Given the way 2018 went, no one can blame anyone for spending a bit more than usual on alcohol. But these ten wines and spirits go beyond the pale as some of the most expensive mind erasers of all time – more specifically, the ten most expensive wines and spirits sold by auction house Christie's over the course of the year.
10. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet 1986: $120,960
That price was for a dozen bottles of this 1986 French white wine, and the sale was the most successful wine sale at Christie's London in two decades.
9. Château Latour 1945: $135,600
A committed wine lover bought a whole case of this Latour at a Christie's auction in Geneva, Switzerland back in May.
8. Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1999: $136,955
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A case of this Cros Parantoux, bottled in the famous Burgundy region of France, was the top seller of the 2018 fall wine sale at Christie's Hong Kong.
7. Springbank 1919, 50-Year-Old: $166,320
Here we have our first single bottle of the lineup, and once upon a time this bottle of Springbank 1919 was the most expensive alcoholic beverage on Earth.
6. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1988: $166,320
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Also from the French Burgundy region, this wine sold at the above price in a case of six bottles.
5. The Yamazaki 50-Year-Old: $181,440
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A spirits review site called this "one of the oldest, rarest, and most singular expressions of Japanese spirit in existence," which probably explains its top dollar price tag.
4. The Macallan 50-Year-Old in Lalique: $181,440
This rare single malt aged in a Spanish sherry-seasoned wine cask to get where it is today, the fourth most expensive Christie's wine/spirit sale of the year.
3. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1988: $332,640
This was sold in both a six bottle lot and a whole case of 12 bottles on the same day at Christie's London – the above price reflects the sale of the 12-bottle case.
2. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti 1988: $362,880
Another 12 bottle case of this wine sold later in 2018 for a slightly higher price, facilitating its second inclusion here.
1. The Macallan 1926 60-Year-Old: $1,512,000
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By far the most expensive spirit sold by the auction house in 2018, The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old more than tripled the price of the second most expensive spirit even though it was sold in a single bottle.
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