Boulevard’s picks: A taste of rare and collectable whiskies

Rare whiskies go beyond age or price – they represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship, time and scarcity. These are not just spirits but stories in a bottle, shaped by decades of maturation, meticulous cask selection and the hands of master distillers dedicated to preserving tradition while pushing boundaries.

What makes a whisky rare? It could be an exceptionally aged single malt from a closed distillery, a unique cask experiment that yielded only a handful of bottles, or an expression so limited in release that only a select few will ever taste it. Rarity isn’t just about exclusivity – it’s about the depth of flavour and the journey each whisky takes from grain to glass.

Take the Glenfiddich 30 Year Old, for example. Matured in a careful balance of Spanish Oloroso and American bourbon oak casks, it develops deep layers of dried fruit, honeyed oak, and sherried sweetness – flavours that only decades of patience can achieve. It’s expressions like this that illustrate why rarity matters – because they showcase the heights whisky-making can reach when time, skill and exceptional ingredients align.

At Boulevard, these remarkable whiskies were selected not just for their prestige but for the experience they offer. From Scotland’s most revered distilleries to elusive blended expressions and long-lost releases, we explore what makes these spirits worthy of attention. Whether you’re a collector, an investor, or simply a whisky lover looking for something extraordinary, these are the bottles that define the art of rarity.

Glenfiddich: Half a century of mastery

If the Glenfiddich 30 Year Old represents patience and precision, the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old Simultaneous Time is the ultimate testament to long-term maturation. As one of the distillery’s rarest releases, it marks not just a significant age statement but a milestone in whisky craftsmanship, showcasing the skill and dedication required to guide a whisky through half a century.

Part of the Time Re:Imagined Collection, it is a blend of three whiskies matured in American oak casks since the 1960s. Carefully overseen by three generations of Glenfiddich malt masters, it embodies an unbroken thread of expertise that ensures consistency and depth.

Decades of ageing have unlocked rich layers of citrus, delicate sweetness and a smooth texture, complemented by oak tannins and hints of sun-dried vanilla. More than just its remarkable age, it represents a rare convergence of heritage and innovation, demonstrating how time shapes both flavour and legacy.

Encapsulating the concept of time, it is presented in a tri-corner bottle within a bespoke 3D cylindrical sculpture, symbolising how every moment of its ageing journey is captured within each sip. With only 220 bottles released, priced at $50,000 each, the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old is not just an ultra-rare whisky – it is a statement of mastery, legacy, and the evolving art of whisky-making.

Go further with the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old Simultaneous Time.

The Macallan: The pinnacle of collectible whisky

The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old is more than just a rare whisky – it is a benchmark of long-term maturation, meticulous craftsmanship, and the growing prestige of collectible single malts. As the world’s most coveted and expensive whisky, it has set records at auctions and became a defining piece in the whisky world, symbolising both rarity and the evolution of whisky as an investment.

At its core is Janet Isabella “Nettie” Harbinson, The Macallan’s first female managing director, who oversaw its production during a crucial period. Six decades later, the whisky she helped shape was bottled in 1986, with only 40 pieces ever produced – securing its place among the rarest releases in history.

Beyond its scarcity, The Macallan 1926’s status was elevated through collaborations with renowned artists, including Peter Blake and Valerio Adami, transforming it into both a collector’s item and a work of art. Each bottle became a cultural artefact, blending whisky-making with artistic expression.

Its status was cemented through record-breaking sales. In 2018, a bottle with the Macallan Fine & Rare label became the first individual whisky bottle to sell for £1.2 million at Christie’s Auction in London. That record was shattered in November 2023 when a bottle featuring the Adami label sold for £2.19 million at Sotheby’s London, making it the most valuable bottle of wine or spirit ever auctioned.

These landmark moments not only reinforced The Macallan 1926’s place in whisky history but also highlighted the global demand for rare, investment-worthy single malts – where heritage, artistry and scarcity combine to create something truly extraordinary.

Go further with The Macallan 1926.

