The most expensive Scottish whiskies and their affordable alternatives (2025)

The Daily Record has rounded up some of the priciest bottles of whisky, which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Whisky is one of the most iconic symbols of Scotland. If you are a fan of the spirit, then there is nothing quite like it.

As any serious whisky lover will know, prices can vary wildly. While you can enjoy a dram down at your local pub without breaking the bank, some rarer whiskies can fetch a pretty penny.

Retailer The Whisky Exchange stocks a huge range of whiskies from distilleries across Scotland. The cost of its whiskies can reach up to hundreds of thousands of pounds, making them true collectibles.

The Daily Record has rounded up the five Scottish whiskies on The Whisky Exchange that are the most expensive. With prices going up to £200,000, many Scots will be unable to take home the most elusive bottles.

Luckily, there are cheaper alternatives available that are not a million miles from the mega-expensive drams in scent and taste. For each of the most expensive whiskies, we have included a more affordable option that features similar flavour notes.

Read on for a roundup of five of the most expensive whiskies distilled in Scotland, as well as some affordable alternatives. More information can be found on The Whisky Exchange website.

Macallan The Reach 81 Year Old

The Macallan The Reach 81 Year Old is the most expensive Scotch whisky sold by The Whisky Exchange, available to buy for £200,000. The one-of-a-kind 81-year-old whisky was distilled in 1940, and is the oldest expression released by The Macallan to date.

According to The Whisky Exchange, the single malt is "austere and complex", and features a subtle smokiness. It is deep auburn in colour and includes notes of dark chocolate, leather, caramelised plum, treacle, and ginger.

If you don't have £200,000 to spare, there are plenty of other whiskies from The Macallan that feature the same richness. The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak, which is available for £84 from The Whisky Shop, is known for its notes of woodsmoke and spice—while also adding dried fruit and caramel into the mix.

Macallan 55 Year Old

The second-priciest whisky on The Whisky Exchange also comes from Macallan, this time The Macallan 55 Year Old. Fetching a price of £150,000, it is the result of a collaboration between Macallan and renowned French crystal maker Lalique.

The whisky is housed within a decanter based on a perfume bottle designed by René Lalique in 1910. Matured for 55 years, it features notes of polished oak, candied mangoes, clove-studded oranges, and wisps of peat smoke.

A more affordable alternative is The Macallan The Harmony Collection IV Vibrant Oak. Available to buy for £167 from The Whisky Shop, it was matured in a combination of first-fill sherry seasoned American oak casks and refill sherry casks—including notes of citrus and sweet oak.

Glenfiddich 1937

Next up is the Glenfiddich 1937, which you can pick up yourself from The Whisky Exchange for £145,000. Described as an "unusually slow-maturing whisky", it was left in a dark and damp dunnage warehouse to mature and develop for 64 years.

Featuring a rich walnut or dark amber colour, the Glenfiddich 1937 includes scent notes of burnt heather, poached pears, and chocolate toffee. Meanwhile, an initial sweet taste gives way to drying bitter chocolate notes.

While a bottle of Glenfiddich 1937 would be nice, the majority of Scots don't have £145,000 to spare. The , which is available for £38 from The Whisky Shop or £46.50 from The Whisky Exchange, features notes of toffee and cinnamon.

Glenlivet Generation 1940

If you want the one-of-a-kind Glenlivet Generation 1940, you will need to fork out £110,000 on The Whisky Exchange. It was bottled in February 2020 at 80 years old, making it "the oldest single malt Scotch whisky ever bottled" according to the experts.

Scent notes of almond oil, sandalwood, gorse flowers, and peat smoke dominate the nose. This is complemented by tasting notes of dates, figs, salted plums, dry sherry, and menthol.

The Glenlivet Generation 1940 is truly unique, but if you are looking for a more affordable alternative from Glenlivet then you may want to consider The Glenlivet 18 Year Old. Available to buy for £109.96 from Royal Mile Whiskies, the whisky features notes of raisins and spice.

Macallan 65 Year Old

Finally, the fifth most-expensive whisky from Scotland on The Whisky Exchange is The Macallan 65 Year Old. The whisky, which is being sold for £94,000, is among the oldest and rarest ever produced by Macallan.

On the nose, you will detect notes of vanilla pods, cinnamon, and dates. Meanwhile, tasting notes include black pepper, cocoa beans, and honey.

A more affordable option than The Macallan 65 Year Old when it comes to Macallan is The Macallan Rare Cask 2023, which can be bought for £308 from The Whisky Shop. Like the Macallan 65 Year Old, it includes notes of dark chocolate and vanilla.