2008

Malt and cask

Roasted blue corn

Serving

Neat or over ice

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

69Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

Manitoba · Canada

The Canadian rye that took world whisky of the year.

Named world whisky of the year in 2016, a first for Canada.

Classification

Canadian blended rye

Grain

Rye, corn

Alcohol

45%

Guide price

$40–70

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Released from 2015

Malt and cask

90% rye mash

Serving

Neat or over ice

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

70Lot No. 40 Cask Strength

Hiram Walker

Ontario · Canada

Pot-still Canadian rye at full strength.

Made in a single copper pot still from a mash of rye and malted rye.

Classification

Canadian rye whisky

Grain

Rye

Alcohol

55–58%

Guide price

$90–130

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Brand from 1998

Malt and cask

Rye and malted rye

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

71The Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak

Speyside · Scotland

Long sherry maturation at its most opulent.

The distillery commissions its own casks in Jerez and seasons them for two years.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$2,500–4,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Distillery from 1824

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned European oak

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

72The Macallan Rare Cask

Speyside · Scotland

A no-age blend of the finest sherry casks.

Drawn from a small fraction of casks selected as exceptional.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$350–500

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Batch limited

Established

Released from 2014

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned oak

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Batch releases

More photos

73Ardbeg Ten Year Old

Islay · Scotland

The reference for peated malt at a fair price.

Unchill-filtered and bottled at 46%, uncommon at this price.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 10 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$50–80

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1815

Malt and cask

Peated malt, bourbon casks

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

74Lagavulin 12 Year Old Special Release

Islay · Scotland

Cask-strength Islay released each autumn.

Bourbon-matured and bottled at full strength, sharper than the 16.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 12 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

55–57%

Guide price

$150–220

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Series from 2002

Malt and cask

Peated malt, bourbon casks

Serving

Neat, water recommended

Vintages

Annual release

More photos

75Talisker 10 Year Old

Isle of Skye · Scotland

Pepper, brine and smoke; the everyday classic.

Robert Louis Stevenson called it the king of drinks in a poem of 1880.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 10 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

45.8%

Guide price

$50–80

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1830

Malt and cask

Peated malt

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

76Springbank Local Barley

Campbeltown · Scotland

Barley from named Kintyre farms, bottled apart.

Each release names the farm and harvest year of the barley.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

54–58%

Guide price

$300–600

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Limited annual release

Established

Series from 2015

Malt and cask

Named local farms, floor-malted

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Annual releases

More photos

77Longrow 18 Year Old

Springbank

Campbeltown · Scotland

Springbank's heavily peated, twice-distilled malt.

Made at Springbank but peated and distilled differently from the main line.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$200–300

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Brand from 1973

Malt and cask

Floor-malted, peated

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

78Hazelburn 21 Year Old

Springbank

Campbeltown · Scotland

Triple-distilled and unpeated, from Springbank.

The third style made at Springbank, triple-distilled in the Lowland manner.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 21 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$300–500

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Brand from 1997

Malt and cask

Floor-malted, unpeated

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Periodic releases

More photos

79GlenDronach 21 Year Old Parliament

Highlands · Scotland

Deeply sherried Highland malt at a fair price.

Named for the rookery in the distillery's trees; matured in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 21 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48%

Guide price

$250–350

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1826

Malt and cask

PX and oloroso casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

80Glenfarclas Family Casks

Speyside · Scotland

Single casks spanning six decades of vintages.

A vintage series running from the 1950s onward, each bottled from one cask.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43–60%

Guide price

$300–5,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

Series from 2007

Malt and cask

Sherry-seasoned oak

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

1953 to 2000s

More photos

81Benriach 30 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

Three cask types, unusual for aged Speyside.

Matured in bourbon, sherry and virgin oak before marrying.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 30 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$700–1,000

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1898

Malt and cask

Three-cask maturation

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

82Craigellachie 31 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

Sulphury, meaty Speyside from worm tubs.

Still uses worm tub condensers, which give the spirit its heavier character.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 31 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

52.2%

Guide price

$800–1,200

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1891

Malt and cask

Worm tub condensers

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

83Glen Grant 18 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

Light, orchard-fruited Speyside of great consistency.

Tall stills and purifiers give a notably light spirit.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$120–180

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Distillery from 1840

Malt and cask

Bourbon casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

84Rosebank 30 Year Old

Lowlands · Scotland

Triple-distilled Lowland malt from a silent distillery.

Closed in 1993 and reopened in 2024; old stock is finite and much sought.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 30 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48.6%

Guide price

$2,000–4,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

A few thousand bottles

Established

Closed 1993, reopened 2024

Malt and cask

Triple distillation

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1990 and earlier distillates

More photos

85Bruichladdich Black Art

Islay · Scotland

Unpeated Islay with an undisclosed cask recipe.

The maturation recipe is deliberately withheld, unusual in an era of full disclosure.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

44–50%

Guide price

$400–600

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited editions

Established

Series from 2009

Malt and cask

Undisclosed cask mix

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Editions 1 to 11

More photos

86Port Charlotte 10 Year Old

Bruichladdich

Islay · Scotland

Bruichladdich's peated line, fully traceable.

