Richard Hennessy
A unique assemblage of over 100 of the most exceptional eaux de vie
If cognac is your choice of poison, then you must be familiar with the house of Hennessy. One of its best creations is Richard Hennessy, a tribute to the founder of Hennessy and an embodiment of 250 years of the history, knowledge and expertise of the distiller. Richard Hennessy is a unique assemblage of more than 100 of the most exceptional eaux de vie aged between 40 and 200 years. Once blended, it gains complexity from five years in younger casks, with the wood emphasising the structure and character of the eaux de vie. This also gives Richard Hennessy its darker colour. The resultant liquid is then bottled in beautiful handblown crystal decanters with each carafe being numbered, making it a true collector’s item. It is available in Mumbai for Rs 5.46 lakh.
Glenfiddich 50 Year Old single malt
Released annually in batches of 50 since 2009, it has become a collector’s item
In 2009, Glenfiddich 50 Year Old was unveiled at Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. For the next 10 years, this rare expression was released in batches of 50 every year. These 500 bottles have now become collectors’ items. The 50 Year Old comes in handblown glass bottles with metalwork done by dedicated silversmiths. Each hand-numbered bottle also comes with its own book (inspired by Glenfiddich founder William Grant’s original ledger), outlining the family history and craftsmanship that has gone into making the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old. The books are signed by the craftsmen. This rare whisky is available only in select outlets in the US and the UK, and the price varies between $30,000 and $35,000 (indicative price in India around Rs 22 lakh-Rs 25.9 lakh).
Screaming Eagle wines
This cult winery has an annual production of just 500 cases
Forget wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux. To be a true-blue wine connoisseur, you need to pick up a bottle from Napa-based Screaming Eagle winery. Most enthusiasts would have heard of this cult winery, but very few get to try its wares. With an annual production of just 500 cases and a waiting list that is over a decade-long, prices in the secondary market shoot through the roof. A bottle of Screaming Eagle’s Sauvignon Blanc goes for around $6,000 (indicative price in India around Rs 4.4 lakh), while a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon fetches $3,700 (indicative price in India around Rs 2.7 lakh), on an average.
Macallan 65 Y.O.
A collaboration with French glassmaker Lalique, it’s the oldest whisky ever released by Macallan
In 2005, The Macallan, a Speyside distillery, collaborated with renowned French glassmaker Lalique to launch limited-edition whiskies in Lalique decanters, which have gone on to become prized collectors’ items. These whiskies include The Macallan 50 Year Old, 55 Year Old, 60 Year Old, 62 Year Old, 64 Year Old and the 65 Year Old. The Macallan M Imperiale 6-litre Lalique decanter, of which only four units were made, holds the world record for being the most expensive whisky sold at auction, at $628,000. The Macallan Lalique 65 Year Old was launched in 2016. The crystal decanter has a round, pinched-perfume bottle design, centred around a whisky drop. It’s the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery and is limited to 450 bottles, which were launched at $35,000 each. Very few are available in the open market today and each bottle can set you back by over $100,000 (indicative price in India around Rs 74 lakh).
The Balvenie 50 Year Old
This is limited-edition fare, with only 131 bottles of Cask 4567 and 128 bottles of Cask 4570 out there
On May 28, 1963, a year after malt master David Stewart joined The Balvenie distillery in Speyside, Balvenie filled two European oak hogsheads (Casks 4567 and 4570) with Balvenie new make spirit. While whisky from Cask 4567 has a deep reddish hue characterised by dark fruits and spice, Cask 4570 has a golden hue characterised by toffee sweetness, vanilla oak and honey. There are 131 bottles of 4567 and 128 of 4570. These are available on sites such as the UK-based Brunswick. A bottle of Balvenie 50 Year Old (Cask 4570) costs £30,000 (indicative price in India Rs 30 lakh) on the site.
Glenmorangie Grand Vintage 1996 whisky
Glenmorangie Grand Vintage 1996 is a smooth, creamy Highland single malt. It was matured in bespoke casks for 23 years before being bottled in 2019. This is the sixth release from the distiller. The fruity, delicate spirit is made in stills as tall as giraffes to create more space for taste and aroma. Known as the distillers of Tain, Glenmorangie’s focus is on the cask that the single malt is matured in. The custom-made casks are made of American white oaks with a particularly porous structure. With a greater synergy between wood and spirit, they magnify Glenmorangie’s creamy character. The whisky has won various awards, including the gold at the 2020 International Whisky Competition (IWC). It has a zesty, citrusy taste with a surge of oranges and lemons. It also has subtle notes of ginger, sweet chilli and oak. The whisky is available in Mumbai for Rs 1.05 lakh a bottle.
Billionaire Vodka
The world’s most expensive vodka costs $3.75 million for a 5-litre bottle
Priced at a whopping $3.75 million (indicative price in India Rs 27.8 crore) for a five-litre bottle, the strategically-named Billionaire Vodka is the world’s most expensive vodka. This clear and smooth Russian vodka undergoes a triple distillation process, where it is first ice-filtered and then filtered again through Nordic birch charcoal. Lastly, it is passed through sand made from crushed diamonds and gems. Billionaire Vodka is made using natural spring water from the spring supplying Caverswall Castle of England. These historically significant waters are renowned for their healing properties. It is bottled in a platinum- and rhodium-encased crystal bottle encrusted with diamonds. The vodka is hand-delivered to you anywhere in the world and comes with the benefit of a 24-hour concierge service, “giving you access to the very best that the world has to offer,” as per the website.