Where to buy the rarest and most expensive whiskies in Hong Kong – up to US$638,000 – without attending an auction
From Yamazaki’s fabled Mizunara casks to a 72-Year-Old Macallan and Hanyu Ichiro’s collectable Malt Card Series – here are 6 of the most desirable (and pricey) whiskies you can pick up straight off the rack
Any whisky lover will know that Hong Kong is the global hub for live whisky auctions, where reserve prices are surpassed and world records on single bottle sales smashed. Whisky auctions are continuously in the spotlight, but what of the off-the-shelf retail whisky scene in Hong Kong?
Where do the hidden collectors shop, who don’t want to be under the auction world spotlight, or pay the substantial buyer and seller fees? Here are some of the most expensive and rarest whisky bottles found across stores in Hong Kong, so you know where to shop next time you happen to miss, or would rather skip, a whisky auction.
Glendronach 47 Year-Old Single Cask – HK$68,000 (US$8,700)
A single bottle of the rare Cask 5837 by the Glendronach distillery is currently available in Hong Kong. The prized liquid here spent 47 years in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask, and was finally bottled in 2016.
One of only 301 bottles, this specific Glendronach has received numerous stellar reviews by international critics. The brand has grown increasingly popular in Asia over the years, as the small batch, dark liquid is greatly sought after by Asian collectors.
Hanyu Ichiro’s Malt Card Series: Queen of Spades – HK$70,000 (US$8,900)
Part of the famed Hanyu Playing Cards series of bottles, which most recently broke a world record at an auction in Hong Kong, the Queen Of Spades is currently available for purchase in Hong Kong.
The “face” playing cards are the rarest in the set – naturally – alongside the monochrome and coloured jokers and the aces. While a full set is near impossible to find, many collectors begin buying the cards one by one, looking at it as a fun ongoing project as they hunt down all 54 bottles.