Rare whisky is becoming a popular investment -- as the rise of ornate and luxurious bottle designs attests -- with limited editions selling for six-figure sums. The Highland Park 50 year old, pictured, is the oldest and rarest release to date by the brand, with only 275 bottles produced.
Courtesy of Highland Park
Ornate design —
Each bottle is covered in a hand-crafted Sterling silver net cage, created by Scottish jewelry designer Maeve Gillies. This edition retails for around £10,000 ($16,000).
Courtesy of Highland Park
One of a kind —
Macallan is renowned for producing some of the most expensive whiskeys ever sold at auction. The Macallan 64 year old in a Lalique Cire Perdue, pictured, was a particularly successful sale.
Courtesy of Macallan
Colossal auction price —
In 2010 in New York, the stunning bottle sold for a whopping $460,000
Courtesy of Macallan
Handcrafted by Lalique —
Only one 'Cire Perdue' crystal decanter was handcrafted by Lalique. Here, a master craftsman working on the bottle's intricate design.
Courtesy of Macallan
Most expensive whisky...ever? —
The Macallan 6-liter "M" Decanter by Lalique sold for a record $631,850 earlier this year at a Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong, making it the most expensive bottle of single malt whisky sold at an auction.
Courtesy of Macallan
007 certified —
Macallan has also made a stamp in popular culture, with the 50 year-old Macallan featured in the James Bond film Skyfall. The rare edition, pictured, was signed by the 007 actor, Daniel Craig.
Courtesy of Macallan
50 years in a bottle —
A 50-year-old whisky costing £25,000 ($40,800) has recently been released by The Balvenie distillery in Scotland.
Malt floor —
The Balvenie is the only distillery to maintain and operate a working floor maltings in the Scottish Highlands.
Whisky mash turn —
A mash turn is pictured, where dried malt is passed through a huge container. The starch in the grain is transformed in to liquid sugar, which is used make the alcohol.
Courtesy of The Balvernie Distillery
Copper stills —
Macallan is known for its small spirit stills but their unique design gives the spirit maximum contact with the copper. Each of these stillls hold an initial 'charge' of 3,900 liters.
Courtesy of The Macallan
Private Eye whisky —
Investing in the right whisky is hard work, but great rewards can be reaped. The Macallan Private Eye whisky, released in 1996 to mark the 35th anniversary of the British satirical magazine, has appreciated from £35 ($56) to about £1,500 ($2,440), and is still one of the most collectable bottles produced by Macallan.
Courtesy of Bonhams
A drink to the royal marriage —
Macallan celebrated the Royal marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton by releasing a limited edition of 1,000 bottles in 2011. All bottles sold out shortly after release.
Courtesy of Macallan
Japan's most expensive single malt —
The Yamazaki 50 year old is Japan's most expensive single malt, launched as a limited edition of 150 bottles and retailing for one million Japanese yen ($12,892).
Courtesy of Yamazaki/suntory
413 black and white diamonds —
The Chivas Royal Salute: Tribute to Honor was made to celebrate the golden jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, with only 21 bottles released around the world. Studded with 413 black and white diamonds, this edition retails for £150,000 ($244,000).
Courtesy of chivas
A secret vault —
The Royal Salute Vault, pictured, is located in the Strathisla - the famous distillery in Scotland. Only Colin Scott, Royal Salute's Master Blender for the past 21 years, has actually tasted the blend which he created.
Courtesy of Royal Salut
Cult following —
Whisky is taking off across the world, and Japan has one of the most lucrative markets. The Chichibu distillery is owned by Ichiro Akuto, who has inspired a global following with his unique bottles.
Courtesy of Chichibu Distillery
Ace of clubs —
Ichiro's Malt: Ace of Clubs is his most recent release, part of the 52-part Ichiro's Malt "card series". The Ace of Clubs edition proved to be so popular that prices shot up from around ¥9,000 ($84) in shops to over ¥30,000 ($280) on online auction sites.
