Record-setting price paid for world’s most expensive bottle of whiskey

Remember we told you a couple of months ago about the most expensive bottle of whisky being sold at auction? Well, in almost the time it would have taken you to gently sup that delicious scotch vintage, we have a new bottle at the top of the price charts, and it comes from Ireland.

That’s right, we have an added ‘e’ in our record breaking tipple - known the difference in spelling - as the Macallan Adami 1926 whisky sold for $2.7 million at an auction in London last November has been overtaken by the Emerald Isle from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. at $2.8 million.

Who bought the most expensive whiskey?

Clearly it takes a serious collector to hand over that amount of money for 70cl of the liquor, and the man tipping the record books in his favour is Mike Daley. The American is the proud owner of the prized bottle and regarding the country’s future says he’s “excited to be part of it, as a collector, but most importantly as a drinker.”

“The rebirth of Irish whiskey is relatively new, so I feel like I’m getting in on the ground floor. 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.”

Speaking after the sale, CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., Jay Bradley, explained that this was just part of the business plan, to make it “the most coveted luxury spirit,” albeit a significant one.

“A bottle of The Emerald Isle becoming the most expensive whiskey or whisky ever sold is a monumental achievement for my business, and an incredibly proud moment for me. This brings us several steps closer to achieving that, and we’re only six years into the journey.”

More about the Emerald Isle whiskey

For those looking for a little idea of the whiskey that they’ll almost certainly never get to enjoy - yes, I’m one such enthusiast - these are the tasting notes for the new record breaker as described by the distillary.

Colour: Deep, rich treacle

Nose: Butter toffee and chocolate fudge are followed by a rich maple syrup. Hints of brine and tobacco come to the fore after time.

Palate: A powerful combination of old leather-bound books with a hint of tobacco smoke. Silky smooth, with some cherry drop notes interwoven with ripe banana and caramel. The back palate gives way to Christmas cake spices that flow flawlessly into the finish.

Finish: A wonderfully long and decadent finale with hints of creamy meringue and vanilla cigar smoke that slip into a lingering finish of spice and sweetened leather.

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What else comes with the Emerald Isle whisky?

So, the golden liquid is clearly the main player getting the attention in this auction but it’s fair to say that the opulence that surrounds it is worth a notable mention.

Take the bottle itself. Iconic jeweller Fabergé was brought on board to help the company celebrate the ‘Seven Wonders of Ireland’ with a “handcrafted collection of unrivalled luxury and sophistication.”

So, a rather impressive single decanter, with a Fabergé egg that contains an emerald gem, is added to with a custom timepiece, and a pair of Cohiba cigars. There are Scots out there claiming that the Macallan is still the most expensive given its more simplistic presentation. But I’ll stay out of that debate.