At £12,000 a bottle rare dram is liquid gold

Published on Monday 25 January 2010 08:46

AFTER A Burns Night blow-out it could turn out to be the most expensive hangover in history . . .

If you enjoyed a 25ml dram of a new whisky that has exclusively gone on sale at a Royal Mile shop it would set you back 357.

The 58-year-old single Highland malt, which is not available anywhere else in the world, is priced at 12,000 per bottle – making it one of the most expensive whiskies ever to go on sale at retail level.

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Only 30 decanters of Dalmore Selene Whisky have been distilled – and one of these bottles is enjoying pride of place at the specialist Scotch Whisky Experience, on the Royal Mile. The rest will be available from various locations in a few months' time.

For those who don't have that much spare cash lying around, there is the cheaper option of a 50-year-old Dalmore Candela, also available only at the Edinburgh-based store – a snip at 7,500.

Julie Trevisan, manager of Scotch Whisky Experience, said it was the first time in 21 years of business that the shop had been the only place across the globe to host such expensive whiskies.

She said: "We've never been the only shop to sell not one, but two whiskies of such a unique and high quality. We've been waiting a long time for this moment and are delighted that they decided to give us this opportunity.

"We think they wanted to showcase the whiskies in our shop because we have the world's largest collection of Scotch whiskies.

"Before stocking the Selene our most expensive whisky was Ardbeg Double Barrel at 10,000, but that includes two bottles of whisky, a case and a leather-bound log book. The first time we had that in store it went within three days so perhaps we'll have the same luck this time."

The Scotch Whisky Experience got its first delivery of the whiskies – one of each bottle – yesterday.

Most of its more expensive malts are priced between 80 and 300.

The Candela has been selected from the oldest maturing stocks of any single Highland malt whisky ever produced, with spirit from casks dating back as far as 1868. Only 77 decanters will be available worldwide.

Martin Green, whisky specialist for Bonhams Auction, on Queen Street, confirmed that the whiskies were at "the top end of the retail market". He said: "At auction you find that one-off whiskies go for huge prices. Last November we sold a bottle of 1858 Dalmore Oculus for 23,000 and in the past we have sold a bottle of Bowmore whisky for 29,000.

"The age justifies the price. A lot of distilleries don't have stocks that date back that far, and provided the cask is of a high quality it will continue to become more expensive as time passes.

"Such bottles are a good investment because, unlike wine, whisky doesn't change in the bottle, so it is a liquid asset that will always be drinkable."