The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is currently celebrating the $2.8 million sale of their rarest triple-distilled single malt — The Emerald Isle — making it the world’s most expensive bottle of whiskey (that we know of) ever sold.
In November 2022, a bottle of The Macallan 1926 fetched $2.7 million at auction, a title that has now been usurped by The Emerald Isle. The bottle in question was bought by a well-known and prolific collector from America — Mike Daley. Daley’s collection consists of several thousand bottles of Irish, American, and Scotch whiskies.
Mike Daley commented: “Irish is the future of whiskey. I’m excited to be part of it, as a collector, but most importantly as a drinker.”
Daley’s record-breaking purchase is just one of seven sets that are in existence. Visually stunning by design, The Emerald Isle includes a single decanter, alongside a bespoke Fabergé egg — containing an actual emerald gem — a custom timepiece, and a pair of Cohiba cigars.
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.”
Irish whiskey has been experiencing steadfast growth in recent years, with forecasts estimating that the Irish whiskey market will grow from $4.26 billion in 2019 to $7.67 billion in 2027. Further to this, premium, super-premium, and high-end Irish whiskey has seen a 2,800% rise in price in the past two decades. Overall, the long-term outlook for the Irish whiskey market is positive and comes as a result of hard work from exceptional brands such as The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., who have been instrumental in creating a multi-billion-dollar industry for the Irish economy.
Commenting on the future of the luxury Irish whiskey market, expert and collector Mike Daley added: “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.”
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Sources: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/30-year-old-irish-single-malt-becomes-the-most-expensive-bottle-of-whiskey-or-whisky-ever-sold-302033131.html
