Private Party
Whether it’s a child’s college graduation, school reunion, important anniversary — or just a random Tuesday in need of some sprucing up — sometimes you want to open something special for sipping. And why let wine collectors have all the fun? When any old alcohol just won’t do, there is the world of special-edition spirits. From limited bottlings of bourbon to unique blends from top mixologists to single cask offerings, there is a universe — albeit a very specialized small universe — of rare, hard-to-find, totally special occasion worthy offerings. These aren’t easy to come by (or easy on the wallet) but for the chance to sip what only a handful of others in the world will taste, it can be worth it to the discerning consumer.
On one hand, it’s never been easier to get a limited-edition bottling if you’re not especially picky. In a mirror to the wine market, spirits producers are increasingly making specific vintage, single cask, or special editions for a novelty hungry public (read: many distilleries offer a limited-edition bottling). But on the other, with the open playing field of the internet, where you can locate rare or scarce bottles with greater ease which drums up prices on the secondary market, it’s never been more critical to have a retailer with solid connections to suppliers who can source those super hard to procure bottles for you. Whether you’re looking for beyond-top-shelf whiskeys or trendy amaro or truly unique sipping rums, here are a few to recommend:
STOLICHNAYA ELIT HIMALAYA LIMITED EDITION VODKA
Since 2003, Vodka powerhouse Stolichnaya has released limited edition bottlings using water from rarified sources — the ultimate in terroir-driven vodkas. This wheated version uses water from the Langtang National Park in the Himalayan Mountain Range. (Others in this series draw from the Andeas and New Zealand, if you want to make a rarified tasting comparison.)
BRUICHLADDICH BLACK ART 10 ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKEY
Just 12,000 bottles of this bottling from famed Islay Scotch producer exist. We know that it was unpeated and in oak for 30 years, but after that, details from head distiller Adam Hannett are scarce, as he prefers to keep a shroud of mystery around the limited-edition whisky—only the ninth to have been released from this distillery.
FOURSQUARE RUM DISTILLERY EXCEPTIONAL CASK SELECTIONS
Limited edition ... rum? You betcha. Richard Seale, a 4th-generation distiller in Barbados, hand selects these blends that he feels are worthy of a special bottling. Because these often show a unique side to the spirit, they are quickly snapped up, giving Seale the reputation of having become the “Pappy of Rum.” He may keep his release prices low (ish) from the distillery, but once on the resale market, they tend to double and triple in price quickly.
AMARO BRAULIO RISERVA SPECIALE
Impress your bartender and sommelier friends with this special bottling of Amaro Braulio from Bormio. It’s slightly more alcoholic, less filtered, and aged in smaller Slavonian oak barrels so the herbal flavor is heightened. Though it’s an annual release (read: not the rare-ist but still rare, especially in the States), it’s become something of an underground handshake of spirits know-how among professionals who like to bring it home from Europe in their suitcases.
FOUR ROSES LIMITED-EDITION, SMALL-BATCH BOURBON
It’s become something of a “thing” for Bourbon producers to make “LE” (limited edition) bottlings that tend to get released in the fall (see: Old Forester, George T. Stagg, and Van Winkle). But there’s always a scramble for this particular iteration from well-respected Kentucky producer Four Roses. The 2022 edition was made from a blend of bourbons aged 14 to 20 years and had a run of just over 15,000 bottles.
BEEFEATER BURROUGH’S RESERVE GIN
The world of gin is getting ever more complex but Beefeater, one of the classic labels, came out with this reserve gin in 2013 and has released limited amounts of subsequent bottlings since. Distilled with a classic mix of botanicals including juniper and Seville orange peel, this copper hued gin is aged in red and white Bordeaux oak cask for a complex flavor, designed for sipping neat (martini lovers will find lots to like here, too).