The Glenlivet 55 Year Old is the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery since its inception in 1824.
A mere 100 bottles of this rare single malt are available, each priced at €50,000 (£41,710), as announced by the distillery recently.
It was revealed that The Whisky Exchange is the exclusive seller of this new offering, named The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, First Edition: 55 Year Old.
The Whisky Exchange listed the price of this whisky at £43,500, including VAT, and restricted sales to one bottle per customer.
During the era of Harold Wilson’s UK premiership, Richard Nixon’s presidency, and shortly after The Beatles released Abbey Road, this Scotch whisky was distilled.
It was left to age in a sherry cask for over fifty years before being bottled in the current year.
The master of Glenlivet cask, Kevin Balmforth, who oversaw the whisky’s final years of maturation, referred to its flavor as ‘a collection of autumn fruits, sun-soaked Seville oranges, and sticky dates, wrapped in the spiced warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg. On the nose, it’s complemented by the sweet, comforting flavors of homemade blackcurrant jam and vanilla fudge, matched with sharp citrusy tones on the palate’.
The company behind The Glenlivet, Chivas Brothers, collaborated with artist Michael Hansmeyer to design the presentation for this whisky.
Hansmeyer, a computational architect, utilized jesmonite that was hand-sculpted and adorned with rose-gold to craft the housing for the decanter.
“This sculpture was crafted as an homage to the intricate flavors of The Glenlivet’s most aged variant and the untamed allure of the Scottish settings of the distillery, bridging the gap between innovation and tradition,” Hansmeyer explained.
In celebration of this release, The Glenlivet has put together a special auction item which will be available for bidding at Sotheby’s in October.
This auction item includes a bottle of The Glenlivet 55 and an exclusive sculpture by Hansmeyer, with all proceeds benefiting the National Trust for Scotland.
Balmforth declared the introduction of The Eternal Collection as ‘a monumental moment for whisky connoisseurs and those who appreciate luxury’.
He further stated: ‘It symbolizes The Glenlivet’s dedication to excellence in Scotch innovation, as we persistently strive to reach new creative peaks in single malts.’