Whiskey record: $2.8 million for a rare Irish bottle

The record price of $2.7 million set by Sotheby's auction last November for a bottle of Macallan "Valerio Adami 1926" has already been surpassed. With the sum of $2.8 million (approximately 2.5 million euros), The Emerald Isle, an Irish whiskey from The Craft Irish Whiskey company, is the most expensive single malt ever purchased at auction.

A "barrel of honey"

Triple distillation and slow maturation in 200-liter American bourbon casks and rare 40-liter Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for a total period of thirty years. In the world of The Emerald Isle, there are only seven specimens. "The Emerald Isle is one of those magical stories that almost never happened. A story that could have remained unheard, untasted; lost in time," says Jay Bradley, Whiskey Master, founder, and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey.

Already from its history, you can find traces of uniqueness. It all begins inside Jay Bradley's cellar, where he was fortunate to find a hidden gem. "I was in the warehouse, tasting my casks, and I tasted a small 40-liter Pedro Ximénez cask, half-filled. It was the smallest we had, and it was perfect. We're talking about an uncommon perfection. It's rare for a Whiskey Master to taste an absolutely perfect cask that doesn't require further processing." In jargon, it is called a "honey cask" to describe a rare and impeccable whiskey. "I knew it had the potential to become the world's most expensive whiskey."

In addition to the bottle's content, it's the luxurious packaging that makes it even more precious. Each of The Emerald Isle bottles comes with a handmade Fabergé Celtic egg adorned with an emerald, a custom watch, a decanter, two tasting glasses, and a pair of rare Cohiba Siglo Gran Reserva VI cigars. All contained in a precious walnut-inlaid casket.

The Rebirth of Irish Whiskey

The precious set was purchased by Mike Daley, one of the largest collectors in the United States. "Ireland is the future of whiskey," Daley said. "The resurgence of Irish whiskey is relatively recent. For me, luxury Scotch is a crowded market. But we're just starting to see luxury Irish make a name for itself. I guarantee that in the years to come, it will reach the point where Scotch is today." A statement that supports the goals of the founder of The Craft Irish Whiskey. "I founded the company with the aim of making Irish whiskey the most coveted luxury spirit and restoring Ireland's reputation for producing the world's best whiskey," says Bradley. "We still have a lot to do, and I can't wait for our customers and competitors to see what we have in store."