Peated to around 40 ppm and made entirely from Scottish barley.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 10 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50%

Guide price

$70–100

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Brand from 2001

Malt and cask

Scottish barley, peated

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

87Arran 25 Year Old

Isle of Arran

Isle of Arran · Scotland

The island distillery's first quarter-century bottling.

Distilled in the distillery's earliest years, from 1996 onward.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 25 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

50–52%

Guide price

$500–800

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1995

Malt and cask

Sherry and bourbon casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1996 and 1997 distillates

More photos

88Glenturret 30 Year Old

The Glenturret

Highlands · Scotland

From one of Scotland's oldest working distilleries.

Still hand-mashes with a wooden rake, the last distillery in Scotland to do so.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 30 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43–46%

Guide price

$3,000–5,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

A few hundred bottles

Established

Distilling from 1763

Malt and cask

Hand-mashed, sherry casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

89Tomatin 36 Year Old

Highlands · Scotland

Long-aged Highland malt at accessible pricing.

Once the largest malt distillery in Scotland by capacity.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 36 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$1,000–1,500

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1897

Malt and cask

Sherry and bourbon casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Annual batches

More photos

90Oban 18 Year Old

Highlands · Scotland

West coast malt from a distillery in a town square.

Hemmed in by the town it predates, with no room to expand.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 18 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$150–220

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 1794

Malt and cask

Bourbon and sherry casks

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Ongoing

More photos

91Compass Box No Name

Blended malt, various · Scotland

Ardbeg-led blend released without a name.

Built around a large proportion of heavily peated Islay malt.

Classification

Blended malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48.9%

Guide price

$150–250

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited editions

Established

Series from 2017

Malt and cask

Multi-distillery blend

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Editions 1 to 3

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92Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 80 Year Old

Speyside · Scotland

The oldest single malt ever bottled.

Filled in 1940 and bottled in 2021 after eighty years in a single sherry butt.

Classification

Single malt Scotch, 80 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

44.9%

Guide price

$150,000–200,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

250 decanters

Established

Bottled 2021

Malt and cask

Single sherry butt

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

1940

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93Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection

Various · Scotland

Independent bottlings from decades of cask stock.

The Elgin firm has laid down its own casks at distilleries since 1895.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

40–58%

Guide price

$300–5,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

House from 1895

Malt and cask

Own-filled casks

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

1950s to 1990s distillates

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94Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection

Various · Scotland

Independent single casks at natural strength.

Bottles vintages from distilleries that rarely release official aged expressions.

Classification

Single malt Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

45–60%

Guide price

$100–1,500

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

House from 1988

Malt and cask

Various cask types

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

1970s to 2000s distillates

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95Scotch Malt Whisky Society single casks

Various · Scotland

Numbered casks, no distillery names, cask strength.

Distilleries are coded by number so members judge the whisky, not the label.

Classification

Single cask Scotch

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

48–65%

Guide price

$90–500

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

Society from 1983

Malt and cask

Various cask types

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Rolling releases

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96Nikka Coffey Grain

Miyagi Prefecture · Japan

Continuous-still grain whisky as a fine spirit.

Distilled in a Coffey still imported from Scotland in 1963.

Classification

Grain Japanese whisky

Grain

Corn, malted barley

Alcohol

45%

Guide price

$70–100

Availability

Good availability at fine wine retailers on release

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Widely distributed

Established

Still from 1963

Malt and cask

Coffey still distillation

Serving

Neat or over a large ice cube

Vintages

Ongoing

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97Chichibu On The Way

Saitama Prefecture · Japan

A progress report from a young distillery.

Released in stages as the distillery's stock matured; each edition sold out immediately.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

51.5%

Guide price

$1,500–3,000

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

~7,000 bottles per edition

Established

Distillery from 2008

Malt and cask

Various cask types, some mizunara

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

2013, 2015, 2019

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98Mars Komagatake Single Cask

Hombo Shuzo

Nagano Prefecture · Japan

Alpine distillery at the highest altitude in Japan.

Sits at 800 metres in the Central Alps; production halted for two decades from 1992.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

55–61%

Guide price

$300–600

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Bottled strength

Production

Single cask

Established

Distillery from 1985

Malt and cask

Sherry and bourbon casks

Serving

Neat, water to taste

Vintages

Single cask releases

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99Teeling 24 Year Old

Teeling Whiskey

Dublin · Ireland

Old Irish malt from Dublin's revived distilling.

Teeling opened the first new Dublin distillery in 125 years, in 2015.

Classification

Single malt Irish whiskey, 24 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

46%

Guide price

$500–800

Availability

Very rare; auction houses and specialist brokers only

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Limited release

Established

Distillery from 2015

Malt and cask

Sauternes cask finish

Serving

Neat at room temperature

Vintages

Periodic releases

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100Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Suntory

Osaka Prefecture · Japan

The bottle that opened the world to Japanese malt.

Its awards in the 2000s began the global rise of Japanese whisky.

Classification

Single malt Japanese whisky, 12 years

Grain

Malted barley

Alcohol

43%

Guide price

$150–250

Availability

Allocation or mailing list; secondary market via fine wine merchants and auction

Ageing

Drink on release

Production

Tightly allocated

Established

Released from 1984

Malt and cask

Sherry, bourbon and mizunara

Serving

Neat, or as a highball

Vintages

Ongoing

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