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The Revered Isabella Islay Whiskey: Fun Facts, Investing Tips, & More

by Hunter Robillard

Isabella’s Islay Original Whiskey is one of the most expensive whiskeys in the world. This luxurious single malt Scotch costs a staggering $6.2 million!

But what’s so special about it, and why is it so expensive?

What are the other Isabella Islay Whiskey bottles worth checking out?

We’ve got all the answers!

This article covers Isabella’s Islay Original Whiskey in detail — interesting facts, flavor profile, and more. We’ll also explore three other Isabella’s Islay whiskies and where you can buy these drinks.

We’ll then check out 12 other whiskies to add to your collection and why whiskey investing can be a good idea. 

Also, we’ll show you how to invest in whiskey casks through Vinovest.

Further reading

Here’s a complete Whiskey Investment Guide covering everything you need — expert investing tips, the best whiskies to buy, and more. Thinking of investing in wine? Don’t miss our guide on How to Invest in Fine Wine With Just $1,000!

Isabella’s Islay Original Whiskey: Flavor Profile and Fun Facts

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Isabella’s Islay Original Whiskey is produced by the UK-based spirits firm Luxury Beverage Company. It’s made from a mash bill of malted barley.

This rare whiskey boasts a buttered-toasty woodsmoke character, fresh barley flavors, a delicate texture, and a silky mouthfeel.

But why is Isabella’s Islay Original Whiskey so expensive?

The whiskey’s English crystal decanter is a work of art covered with over 5,000 diamonds. Interestingly, the diamond lettering on the bottle can be customized to the buyer’s liking.

Meanwhile, the encrusted red writing on the front is made with about 250 rubies. Additionally, the expensive bottle is coated with the equivalent of about two bars of white gold — showcasing the finest British craftsmanship! 

But that’s not all! Each bottle is presented in a luxurious wooden case.

And besides its fancy packaging, this well-aged, premium whiskey boasts remarkable quality. So this is also one of the reasons the Isabella original retails for a mind-blowing $6.2 million.

Now, let’s explore Isabella's other whiskies.

3 Other Exquisite Isabella’s Islay Whiskey Bottles

Here are the three other Isabellas Islay whiskey bottles to check out:

1. Isabella’s Islay Special Edition

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The Isabella Special Edition Whiskey is a light-bodied drink that displays a velvety texture and crisp freshness. It costs around $740,000 per bottle.

This drink from Luxury Beverage Company is hand bottled inside a hand-made English crystal decanter. The decanter’s body is coated in white gold and has diamond lettering, and the bottle’s neck is covered with diamonds.

The Isabella Special Edition whiskey is presented in an English hand-carved wooden case.

2. Isabella’s Islay Scota Whiskey

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The Isabellas Islay Scota premium whisky pays tribute to Scota — the mythical founder of Scotland and the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh. Scota married a Celtic prince, and their descendants settled in Scotland — giving rise to the Scottish people.

The Isabella Islay Scota Whiskey is bottled in a hand-made glass decanter decorated with an ancient Celtic-based design. It’s presented in an exquisite wooden case.

This limited-edition whiskey is elegantly smooth and has a creamy mouthfeel. It boasts fruity complexity with smoke, wood, and berry aromas.

3. Isabella’s Islay Silver Cenél n Óengusa Whiskey

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Isabellas Islay Silver Cenél nÓengusa Whiskey is bottled in a silver-coated decanter with gold lettering. This premium whisky is considered a gift suitable for the kings and chiefs of ancient Scotland.

How?

Scotland previously comprised various kingdoms, and the people were divided into three groups — the Picts, Scots, and Britons. 

The Scots occupied a land called Cenél nÓengusa. The kings and chiefs of that land displayed their wealth with silver.

So, that’s why the silver-coated decanter of this whiskey is considered a “gift” for the kings and chiefs of Cenél nÓengusa. 

This premium whiskey is presented in a beautiful wooden case.

It boasts rich fruitiness and hints of rich red wine and creme brulee. Also, this fine whiskey displays a creamy texture with vanilla, wood, and fresh meadow notes.

Where Can You Buy Isabella Islay Whiskey?

Isabellas Islay whiskey bottles are rare and hard to find on the beverage market. The best way to get your hands on one is to contact the distillery.

Here’s their contact information:

Alternatively, you could easily invest in casks through whiskey investment platforms like Vinovest.

Fun fact: Isabella’s Islay Original and Isabella’s Islay Special Edition whiskies are available in refills. Contact the distillery to find out more.

Keen to discover other costly whiskies from around the world?

12 Other Expensive Whiskies for Your Collection

A few other pricey whiskies worth adding to your collection are:

  1. 1926 The Macallan Valerio Adami 60 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  2. The Yamazaki 55 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky
  3. The Dalmore Trinitas 64 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  4. The Macallan Red Collection 71 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  5. The Macallan Lalique 72 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  6. The Macallan 64 in Lalique Cire Perdue Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  7. The Macallan M Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  8. Ichiro's Malt Hanyu - Card Series -  'Joker Card' Single Malt Whisky
  9. Jack Daniel Sinatra Century Limited Edition Tennessee Whiskey
  10. 2021 The Macallan Peter Blake Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  11. The Craft Irish Whiskey Co 'The Taoscan' Single Malt Irish Whiskey
  12. 1991 Emerald Isle 24 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

1. 1926 The Macallan Valerio Adami 60 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($1,1054,664)

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Only 12 bottles of the 1926 Macallan Valerio Adami whiskey were produced — making it a rarity. The Scotch also boasts an appealing bottle label created by the pop artist Valerio Adami.

