Five Must Have Premium Blended Whiskies For Your Collection

Blended whisky accounts for a phenomenal amount of whisky exports from Scotland (75%, according to the Scotch Whisky Association). Other countries such as Japan, the USA, and Ireland have also contributed vastly to the landscape of blended whisky. It is a vital force in the whisky industry. 

Despite the rapid premiumization of spirits such as single malt scotch whisky, blended whisky has remained a favorite amongst drinkers. But, what about the collectors? Well, blended whisky does not tend to command as high premiums as single malt whisky. However, there are some notable exceptions. So, today I will be taking a look at five collectible blended whiskies, all available via The Whiskey Wash Shop.

Royal Salute 21 Year Old The Eternal Reserve 

BUY NOW: $498

Royal Salute (owned by Chivas Brothers, the scotch whisky arm of Pernod Ricard) is a prevailing blended scotch whisky brand here in the UK. The brand was launched in 1953 in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in the same year. 

Having long established itself as a luxury blended whisky brand, Royal Salute’s youngest (and flagship) whisky is the Royal Salute 21 Year Old. The brand has also released numerous limited editions such as the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Flagons, as well as the premium Royal Salute 38 Year Old Stone of Destiny. 

This blended whisky is the Royal Salute 21 Year Old Eternal Reserve. The whisky was blended from 88 specially selected casks from Chivas Brothers’ vaults. Then, the resulting blend matured further to 21 years old. This particular bottle was released in 2015. 

On the label, then-Master Blender, Colin Scott, states: “From the original blend, 88 casks are reserved from each batch and carried forward to the next. This careful and precise process preserves the power and grace of this sumptuous blend, building the eternal lineage of the blend.” 

Dewar’s 30 Year Old 

BUY NOW: $609

I have spoken before about my love of Dewar’s, and this Dewar’s 30 Year Old is certainly not excluded from my admiration. 

In recent years, Dewar’s has had a remarkable drive for innovation thanks to Master Blender, Stephanie Macleod, and her ‘Double Double’ aging process. Before that, though, there was this masterful 30 Year Old blend, finished Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. 

The blend comprises some of Dewar’s oldest and rarest stock at that time. It was available exclusively as a Global Travel Retail bottling, making the availability extremely limited and the whisky much rarer. 

John Dewar & Sons is a steadfast and long-standing force in the world of blended whisky, having first been awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria in 1893. In more recent times, Dewar’s has become a multi-award-winning brand, and lays claim to the title of ‘The World’s Most Awarded Blended Scotch Whisky’. 

Compass Box Whisky & Ink 

BUY NOW: $4,321

Compass Box, founded by former Johnnie Walker Marketing Director, John Glaser in 2000, is best known for its audacious approach to whisky blending. In fact, the company’s dedication to consumer transparency has even landed it in hot water with the Scotch Whisky Association.

Compass Box is beloved for its transparency, in that it names the distillery malts in its blends, as well as the percentages used, and the cask types. John Glaser has always been steadfast in his belief that “[w]e believe Scotch producers should have the freedom, but not the obligation, to disclose all of the components of a blend. Consumers have the right to know”. 

For this reason, as well as the sheer quality and complexity of its blends, Compass Box has thrived. 

This particular bottle is the Compass Box Whisky & Ink. It was released in 2015 in a limited edition of just 300 bottles, making it a true whisky rarity. It also contains some impressive whisky: “A sherry-cask aged single malt from Dailuaine Distillery complements the toasty oak and spice character from the new-French oak-aged Clynelish, and is combined with some lovely grain whisky from Ayrshire. 

The bottle was produced in collaboration with Collotype Labels, and celebrates different printing techniques. Reminiscent of the gold-gilded Art Deco period, the label and packaging showcase gold foiling and die-cut printing practices. 

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old 75 Years of Barnsley 

BUY NOW: $1,436   

We have all heard of Johnnie Walker Black Label. The reliable blended scotch whisky is amongst the best-selling blended whiskies in the world. This is, in no small part, down to Johnnie Walker’s genius marketing. You can view many historical Johnnie Walker adverts in The Whiskey Wash’s archive.

This special edition of the Johnnie Walker 12 Year Old Black Label was released to celebrate 75 years of Johnnie Walker’s glass production factory. Responsible for making the iconic square bottles, Ardagh Glass Packaging (AGP) in Barnsley has supplied Diageo for many years. 

This bottle has very rarely been seen on the secondary market. It is thought that the bottles were gifted to (and possibly consumed by) the factory staff. We don’t know how many of these bottles are in existence. But we do know that the number is not very high at all. 

Hibiki 21 Year Old 

BUY NOW: $1,184

For our last bottle, we move over to Japan and the Hibiki 21 Year Old. 

The Hibiki 21 Year Old was one of the first Hibiki bottles ever to be released, alongside the long-lamented 17 Year Old. The Hibiki brand was launched in 1989 and has become known for its iconic 24-sided bottle, representing the 24 observed lunar seasons in Japan. 

You might be wondering why I have included the Hibiki 21 Year Old on this list. After all, it is still available in the brand’s core range. Well, it is all to do with the slow disappearance of age statements on Japanese whisky. 

Over the last few years, we have seen some incredible Japanese whiskies discontinued. These include the Hibiki 17 Year Old, the Yoichi 15 Year Old, and the brief absence of the Hakushu 12 Year Old. These age statements have been disappearing because Japanese distillers simply do not have the stock to supply the overwhelming demand for their products. To put it simply, Japan was not prepared for Japanese whisky to become so popular overseas.

There is not yet any inkling that the Hibiki 21 Year Old will be discontinued (in fact, we continue to live in hope that some of the age statements will come back). However, the rarity of such whiskies has only increased the appetite for them both at retail and on the secondary market and made Hibiki that much more collectible.