The word ‘rare’ is thrown around a lot in the whisky world these days. With some so-called “limited releases” stretching into the tens of thousands of bottles, the term has lost much of its weight. But true rarity—the kind that makes a whisky genuinely special to open and enjoy—is something else entirely.
The whiskies on this list are, in my view, among the finest ever bottled. Some are already scarce, while others set the benchmark for what rarity should mean. There’s a mix of fact and opinion in these selections, but one thing is certain: every bottle here is an exceptional drinking whisky. Some may be collectible, others might become so in time—but first and foremost, these are whiskies worth hunting down for the sheer pleasure of tasting.
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Brora, any Brora
BUY NOW: $4,375 (Brora 34 Year Old Special Release 2017)
This one might sound a little vague—after all, not every whisky from any given distillery is flawless—but every Brora I’ve ever had the chance to try has been nothing short of wonderful. Even the old Connoisseurs Choice bottlings from Gordon & MacPhail at 40% ABV were stunning examples of just how varied Brora’s whisky could be.
One of my biggest whisky regrets is not buying the 2017 Brora 34-Year-Old Diageo Special Release. I was lucky enough to try it for free, it was half the price of the Port Ellen, and it outshone the other whiskies I was most excited about. We always regret the bottles we don’t buy. This one was a lesser-peated version, making it all the more intriguing, and it was limited to around 3,000 bottles.
Brora’s style varied massively. Some releases had that classic peatiness, a touch of tobacco, and gentle coastal wafts. Others leaned into more farmyard-like notes—very reminiscent of Springbank’s Local Barley releases—divisive, yet a testament to the distillery’s unique character and the era it was lost to… for a time, at least.
Now, with its recent revival and new whiskies on the horizon, Brora faces big questions about whether it can maintain the magic of its past. The distillery retained much of its original equipment during its closure, but inevitably, comparisons between old and new releases will persist.
Glenury Royal 1971 23 Year Old Rare Malts Selection
BUY NOW: $3,125
I first had the chance to sample this thanks to Cheaper By The Dram, a brilliant concept set up by Mark Littler, now Editor-in-Chief of The Whiskey Wash. Until then, I’d never tried anything from Glenury Royal—or from The Rare Malts Selection, for that matter—but this whisky absolutely blew me away.
It has all the depth and complexity of the best rum you’ve ever tasted, yet it hails from Scotland. It isn’t a whisky that plays it safe—it’s bold, spicy, powerful, and unapologetically assertive in flavour—but it’s the kind of dram that lingers in your memory, compelling you to chase another taste.
Bottled in 1994 and released in 1995 as one of just 36 expressions under The Rare Malts banner, these blue-labeled releases have become timeless, sought after, and even recognisable for their own distinctive style. The Glenury Royal in particular is layered with leather, tar, sherry, marmalade, pot still funk, herbal liqueurs, orange oil, fresh pine, and an immense spiciness—an almost endless list of aromas and flavours that make me crave another pour.
Sadly, justifying the price of a bottle is no easy feat. But one day—one day.
Bunnahabhain Moine Oloroso
BUY NOW: N/A
This might raise a few eyebrows, but to this day, this is the best Bunnahabhain I’ve ever tasted. Released in 2017 as a no-age-statement (NAS) bottling, this quiet little demon is a sherry-soaked, heavily peated, cask-strength monster of a Bunnahabhain. I’m grateful to still have 20cl of it tucked away in the office.
Bunnahabhain is well known for its fantastic 12- and 18-year-old expressions, as well as some exceptional limited releases like this one. Yet, it often finds itself overshadowed by some of Scotland’s most legendary smoky distilleries. But this bottle? It outshines so many other Islay whiskies I’ve tried—and at just £70 on release, it was absurdly underpriced.
Vatted from seven oloroso sherry casks, this whisky is an explosion of smoky bacon, sea salt, damsons, prunes, toffee, rich sherry, raisins, Christmas cake, white chocolate, dark chocolate—all wrapped in an incredible wave of BBQ-style smoke. Despite its strength, it’s remarkably approachable, with layers of complexity that unfold effortlessly. The sheer weight and texture, combined with the interplay of sweet and savoury notes, make it feel almost like a meal in itself.
Amazingly, it’s still relatively affordable on many auction sites. And remember—auctions can be a goldmine for bargains, especially now!
Balblair 1990 2nd Release
BUY NOW: N/A
This little gem was, without question, the best value whisky I’ve ever bought. A 27-year-old Balblair for around £90 at the time—absolutely astonishing pricing, and a deal I’ll never be able to replicate.
Balblair is a classic Highland distillery known for its focus on bourbon cask maturation with sherry cask finishing. This particular example, like most of their older releases beyond the 12-year-old, spent the majority of its life in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in oloroso sherry. I can’t even begin to describe how tropical and inviting the nose is—cherry, kiwi, Haribo sweets—so juicy and utterly mouthwatering.
On the palate, the cask influence takes centre stage, bringing notes of Jamaican ginger cake, pineapple, milk chocolate, and beautifully balanced oak from both barrel types.
Balblair has made some changes in recent years, but if you’re after an extraordinary, well-aged single malt, this one still appears at auctions for surprisingly reasonable prices. Worth every penny!
Macallan 18 Year Old 2006-2017 Purple Box
BUY NOW: $1,494 (Macallan 1997 18 Year Old)
Allow me a moment of nostalgia. When I first got into whisky, Macallan 18 was the bottle everyone talked about—but I could never find it. Then, one day, we walked into The Wharf, a canal-side pub and bar in the middle of Manchester, and there it was—a 1994 vintage with less than a double left in the bottle. How do I know? Because the bartender poured it and only charged me for a single. What a guy!
I took my glass outside, sat on a bench, and suddenly, it all clicked. I got why everyone loved Macallan 18 Year Old. The vanilla, fig, dates, dark chocolate, cinnamon sugar—every note just landed perfectly. A little sherry-tinted light bulb switched on in my head. Sure, there are better whiskies available today for less money, but I’d still love another one of these.
And so, the hunt began. From 2015 onwards, I was picking up bottles for around £100—opening them, drinking them, sharing them. The last one I owned was a 1995 vintage, which I opened and savoured slowly, only finishing it a few years ago. Now, I’m searching for another. I’m not saying you should drop a few hundred of your local currency just to indulge my nostalgia—but honestly, it was that good.
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A final word on this bottle—let’s talk about the packaging. That metallic purple shade, the slim box, the way light danced across its surface—it was magical. I don’t usually talk about whisky packaging like this, but we all have one box that sticks in our memory.
Now, why chase these older bottles rather than the current releases? The modern Macallan 18 is still good—but it’s expensive. These vintage releases will set you back even more at auction, but I genuinely think they’re better whisky. And if you’re buying to drink, you’re getting the chance to experience what made The Macallan legendary—before things got out of hand.
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