Whiskey lovers who splurge over $100 for a bottle have had it easy. The most recent record-breaking bid for a sought-after super-premium spirit stands at $2.8 million for a bottle of rare Irish whiskey.
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. reports the sale of a bottle of The Emerald Isle triple-distilled Irish single malt whiskey for $2.8 million to American whiskey collector Mike Daley. This beats the price tag on the former record holder, a bottle of The Macallan 1926, which sold for $2.7 million in an auction conducted by Sotheby’s in November 2023.
Daley, an aficionado with thousands of bottles of Irish and American whiskies, as well as Scotch, identifies Irish whiskey as the future. “Irish is the future of whiskey. I’m thrilled to be part of it, not just as a collector, but primarily as a drinker,” he proclaimed in a statement in a press release about the sale.
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The Emerald Isle Irish whiskey, aged for three glamorous decades in various barrels, features an exceptional packaging set. The package comprises a charming walnut case cradling the whiskey bottle, a decanter, a set of tulip-shaped sipping glasses, a singular Fabergé egg, a wristwatch, whiskey stones, and two exquisite Cohiba cigars. This package is among only seven sets produced by the distiller.
While some would argue that the extravagant packaging led to the whiskey’s soaring price, the distiller suggests that the same applied for the previous holder of the record. Its value significantly escalated due to a label specially designed by the Italian artist Valerio Adami, according toa press release by The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
“A monumental achievement for my business,” remarked Jay Bradley, the founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. He launched the company with a vision to reinstate Irish whiskey as the most coveted luxury spirit and revive Ireland’s status for creating the world’s best whiskeys. With this accomplishment, Bradley believes the company has made commendable progress towards their vision after only six years. He eagerly anticipates revealing what else The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has to offer to its customers and competitors.
In conversation withFood & Wine, Daley stated that “the rebirth of Irish whiskey is relatively new, so I feel like I’m getting in on the ground floor.” This multi-millionaire proudly displays large portions of his collection at his grand Bucks County, Pennsylvania estate. Nevertheless, some of the collection also finds a home at his beach house in Delaware.
“Luxury scotch, to me, is already a crowded type of market,” Daley he said. “But we’re only just starting to see luxury Irish make a name for itself. I guarantee you that in the years to come, it will get to where scotch is today.”
If you don’t have a few million to drop on Irish whiskey, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. has an upcoming release of The Donn, “a dynamically aged single malt brimming with dark chocolate, prune, and cinnamon notes, which is expected to retail for about $200, according to Food & Wine.
And if you fancy some swank scotch in special packaging, there’s Dewar’s Double Double 37-year-old set, (priced at $1,687.99 on ReserveBar), which comes with a pair of Baccarat crystal tumblers. The Scotch whisky has been aged four times and matured in Oloroso sherry casks previously used for aging Aultmore Single Malt.
Follow Mike Snider on @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Most expensive whiskey: $2.8 million for Emerald Isle Irish whiskey
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