Top 10 most expensive NAS whiskies

Many connoisseurs argue age should not be used used as a benchmark for judging whisky quality, but a storm of debate rages over whether it should justify hefty price tags.

From £100 to £3,000, these are some of the world’s most expensive whiskies without an age statement

As distilleries continue to suffer from dwindling stocks in the face of soaring consumer demand in recent years, the emergence of a new trend for ageless whiskies has dominated discussions in the industry.

Consumers have long been taught that age and regional identity are some of the most valued traits in whisky across the globe.

However, a significant portion of the industry claim NAS whiskies not only allow producers to manage their stocks responsibly, while still showcasing their oldest, rarest whiskies, they also offer greater flexibility to experiment with flavour.

A number of brands, most notably Ardbeg, Glenmorangie and The Macallan, have embraced ageless liquid, launching an array of limited editions which have become widely coveted items among collectors and connoisseurs.

While some distilleries, such as The Glenlivet, have replaced their younger whiskies with a NAS to free up supplies, others pioneer the ageless trend at the top of their range, with bottlings launched worth thousands of pounds.

Nonetheless, the widespread thought that age should correlate to RRP in whisky has been difficult to shake.

Click through the following pages to see 10 of the most expensive no-age-statement whiskies. What do you think about the NAS whisky trend? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

£100

Suntory’s limited edition Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 launched at the top-end of the NAS whisky range at just over £100, but now fetches more than 10 times this at auction since being named the “world’s best whisky” in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015. Described as a whisky of “near incredible genius”, the Japanese whisky, owned by Beam Suntory, was awarded 97.5 marks out of 100 for “nose of exquisite boldness” and finish of “light, teasing spice”.

Glenmorangie Signet

£124

Glenmorangie is a clear advocate of the no-age-statement Scotch whisky trend, and has released a number of revered limited editions such as Tusail, Companta and Ealanta – which was named the “world’s best whisky” by Murray in 2014. Its Signet botting is one of the more expensive NAS whiskies, and is part of the brand’s permanent range. It is a blend of the distillery’s “oldest whisky”, distilled more than 30 years ago, and the “richest whisky” in its range.

Ardbeg Supernova

£124.99

Like Glenmorangie, Islay whisky distillery Ardbeg has launched its fair share of ageless that have quickly become cult classics. In August last year, the distillery launched the third edition of its “peatiest single malt”, Supernova, to coincide with the return of a whisky vial it had sent into outer space. The liquid had been ageing in space to test the effects of gravity on the maturation process.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

£130

Said to be the “pinnacle” of Diageo’s Johnnie Walker blended Scotch core whisky range, Blue Label is created using some of the rarest stocks in the distillery’s possession. Largely seen as one of the most prestigious super-premium NAS blends, Blue Label has been created to reflect the style of whiskies in the early 19th century. Diageo has launched a number of luxury travel retail extensions under the label, including its cityscape-inspired bottles and special edition for Chinese New Year.

George T. Stagg

£200+

Now worth upwards of £200 on the second-hand market, George T. Stagg is another winner of the revered Murry accolade. The overproof spirit has an abv of 65.9% as was described by Murray as possessing a “quality that defies belief”. Created by Buffalo Trace as part of its Antique Collection, the whisky has a flavour of blood orange, dark chocolate, vanilla and spice

The Balvenie Tun 1509

£225

The Balvenie Tun 1509 was launched last August when owner William Grant & Sons discontinued the successful, and famously rare, Tun 1401 series. Comprised of 42 casks selected by malt master David Stewart, including 35 American oak barrels and seven European oak Sherry butts, 1509 uses the same recipe as 1401, but on a larger scale. Still, its relative scarcity means that its initial £225 price tag has been replaced by more hefty figures on the secondhand market.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve

£275

Crafted from Jameson’s “oldest and rarest” stocks, this expression sits at the top of the brand’s range. It has been created by blending rare pot still whiskey, aged in second-fill Bourbon casks, with a selection of older grain whiskey. First launched in 2007, Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve is described as having a “mellow sweet” flavour of toasted wood, fudge and dark chocolate.

The Macallan Reflexion

£900

Joining the luxury section of The Macallan’s popular 1824 series earlier this year, Reflexion, like a number of other bottlings in the series, most likely derives a significant portion of its price from its beautiful packaging. At £900, the expression has been aged in first-fill hogshead casks and is described as a “celebration” of floral whisky flavours with notes of vanilla, apple and apricot.

The Macallan No.6

£2,800

Also launched under the new 1824 “Masters” Series, The Macallan No.6 been aged in Sherry oak casks and is bottled in a bespoke crystal decanter by Lalique. Edrington, owner of The Macallan, has pioneered no-age-statement whiskies for some time, focusing its more mainstream NAS 1824 series – including the Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby variants – on the properties of wood and the resulting colour. Its 1824 Masters series shows a belief by drinks firms that NAS expressions can sit alongside their most exclusive, extra-old editions.

The Macallan M

£3,000

Said to sit at the “summit” of the entire 1824 Series is The Macallan M – also matured in oloroso Sherry casks and bottled in a Lalique decanter. At the time of the whisky’s launch, David Cox, director of fine and rare whiskies at Edrington, said: “It is important for us to be able to sustain the range going forward. Age is important to us. Our whiskies need to be old, but they also need to be sustainable. Ultimately, we need to manage our stock as much as we can.” A six-litre crystal decanter of The Macallan M, called Imperiale, went on to become the world’s most expensive whisky sold at auction when it fetched US$628,000 in Hong Kong. Two bottles of The Macallan M Imperiale have been archived by The Macallan, while one has been sold to a private collector in Asia.