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The Dalmore 62: Its sale through DFS at Changi Airport set a new sales record |
SINGAPORE. DFS, Singapore Changi Airport and The Dalmore have set a new record for the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold in retail.
The last bottle of The Dalmore 62, released from the personal collection of Master Distiller Richard Paterson, was sold at Changi Airport for S$250,000 (US$200,000) two weeks ago.
This breaks the previous retail record set by the same brand after the final bottle of Dalmore 64 was sold in Harrods of London for £120,000 three months ago.
Brand owner Whyte & Mackay has also revealed that Jura is the fastest growing malt whisky in the world with a sales increase of +38%, while The Dalmore is the third fastest growing malt with a rise of +34% (The IWSR figures).
In travel retail where Jura has grown by +48% and The Dalmore by +55% in the last 12 months.
When The Dalmore 62 was first released in 2002 it was the most expensive bottle of whisky ever bought and consumed in one sitting, after a business man paid £32,000 for the bottle at the Penny Hill Park hotel in Surrey.
The Dalmore creator Richard Paterson kept one of the original 12 bottles back and gave it exclusively to DFS in Singapore. The rare whisky, with spirit dating as far back as 1868, was decanted in to a bespoke hand blown crystal decanter and caarries the brand’s 12 pointer royal stag’s head – hand crafted in platinum. It sits in a specially made bespoke wooden presentation case which took over 100 hours to create.
Dr Vijay Mallya , Chairman of Whyte & Mackay and United Spirits, said: “The record breaking Dalmore 62 is an absolute bargain in my mind. The owner of this fabulous bottle now owns one of the rarest and most exclusive whiskies in the world. It’s a fantastic investment, rising in value by £100,000 in ten years. How much will it be worth in another ten years?”
On the growth of the whiskies, he added: “I always knew there was massive potential with both of these award winning whiskies. With the right focus and investment, it was clear that Jura and The Dalmore could be highly sought after brands. I’m particularly pleased about Jura as it was my father’s favourite whisky, and it’s great to see it getting the plaudits and success it deserves.”
Richard Paterson added: “The Dalmore 62 is legendary and so many people have asked about buying the last bottle. In the space of ten years it is has grown in value and is worth five times the original asking price, verifying the luxury credentials of The Dalmore, and confirming that whisky is an investment worth making.”
The Dalmore 62 was released in 2002 and first sold for £25,000 at auction.
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The sale of the bottle underlines the luxury appeal of travel retail, said Vijay Mallya | |
Dr. Mallya last night hosted a party on the island of Sainte Marguerite off the coast close to Cannes – Mallya is the sole resident of the island.
Speaking to The Moodie Report (one of a small number of titles invited to a briefing before the event), he said: “Whyte & Mackay has not paid enough attention to travel retail in the past, but now we are. This is a very important environment and it is receiving our top attention.
“We want to grow at the premium end in those markets where we can succeed. It’s a luxury market. The 62yo is a great story and we can use that to push The Dalmore business forward.”
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Dr Vijay Mallya (right) last night hosted a party on the island of Ste Marguerite, where he discussed The Dalmore 62; also pictured is Bouvet-Ladubay President Patrice Monmousseau (centre) and Master Distiller Richard Paterson |
The evening was also notable for the introduction of a new wine partnership between Mallya’s Bouvet-Ladubay, Brut de Loire, and actor Gérard Depardieu. Bouvet-Ladubay President Patrice Monmousseau presented the Unique Taille Princesse sparkling wine to the 100-plus guests on the island last night. Depardieu was due to attend but was forced to withdraw because of commitments on a film shoot in Romania.
The new Taille Princess will be available in travel retail. Bouvet-Ladubay production in 2012 will exceed 6 million bottles and will be exported to 40 countries.
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Richard Paterson: Underlined the brand’s luxury credentials |
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The Bouvet-Ladubay logo is emblazoned across a castle on the grounds of Vijay Mallya’s residence on Sunday |