Royal Salute: Bespoke casks for discerning collectors

Known for its dedication to long-aged blends, Royal Salute takes whisky-making a step further with its first-ever Cask Programme, giving collectors the rare chance to acquire an entire cask of uniquely blended Scotch from its reserves at Strathisla Distillery.

Each cask has been aged for at least 21 years and handpicked by Royal Salute’s master blender, Sandy Hyslop. Drawing from Pernod Ricard’s vast whisky stocks, the programme offers rare single malt and grain whiskies, including expertly crafted blends finished in different casks to enhance their flavour profiles.

Among the initial casks is an expression finished in a rare first-fill vintage port cask for its final three years, and an experimental blended malt aged in American Oak and French Spanish Oak.

What makes this programme stand out is its exclusivity – with only 21 casks available at any one time – and its personalisation. Buyers can work closely with the blending team to choose their preferred cask and customise their bottles and packaging, including the name, background pattern, bottle colour and decorative details.

Go further with Royal Salute’s exclusive Cask Programme.

The House of Suntory: A testament of Japanese expertise

While Scotland dominates whisky history, Japan has earned its place among the greats. The House of Suntory’s 2024 release, Hibiki 40 Year Old, is its oldest blend to date – an expression of precision, balance and deep craftsmanship. As a landmark in Japanese whisky, it stands as a testament to the country’s ability to produce rare, world-class expressions that rival the best from Scotland.

Made from five component whiskies, including Yamazaki, Hakushu Malt and Chita Grain, each element has matured for over four decades. Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo achieved perfect harmony, balancing Mizunara oak’s spice, Spanish oak’s sweetness, and caramelised cacao notes from a 1978 Yamazaki American oak cask.

Beyond the whisky, its design reflects Japan’s artistry. The bottle features maki-e lacquerwork, mother-of-pearl inlay, and a handcrafted washi label. A wooden box made from 12 Japanese woods symbolises nature’s role in whisky-making.

With only 400 bottles released, retailing at AUD $75,000, the Hibiki 40 Year Old marks a milestone for Japanese whisky – an exquisite blend of rarity, craftsmanship, and heritage, cementing its place among the world’s most sought-after expressions.

Go further with the Hibiki 40 Year Old exclusive release.

Johnnie Walker: The legacy of ghost distilleries

In the ever-evolving world of whisky-making, ghost distilleries offer a different kind of rarity and hold a unique place in whisky history. Though long closed, their remaining casks offer a rare glimpse into a bygone era of craftsmanship. With stocks dwindling, these whiskies have become highly prized by collectors and connoisseurs.

The Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour 48 Year Old exemplifies this rarity, blending whiskies from ghost distilleries like Port Dundas, Brora, Glen Albyn, and Glenury Royal—each aged for nearly half a century. The result is a full-bodied whisky with dark fruit notes, gentle spices, and a warm, subtly sweet finish.

As the final release in the Johnnie Walker Masters series, it is both a tribute to whisky-making traditions and a reminder of the finite nature of these irreplaceable spirits. With only 288 bottles released, it stands as a true collector’s piece.

Go further with the Johnnie Walker‘s rare whiskies.

Charles Wilkinson Whisky: A long-lost expression

Rounding off the list is a whisky with a story as rare as the liquid itself, the Charles Wilkinson’s Famous Liqueur Whisky, which was salvaged from a 128-year-old shipwreck in the Firth of Clyde.

The SS Wallachia, a steamship bound for the West Indies, sank in 1895 after colliding with a Norwegian vessel in heavy fog, taking its cargo of spirits and beers to the ocean floor. More than a century later, divers recovered one of only two known decanters of Wilkinson’s Famous Liqueur Whisky, making it one of the oldest shipwreck whiskies ever retrieved. They were also able to recover several other bottles of spirits, including the Robert Brown’s Four Crown Blended Whisky.

Auctioned in 2023, this rare find offers a unique glimpse into the whisky trade and drinking culture of the late 19th century, preserving a true relic of whisky history.

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