Bourbon whiskey, like Champagne, is named after the region from which it comes—Bourbon, Kentucky. Unlike Champagne, however, Bourbon’s production isn’t limited to its home region. While it is still made primarily in Kentucky, Bourbon can be distilled anywhere in the US.
Currently, the most expensive Bourbon is the 16 year old A. H. Hirsch Reserve. This smooth whiskey was distilled at Michter’s Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania in 1974 and left to mature until it was bottled in 1990. In fact, this particular whiskey is one of the few remaining examples of whiskeys distilled in the Kentucky pot-still tradition. A 750ML bottle of the 16 year old Reserve may cost up to $300.
Another expensive Bourbon, Evan Williams’ 23 year old, was reported by Forbes to be the most expensive in 2006 at $350. It has since gone down in price, however, and may be had for less than $200.
Canadian rye whisky doesn’t quite have the prestige of its Scotch cousin, but it still has its moments. One such moment happened at the 2007 Kentucky Derby, where Queen Elizabeth II was presented with the world’s most expensive Canadian whisky.
“Canadian whisky” refers to any whisky that is mashed, distilled and aged at least three years in a 700 L or smaller wooden barrel, all within Canadian borders. By Canadian law, any such whisky may also be labeled “rye whisky”—even if low rye content would prevent it from being labeled such elsewhere. Crown Royal Canadian Blended Whisky, one of the most popular Canadian whiskies, was originally brewed in 1939 to commemorate the first Royal Tour of Canada by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother). The Crown Royal brand is now owned by Diageo, the world’s largest producer of spirits.
The presentation of Crown Royal’s Extra Rare Heritage Blend to Her Royal Majesty hearkens back to that inaugural event. The expensive whisky’s high rye content can be attributed to the rare barrels selected by Crown Royal’s master blender, Andrew MacKay, who supervised its production. In deference to the venue chosen for the presentation of the exclusive blend, Diageo commissioned Casey Hyland of Glassworks in Louisville to create the bottle, which is etched with 24-karat gold leaf for lettering.
While the most expensive Canadian whisky in the world is obviously not for sale, it has an estimated value of over $10,000.
When the heir of the Persse family estate, including the Nun’s Island Distillery in Galway, Ireland, decided to pursue racehorse training instead of continuing the family business, he probably didn’t realize he was creating what is the world’s most expensive Irish whiskey—that is, if anyone ever buys it.
According to whisky seller Ken Thomas’ story of the expensive bottle, it was brought to him by a customer who had inherited it from a lady friend of the Persse heir. Dating from the late 1800s, the 25 Year Old Pure Pot Still Whiskey was one of the last bottles produced by the Nun’s Island Distillery, which closed its doors around 1913.
Thomas’ Arkwrights Whisky and Wines store is offering the bottle, on behalf of its owner, for £100,000 (US $143,020).
A bottle of 64-year-old Macallan, the oldest whisky ever bottled by the Macallan distillery, became the most expensive whisky in the world when it sold at a charity auction in November, 2010.
The decanter was created by Lalique using lost-wax casting, called “cire perdue” in French. The decanter was created to celebrate the anniversary of master glassmaker René Lalique’s birth. It is based on a decanter from the 1920s, when The Macallan distillery was founded.
The winning bid was $460,000. The money raised went to a charity that supplies safe drinking water to impoverished communities in the third world.
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