4 of the Oldest Whiskies in the World

When it comes to whisky, a general rule of thumb is the older the whisky, the more valuable it is. Now, this isn’t always the case as you probably know, but typically when you’re dealing with an older dram you’ve likely got your hands on a special drop.

Whisky is a beverage that can be traced back hundreds of years. Many of the distilleries around Scotland that are responsible for some of the world’s finest single malts are well over a century old, some of them double that.

Recently, The Macallan unveiled the world’s oldest whisky in one of the coolest looking bottles I’ve ever seen. This got me thinking about some of the other oldest whiskies in the world, who is responsible for them, and what makes them special. Now, I’m not talking about buying a bottle of a supermarket’s budget whisky, sticking it in the cupboard for a few decades and then digging it out when you fancy a dram, I’m talking about proper aged whisky.

Here are 4 of the oldest whiskies in the world.

The Macallan Vintage 84

In autumn 2024, as part of their 200 Years Young range, Speyside distillery The Macallan unveiled their ‘Time: Space Collection’ which featured two new releases in two of the coolest looking bottles I’ve ever seen in the biz.

It’s the first 1940 Vintage release that I’m interested in, not only because of the swanky-looking bottle, but more importantly, because it’s the oldest whisky in the world.

Their 1940 vintage was specially crafted from some of their rarest, and oldest whiskies. Two hand-chosen casks were brought together with the skill and precision you might expect from The Macallan, and the results are astounding.

Interestingly, this dram was distilled using peated malt barley, which is unusual for the distillery and is certainly unusual for a Speyside. In their own words, it was influenced by the historical context of the era.

Seasoned in ex-sherry American and European oak casks, and bottled at 43.4% ABV, it’s rich and complex, with plenty of tropical fruit notes shining through and vibrant aromas of coffee and cocoa. There’s a touch of crystalised ginger in there, along with summer berry compote undertones, hot honey, and demerara sugar. There’s also a light oak undertone and the slightest whisper of smoke right at the end.

The Sovereign

I’ve a lot of love for independent bottlers as you might expect, so this release from Hunter Laing really caught my eye.

At more than 50 years of age, this dram was part of a limited run of just 267 bottles. It was aged in ex-bourbon barrels and was bottled at a cask strength of 49.2% ABV.

This dram is fruity, floral, and spicy, and is not a million miles away from some of the finer rye whiskies out there. It features fruity and spicy notes, a touch of citrus, cinder toffee, leather, malted barley, and a hint of vanilla. There’s a great cloying mouthfeel to this dram too, with a sweet and lightly spicy oaky finish.

Dalmore 64 Trinitas

This is one of the most expensive and rarest whiskies ever created. When I say rarest, I really mean it because there were literally only three bottles of this whisky ever made. Those Angels certainly got their share of this batch that’s for sure.

So rare is this whisky, that the bottles sold for a reported £100,000 each!

At more than 64 years of age, this whisky has taken on a deep and rich chestnut brown colour that contrasts beautifully with the silver stag’s head adorning the bottle. It features subtle notes of coffee, orange, and cinnamon, with a sprinkling of raisin, toffee, and toasted oak. There’s also a floral finish to this dram, with underlying layers of sweetness.

Mortlach 70 Year Old

First released in 2004, there were only 54 bottles of this incredibly rare Speyside whisky released by Gordon and MacPhail.

Matured in an ex-sherry cask, and presented in a stunning crystal decanter, this gorgeous amber copper coloured dram comes in with an ABV of 46.1%.

There’s a subtle malty chocolatiness to this dram, with aromas of milk chocolate, tinned apricots, and wild summer berries. These make way to strong fruity flavours, Battenburg cake, with a touch of candied lemon and lime zest in there. There’s a slight waxiness to this dram, with a fairly strong oak and vanilla influence right at the end too.

If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at what we have to offer.

With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.

Tags: Oldest Whiskies

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.