A new U.S. whiskey reaches a new height in pricing, at nearly $4,000 per bottle and an expected $350 per shot.
Limited-edition offerings have become commonplace as whiskey makers dabble in new flavours to lure customers. But the latest introduction by Michter's Distillery LLC breaks into a pricing stratosphere that could reverberate across the industry.
"This is kind of new territory," said industry observer F. Paul Pacult, editor of the newsletter Spirit Journal. "It's going to start a whole rush of interest in very high-end bourbons, American whiskeys and American spirits."
Michter's Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey will reach shelves Monday in select liquor stores, restaurants, bars or hotels in such places as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The company produced just 273 bottles of the blend of whiskeys, some aged up to 30 years.
"We've been turning down orders," said Michter's President Joseph J. Magliocco.