2 Buyers Pay $160,000 Each for Bottles of Scotch Whisky

(Oct. 14) -- A stiff drink deserves a stiff price.

In the case of one Scotch whisky, that price can now be measured in tens of thousands of dollars.

Whyte & Mackay distillers sold two bottles of their 64-year-old Dalmore Trinitas malt whisky for 100,000 pounds, or about $160,000, each today.

That's about $5,600 for a single glass of the good stuff.

This is no ordinary swig-it-and-grimace whisky. Its tasting notes say it offers flavors including the "lingering sensation of vino dulce muscatel, treacle toffee, soft liquorice and roasted coffee", The Guardian reported.

Only three bottles of the whisky were ever produced. They were made at a distillery on the Cromarty firth in northern Scotland and placed in white oak casks for a flavor that the distillery says will never be repeated.

"The hand of time has been generous and rewarding with the malts I chose to use. They allowed me to create a taste sensation which will never be repeated again and will only ever be available to those that own these bottles," said master distiller Richard Patterson, according to Postmedia News.

For the buyers, one American and one Briton, it was worth every penny.

"Whisky is my passion. I love it. I have over 1,000 bottles in my collection, and the Dalmore Trinitas is now the jewel in the crown," said U.S. property developer Mahesh Patel.

The price tag shattered the distillery's previous record of 32,000 pounds.

Elsewhere, big money was laid down for a luxury good of a whole different kind: teddy bears.

Paul Greenwood, a U.S. hedge fund manager who pleaded guilty to fraud, raised a cuddly 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) for his collection of teddies Wednesday, The Press Association said.

Sponsored Links

Daniel Agnew, a consultant for Christie's auction house in London, described the bears as a "historical landmark in the collecting world of teddy bears and soft toys."

The bears are the work of Steiff, a German company set up in the 19th century. Steiff is famous for its hand-made stuffed animals including bears, elephants and rabbits, with a distinctive tag in the ear.

One of the bears went for 46,850 pounds, or $74,972.

"Today presented an incredible opportunity for Steiff enthusiasts," Agnew said.