When creating your home bar, you want to set the stage to impress with a collection of rare sipping liquor where you and your guests can gawk and mingle over the aroma, taste, smell, age, color, and beyond.
Keep in mind, when purchasing unique spirits, it shouldn’t be all for show; acquire products you will actually enjoy drinking and sharing. There’s nothing worse than investing in prized possessions and never being able to use them! If you need a little help with what to buy, we’ve found twelve valued spirits that will look amazing on your home bar and taste even better while sharing with friends.
1. Facundo Bacardi Paraiso Rum- $260
With a name that translates to, “paradise,” this specialty beverage is a blend of only the finest rums that are aged up to 23 years in French XO casks. With a score of 97 points from Wine Enthusiast, it will undoubtedly transport you to a tropical island somewhere in the Caribbean. Sip this spirit neat.
2. Don Julio Real Tequila- $400
Don Julio is known as one of the superior tequila producers to date. The Don Julio Real only uses the best of the best highland agave to craft this elixir and is aged for three to five years in American white-oak barrels. Whether you are a tequila lover or not, you are bound to fall in love with the celebratory spirit and its exquisite sweet flavor.
3. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare – $450
Created by the Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Dr. Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare is the first in a series of special releases using irreplaceable whiskeys from “ghost” Scotch whiskey distilleries that shut down with other rare malt and grain whiskeys. For the blended scotch fans, this is definitely a treat!
4. Patrón x Guillermo del Toro Extra Anejo Tequila- $460
A collaboration between film mastermind Guillermo del Toro and Patron’s master distiller Francisco Alcaraz, this select extra anejo is combined with aged orange liquor creating the smoothest finish. With ingenious skull artwork modeled after del Toro’s idea of Mexican culture, this bottle will provide not only a unique sipping experience but also aesthetic appeal for your home bar.
5. Whistle Pig The Boss Hog IV Black Prince 14-Year-Old- $650
A delicious and smooth rye whiskey, the Whistle Pig brand is a favorite among many. Originally from Canada, this year’s Whistle Pig The Boss Hog boasts American residency aging 14-years in Armagnac casks before it was bottled at cask strength.
6. Grand Marnier Quintessence- $810
This French liqueur is a combination of previous cognacs sourced from Grande Champagne, the most renowned growing region of Cognac. Limited to only 2,000 bottles in production, the unique blend of cognacs in this liqueur include some that are more than 100 years old and is combined with a double-distilled wild tropical orange essence. The final product is then aged in French oak casks delivering the perfect balance.
7. Van Winkle Special Reserve “Lot B” 12-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey- $900
Often described as ”nectar,” this sweet spirit is a full-bodied Kentucky bourbon aged 12 years in charred, new American oak barrels. A perfect sipping whiskey that is part of the Van Winkle enterprise, one look at this bottle on your shelf and your guests will be floored!
8. Highland Park 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky- $1,000
Highland Park 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch is truly one of a kind. Aged for 30 years with the highest care, it won the prestigious double gold medal from the San Francisco Spirit Awards in 2009. Spending three decades maturing in its casks, this whiskey gives you an unexpected sweetness balanced with subtle smoke that will surprise the palate and provide excellent talking points when shared with guests.
9. The Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky- $1,500
One of the most admired whiskeys in the world, the Macallan 25 year is deemed “the Rolls Royce of single malt scotches.” It received a perfect 100 out of 100 points from the Beverage Testing Institute and for a good reason. The flavor is textbook encompassing dried apricots, prunes, and figs with hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, and honey.
10. Rémy Martin Louis XIII Fine Champagne Cognac- $3,000
This rare cognac is delivered in a bottle modeled after the cask found at King Louis XIII bedside during the battle of Jarnac. Aged 40 years and expertly blended, imbibe with this silky spirit for any celebration.
11. Dalmore 35-Year Scotch – $5,500
Encased in Baccarat Crystal, only 1,000 of these bottles were produced. Exquisitely aged for 35 years in three different types of wood (bourbon barrel, matusalem sherry, colheita port pipe) the master distiller had much patience when crafting this particular scotch. This bottle will not only please the palate while smoking a cigar but also look fabulous resting on your back bar.
12. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23-Year-Old Wax Top Green Bottle Bourbon Whiskey- $10,000
With generations of experience, Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve is the crème de la crème of bourbon whiskey. Extremely rare and valuable, this spirit goes through a very meticulous process to ensure it maintains the highest quality standard. Pappy Van Winkle suggests that you enjoy this liquid neat; ice or water will take away from the flavor and aroma they have carefully produced.
Featured Photo: 4525 Camden Drive, Corona del Mar
