Glenlivet Releases 50 Year Old Single Malt for a Mere $25,000 Per Bottle

While we normally focus on Bourbon and US Whiskey, we do like the crazy high end news that we'll never be a part of. In the spirit of that, The Glenlivet has announced the third installment of The Glenlivet Winchester Collection in the form of a $25,000 edition of single malt in handcrafted bottle and case designed in partnership with British designer Bethan Gray.

The Glenlivet Winchester Collection Vintage 1967 is a blend of rare single malts, the youngest of which was produced by former The Glenlivet Master Distiller, Robert Arthur in 1967. Each bottle will retail at a suggested MSRP of $25,000 with 150 bottles released globally.

Sona Bajaria, Vice President of Marketing, says:

"The Glenlivet Winchester Collection Vintage 1967 is a unique expression that allows the current generation to peek into the rich past of The Glenlivet, this rare release pays homage to The Glenlivet's accomplished Master Distiller, Alan Winchester, and to the valued heritage of the brand. Looking towards the next 50 years, we hope to continue to open up the scotch whisky category with expressions that can stand the test of time."

The release brings together malts from several rare oak casks, the youngest of which was filled in December, 1967. The whisky is non-chill filtered at cask strength, and is supposed to have the following tasting notes:

Nose: Rich and fruity with notes of apricot jam and sweet ripe peaches, and a hint of toasted almonds.
Taste: Fondant orange and milk chocolate flavors, velvety texture
Finish: Long, and a luxuriously sweet finish

The bottle is designed by British designer Bethan Gray and features the following:

The bottle is blown by master glassblower Brodie Nairn to precisely the right size and thickness and then hand-cut, creating an ombré color effect that mimics the ageing process of the liquid inside. It is then engraved and hand-painted, making each one unique. The hand-stained birds-eye maple case is made using solid copper overlays that reflect The Glenlivet's charred barrels and copper stills. Created by hand by artisans, the technique used to overlay the delicate copper was invented specifically for this case in its curved form. The mother-of-pearl inlaid into the case has been inspired by the local freshwater pearl mussel shells indigenous to the Spey River.

While this isn't something we'll probably ever to experience, it is interesting to think of how much product was left after 50 years in the barrel. If we take the words of Harlen Wheatley, Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace, the angel's share is 10 percent for the first year (because whiskey is absorbing into the wood of barrel as well as evaporating), then 4 percent for the next 8 years after that, then around 3 percent per year after that.

So if we math and assume a 53 gallon barrel, at the end of 50 years, Glenlivet is left with fewer than 10 gallons of product, which helps justify the crazy 25k price. For more math fun, we'll assume this comes in a 1000ml container... if you wanted to recoup your money, you would need to sell each 1 oz pour for $758... if it comes in a 750ml bottle, the price goes up to $1000 per oz...

If you ever see this out in the wild, definitely drop a note in the comments.

Source: Pernod Ricard USA

Year	Angel's Share (Percent)	Total
		53
1	0.1	47.7
2	0.04	45.792
3	0.04	43.96032
4	0.04	42.2019072
5	0.04	40.513830912
6	0.04	38.89327767552
7	0.04	37.3375465684992
8	0.04	35.8440447057592
9	0.04	34.4102829175289
10	0.03	33.377974430003
11	0.03	32.3766351971029
12	0.03	31.4053361411898
13	0.03	30.4631760569541
14	0.03	29.5492807752455
15	0.03	28.6628023519881
16	0.03	27.8029182814285
17	0.03	26.9688307329856
18	0.03	26.1597658109961
19	0.03	25.3749728366662
20	0.03	24.6137236515662
21	0.03	23.8753119420192
22	0.03	23.1590525837586
23	0.03	22.4642810062459
24	0.03	21.7903525760585
25	0.03	21.1366419987767
26	0.03	20.5025427388134
27	0.03	19.887466456649
28	0.03	19.2908424629496
29	0.03	18.7121171890611
30	0.03	18.1507536733893
31	0.03	17.6062310631876
32	0.03	17.0780441312919
33	0.03	16.5657028073532
34	0.03	16.0687317231326
35	0.03	15.5866697714386
36	0.03	15.1190696782955
37	0.03	14.6654975879466
38	0.03	14.2255326603082
39	0.03	13.7987666804989
40	0.03	13.384803680084
41	0.03	12.9832595696815
42	0.03	12.593761782591
43	0.03	12.2159489291133
44	0.03	11.8494704612399
45	0.03	11.4939863474027
46	0.03	11.1491667569806
47	0.03	10.8146917542712
48	0.03	10.4902510016431
49	0.03	10.1755434715938
50	0.03	9.87027716744595