Very Old GlenDronach, Teeling & A Trio of Penderyn Whiskies

While a single bottle of Yamazaki Japanese whisky recently sold for $370,000 at auction, there are plenty of new whiskies coming out that are much more accessible and affordable—relatively speaking.First up, a bottle that is definitely not for the frugal drinker: a 34 year old single malt from Teeling Whiskey Company that costs $5,000. Only 38 bottles of this single cask are available, all exclusive to the U.S.Shaving off ten years and several thousand dollars, GlenDronach has a 24 year old heavily sherried single malt that's due to hit shelves shortly. At $750, it's not an everyday whisky, but still costs less than last year's GlenDronach Kingsman Edition, and likely compares favorably in flavor profile and quality.Finally, three new single malts at much more workaday prices are landing in the U.S. from Penderyn Distillery in Wales. All NAS whiskies, they range in price from $45 to $55. Read on for full details.

GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 9

Style: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Highlands)Age: 24 years oldProof: 48.7% ABVPrice: $750Release: February 2018Availability: 1,487 bottles for the world

Need to know:

This single malt includes whiskies distilled in 1990, 1992, and 1993, all matured in Spanish oak sherry butts.

Whisky Advocate says:

GlenDronach's house style is sherry-heavy, so this limited-edition single malt will continue that profile. At $750 and 24 years old, it's slightly cheaper and younger than the $900, 26 year old GlenDronach Kingsman Edition that came out last year. That whisky was distilled in 1991, while this bottle includes some whisky that's slightly older, distilled in 1990. Of course, it also includes whisky from 1993, and the youngest whisky in the bottle dictates the age statement.

Teeling 1983 Vintage Reserve 34 Year Old Single Malt

Style: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: 34 years oldProof: 40.9% ABVPrice: $5,000Release: February 2018Availability: 38 bottles for the U.S. only

Need to know:

Made in 1983 at Cooley Distillery, this single malt was double-distilled and spent its entire life in bourbon casks.

Whisky Advocate says:

Many of Teeling's limited-edition whiskeys, like the Brabazon and Revival bottlings, are never released in the U.S. But this time, Americans will be the only ones able to get their hands on this very rare Irish single malt. The single cask comes from Stephen and Jack Teeling's personal stash and is being bottled to celebrate Teeling's partnership with Bacardi, which was announced last year.

Penderyn Legend

Style: Single maltOrigin: WalesAge: Not statedProof: 43% ABVPrice: $45Release: Spring 2018Availability: Roughly 1,200 bottles to start, with more to come

Need to know:

This is a single malt whisky finished in madeira casks.

Penderyn Celt

Style: Single maltOrigin: WalesAge: Not statedProof: 43% ABVPrice: $50Release: Spring 2018Availability: Roughly 1,200 bottles to start, with more to come

Need to know:

The distillery used quarter casks that formerly held peated whisky to finish this single malt, a fairly common practice for distilleries that don't make their own peated whisky but want to impart some peaty notes into a final product.

Penderyn Myth

Style: Single maltOrigin: WalesAge: Not statedProof: 43% ABVPrice: $55Release: Spring 2018Availability: Roughly 1,200 bottles to start, with more to come

Need to know:

This single malt is finished in a combination of red wine and bourbon casks.

Whisky Advocate says:

Penderyn Distillery has been making single malt whisky in Wales since 2004, using a unique pot-column hybrid still that allows for a single distillation and creates a very clean spirit. Penderyn's core madeira cask-finished whisky has already been available in the U.S. for some time, and these three expressions are adding to the range.