12 Very Impressive Bottles to Have in Your Home Bar
1. The Macallan Rare Cask
This ruby-red whisky celebrates two of Macallan’s greatest strengths: sherry-seasoned oak casks and vibrant natural color. Tasting notes range from rich oak and vanilla to chocolate and subtle citrus zest. $300
2. Highland Park Odin
This single malt scotch whisky is aged for 16 years and is inspired by Odin, the King of Asgard. Only 2,400 bottles are available in the U.S., making this bottle as much a novelty as it is an everyday celebration. $350
3. Brugal Rum Papá Andrés Alegría Edition
There are only 1,000 bottles available of this 2015 blend, with 97 of them in the states. The name, which translates to “joy,” was created by Jassil Villanueva Quintana, the Brugal family’s newest Maestra Ronera, or master blender—and the first woman to ever hold the position. $1,500
4. Patrón en Lalique: Serie 1
Fine crystal makers Lalique partnered with premium tequila producer Patrón for a handmade limited edition decanter. Within each of the 500 bottles rests a blend of some of Patrón’s oldest and rarest tequilas, hand-selected from their barrel aging room in the hills of Jalisco, Mexico. $7,500
5. Beefeater Gin: Burrough’s Reserve
This barrel aged gin is distilled by hand using James Burrough’s original 19th century copper “Still Number 12.” It then rests in oak barrels that previously housed Jean de Lillet, an aperitif only created in exceptional vintage years, resulting in an ultra smooth sipping gin. $75
6. Flor de Caña Rum: Centenario 25
This ultra-premium, full-bodied rum has had a quarter century to develop its luxuriously smooth palate. The result? A rich flavor profile of honey, grilled pineapple, roasted banana, and toasted coconut. $145
7. Milagro’s Select Barrel Reserve: Añejo
This award-winning tequila from William Grant & Sons captures the true essence of the spirit’s origin, which is the blue agave, with complex flavors and smooth blends. The Milagro Añejo, an offering of the company’s Select Barrel Reserve line, is a full-bodied compilation of sweetness and oak that’s meant for serious sipping. $99
8. Lock Stock & Barrel 13 Year Straight Rye Whiskey
Produced by Rob Cooper’s Cooper Spirits, this 100% rye whiskey is aged in new charred American oak barrels and bottled at 101.3 proof. Housed in a striking black bottle, this rare sipping whiskey has a complex flavor profile that is robust, spicy, and grainy, with notes that suggest salted caramel, toffee, winter spice, and tobacco. $119
9. Hennessy X.O Cognac
This cognac was originally created in 1870 for the personal use of the Hennessy family and friends. The blend of more than 100 eaux-de-vie is aged for up to 30 years, resulting in a soft yet powerful palate of cocoa and warm fruit. $160
10. Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old
This scotch is matured exclusively in American oak bourbon casks for a minimum of 26 years, imparting a unique and distinct flavor to the final product. This is the first single malt from the Speyside distillery to use bourbon casks throughout the entire maturation process, which results in a balance of dry tannin and soft brown sugar vanilla sweetness. $500
11. Plymouth Gin: Navy Strength
Add complexity to your gimlets and gin and tonics with this Navy Strength offering, which packs 57% ABV. Bold aromas of juniper draw drinkers in, and softer notes of coriander and cardamom lead into a long and rich finish. $58
12. Woody Creek Colorado Reserve Vodka
This Colorado-based distillery is the only one in North America to grow high-starch Polish potatoes, otherwise known as Stobrawa potatoes, for their reserve vodka. Despite its veggie-forward foundation, the spirit suggests hints of vanilla and butterscotch, and an ultra smooth palate—meant for sipping, not shooting—of white pepper. $90
Source: Gotham