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Irish whiskey becomes most expensive ever sold
A bottle of The Emerald Isle whiskey from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co has sold for $2.8m (£2.2m), making a claim to be the most expensive single malt ever sold.
The triple-distilled whiskey sold to American collector Mike Daley surpassed the $2.7m (£2.1m) last November for a bottle of The Macallan 1926.
Daley claimed following the purchase that “Irish is the future of whiskey” and he was “excited to be part of it, as a collector, but most importantly as a drinker”. It comes as some data suggests that super premium within the Irish whiskey category has increased substantially in value across the past 20 years.
He is one of the most prolific US collectors of whiskey, and has a collection that consists of thousands of bottles of Irish, American, and Scotch whisk(e)ys.
The latest purchase delivered such a high price due to being one of only seven in existence, and was matured over three decades in a variety of casks.
It includes a walnut case with a single decanter alongside a unique Fabergé egg containing an emerald gem, as well as a custom timepiece, and a pair of Cohiba cigars.
Daley also said: “The rebirth of Irish whiskey is relatively new, so I feel like I’m getting in on the ground floor. Luxury scotch, to me, is already a crowded type of market. 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.”
Jay Bradley, founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. said: “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.
“I started The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. with the goal of making Irish whiskey the most coveted luxury spirit and restoring Ireland’s reputation for crafting the finest whiskeys in the world, this brings us several steps closer to achieving that, and we’re only six years into the journey. There’s a lot more to come from us, and I’m excited for our customers and competitors to see what we have in store.”
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