Midleton Very Rare Chapter Six
The Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection has put out some of the 20th century’s best Irish whiskeys in the previous five chapters. This sixth, and final, chapter is no exception: the pot-still whiskey from Old Midleton Distillery, which closed in 1975, was aged in American oak barrels and, later, in a bespoke cask created from the previous five Silent Distillery releases, making it truly one of a kind. The 50-year-old spirit is wonderfully vivid with stone fruit flavours and notes of tobacco and oak. It comes in a mouth-blown House of Waterford decanter. 

The Last Drop 22YO Japanese Blended Malt
Vanishingly rare bottlings are the raison d’être of The Last Drop independent bottler, and with Release 39, a 22-year-old Japanese blended malt, it has once again struck gold. Made in 2000, the last year of operation for Hanyu Distillery, the liquid was matured in Mizunara casks and has a silky mouthfeel, with notes of banana, coconut, sandalwood and cinnamon.

Port Ellen 200th Anniversary Edition
Reborn last year on the Scottish isle of Islay, Port Ellen is now making new whiskies that experiment with the nuances of smoke. But for collectors, the old Port Ellens are objects of passion and wonder – and this new bottling is no exception. Made with some of the very last liquid produced at the distillery in the year it closed, 1983, this 42-year-old whisky is a dynamo, with red berry and apple flavours mingling with the smoky undertones and a finish that seems to last for hours.

Karuizawa Marriage 1965+1972
In operation from 1955 through 2001, Japanese distillery Karuizawa only became well known among connoisseurs after it closed. Its reputation has built steadily, and the brand is now one of the world’s most sought-after whiskies – with very little available. This bottling, a mix of two of the oldest Karuizawa single malts ever released, is a once-in-a-lifetime treasure, the product of a decade of planning and two years’ vatting together the two components. Just 50 are available in a hand-engraved bottle and handsome wooden case.

Gordon & MacPhail 85YO Glenlivet
Scotland’s leading independent bottler released a pair of masterpieces this year. The 85-year-old Glenlivet is the oldest single malt ever bottled, a milestone marked with a swirling oak decanter designed by architect Jeanne Gang. Just 125 are available. Collectors shouldn’t sleep on the other release: Mr George Legacy Series 1954 from Glen Grant. The liquid here was aged for 70 years, and like its older cousin, it retains surprising freshness, with bursts of fruity notes and vanilla alongside chocolate and toasted oak.