2. The Yamazaki 55 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky ($915,508)

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This Japanese whisky is packaged in a classy custom box made of Japanese Mizunara wood. Only 200 bottles were released — the first batch in 2020 and the second one in 2021. 

3. The Dalmore Trinitas 64 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($164,000)

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The Dalmore 64 Trinitas Single Malt Scotch is a limited release of three bottles, hence the name “Trinitas” (a Latin term that translates to “Trinity”). This Dalmore Scotch whiskey bottle contains old spirits dating as far back as 1868.

4. The Macallan Red Collection 71 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($152,887)

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The Macallan Red Collection 71 Year Old Whiskey is presented in a box hand-crafted using the same European wood used to make Macallan casks. The box interior was crafted by Bridge of Weir Leather using high-quality Scottish leather.

5. The Macallan Lalique 72 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($136,292)

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The decanter of this expensive Scotch whiskey symbolizes the roof of The Macallan’s $200 million distillery. Only 600 bottles of this limited edition Macallan whiskey were released.

6. The Macallan 64 in Lalique Cire Perdue Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($17,981)

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The Macallan 64 in Lalique Cire Perdue is a blend of 3 old whiskies that were aged in Spanish oak barrels. The crystal decanter of this expensive whiskey was designed by iconic French glassmaker Lalique.

7. The Macallan M Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($6,633)

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The crystal decanter of this Macallan whiskey was designed by renowned fashion and luxury goods designer Fabien Baron and brought to life by Lalique. The decanter features an intricate, geometric design that represents the whisky’s complexity and depth.

8. Ichiro's Malt Hanyu - Card Series - 'Joker Card' Single Malt Whisky ($6,617)

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This expensive bottle is part of Ichiro’s Malt’s card series — a collection of 58 releases, each displaying one of the 52 playing cards on its label. This expensive whiskey was matured in various casks, such as Bourbon, Cognac, Madeira, and Sherry.

9. Jack Daniel Sinatra Century Limited Edition Tennessee Whiskey ($3,230)

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The Jack Daniel Sinatra Century Limited Edition Tennessee expensive whisky bottle honors the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra. It’s bottled at 100 proof and is encased in a unique collector’s box.

10. 2021 The Macallan Peter Blake Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($2,664)

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This expensive whisky was crafted to commemorate Sir Peter Blake’s visit to The Macallan Estate. Interestingly, its label was created digitally by Sir Peter Blake.

11. The Craft Irish Whiskey Co 'The Taoscan' Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($1,812)

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The Taoscán bottle is the world’s first Port & Chestnut finished whiskey. This triple-distilled expensive whiskey is the fourth premium Irish whiskey from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.

12. 1991 Emerald Isle 24 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($625)

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Here we have a long-aged peated Irish whiskey from Speciality Drinks. It was bottled as part of the sought-after Emerald Isle collection.

If you want to explore more bottles, check out a rare collection like the Dalmore Decades collection. Alternatively, explore other bottles from the Macallan Red Collection, such as The Macallan Red Collection 78-Year-Old Whiskey.

Now, you’re probably wondering:

Should You Invest in Isabella Islay and Other Whiskies?

Isabella’s Islay whiskies are scarce and boast remarkable quality. Also, don’t forget that they’re bottled in extraordinary decanters and presented in fancy cases. 

So, putting your money into them could be worth it in the long term.

What about investing in other whiskey bottles in the beverage market?

Most whiskey bottles perform well at auctions:

  • A bottle of the 1926 The Macallan Valerio Adami 60 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (with illustrations by Irish artist Michael Dillon) was sold for a whopping $1.5 million at a 2018 Christie’s auction in London.
  • The 1960 Karuizawa Single Malt Whiskey ‘The Dragon’ Aged 52 Years Japanese whiskey bottle sold for $312,103 at a 2018 Bonham’s auction.
  • One of the seven cases of the Emerald Isle Collection was sold for a staggering $2 million at a 2021 US auction.

Also, the finest whiskies have impressive price appreciation results:

  • The price of the Black Maple Hill 18 Year Old Premium Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey bottle increased from $4,030 in August 2021 to $11,204 in January 2023 — an amazing 178% increase.
  • The Le Nell Red Hook Straight Rye Whiskey’s price increased by 112% — from $42,567 in April 2021 to $90,221 in December 2022.

Whiskey, in general, is a very attractive investment.

A 2022 Knight Frank Wealth Report shows that rare whiskey is among the highest-performing luxury investments. Over the last decade, it displayed a 428% growth — outperforming assets like watches (108%), wine (137%), and cars (164%). 

But investing in whiskey casks is an excellent idea as well.

Why?

A 2022 Forbes report indicates that the average annual return on a rare whiskey cask is around 12%. Also, you can buy whiskey casks at a much younger age and lower price than matured whisky. The drink only gets better and more valuable over time. 

But how do you start your whiskey cask investing journey?

Invest in Extraordinary Whiskey Casks Through Vinovest

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Vinovest, a well-established wine investment platform, is rolling out a full-stack whiskey investment platform.

The AI-powered platform helps you invest in the casks of top-notch American whiskey, Japanese whiskey, Scotch whisky, and Irish whiskey.

Here are some of the benefits of investing through Vinovest:

  • Hassle-Free Ownership: Vinovest authenticates, stores, and insures your whiskey casks. Interestingly, you can sample your whiskey once a year.
  • Spend Less for More: By investing through Vinovest, you’ll avoid intermediaries and extra commissions.
  • Expert Assistance: Vinovest’s expert advisers guide you toward creating a successful investment portfolio.

Ready to invest in rare whiskey casks?

Visit the Vinovest website today and start exploring the finest whiskey casks from around the world.

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