Whisky wise, pound foolish

The alcoholic beverage may just be a product of fermented grain mash for some, but not without reason is it called ‘liquid gold’ by the rest.   

‘It wasn’t whisky!’ is often a frivolous addendum to the old cliché that dismisses crying over spilt milk. But if it’s the world’s most expensive pick-me-up in question, then it would no longer remain a joke.

Last October, whisky produced by the Dalmore distillery in Scotland broke the six-figure price barrier when it sold its 64-year old Trinitas – named so because there were three bottles produced. Only two bottles were sold then, at a cost of GBP 100,000. Each. This translates to roughly US$ 162,926 per bottle.

One was acquired by a luxury whisky lover in the US and the other by a renowned whisky investor in the UK. The third bottle of the record-breaking spirit will be sold at the whisky-tasting show ‘The Whisky Show’ in London at the end of October 2011. But organisers are keeping the exact details of the exclusive sale under wraps for the moment.

Experts claim that if the bottle was sold by the glass in exclusive restaurants and clubs, it could fetch up to GBP 20,000 for a typical 50 ml dram.

The holy trio

Trinitas is believed to contain some of the rarest and oldest stocks of whisky in the world, some of which have been maturing in the distillery on the shores of the Cromarty Firth for more than 140 years. Dalmore's renowned master distiller Richard Paterson used his expertise to fuse a range of these exclusive malts together.

He claimed this was not about breaking world records but about making the best whisky money can buy.

"The hand of time has been generous and rewarding with the malts I chose to use. They allowed me to create a taste sensation which will never be repeated again and will only ever be available to those that own these bottles. You cannot put a price on that."

One must pay a premium for true exclusivity and quality. Even in these times, there are those who want to enjoy the finer things in life and are willing to pay for it. The Whiskey Show that will be held on October 28-29, 2011 will be held at The Brewery in the heart of London. The Grade II listed brewery is a holder of a City Heritage Award and traces its heritage back 250 years.

Show plan

The barely-two-year-old show, started by Scottish publisher Graeme Wallace, will obviously showcase the best there is in the market. It will have ‘Masterclasses’ each day that will allow easy communication with a distillery representative, classes on whisky and food pairing, whisky tasting, and, of course, an all-inclusive ticket that includes a delicious whisky-infused two course meal for each visitor.

Mr Wallace has also wisely put down a code of conduct for every visitor that is available on the show’s site. Briefed under ‘Show Etiquette’, the 12-point policy is concise and to the point. It remains to be seen how wise the tasters are during the show. And, of course, the one who buys the third bottle of 64-year old Trinitas.  

For more, read here: http://blah.burrp.com/food-drink-nightlife/in-the-bar/whisky-wise-pound-foolish/6575