There is a certain poignancy in sipping a great whisky that can never be created again. This 26-year-old is from distiller William Grant’s Ghosted series, sourced from distilleries that no longer exist. A blend of single malts from Ladyburn (1963–1975) and Inverleven (1938–1991), it is deep with oily, oak-laden notes (courtesy of Ladyburn) and floral fruitiness (Inverleven). Though it is not technically a single-malt scotch, as the whiskies come from two distilleries, it is a memorable dram indeed.
- The casks were selected by master blender Brian Kinsman, who has access to the vast reserves of William Grant.
- Before bottling, the two rare single malts were vatted together so their flavors could marry and age further.
- Only 4,100 bottles were produced, with 2,000 reserved for the United States.
William Grant & Sons, williamgrant.com ($400)