By John O'Callaghan and Eveline Danubrata
SINGAPORE, March 31 (Reuters) - A whisky made to mark the 60th year on the throne of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is on sale in Singapore for a mere S$250,000 ($198,500) a bottle - and it may well find a buyer.
No doubt it's a premium sip. Only 60 bottles of Diamond Jubilee were made by the Johnnie Walker unit of Diageo PLC from a blend of whiskies distilled in 1952.
It's also a premium price for Asian aficionados at the month-long Master of Spirits II event featuring speciality wine and liquor put on by luxury travel retailer DFS Group, part of the LVMH empire of high-end goods and services.
Singapore is the first stop this year for a series of DFS events highlighting a wide range of luxury offerings.
The city-state, home to the world's highest concentration of millionaires, has become a playground for the global jet-set with casinos, expensive shops, fine dining, top hotels and showrooms featuring Ferraris, Lamborghinis and other supercars.
The same package - the vintage whisky in a crystal decanter with silver trimmings, two crystal glasses and a leather-bound booklet - is priced at 100,000 pounds ($159,100) in Britain.
Asia has seen a boom in wealth and a growing appetite for luxury goods, including top-of-the-line cars, jewellery, fashion, beauty products, watches and spirits.
The rest of the 84 items on show in Singapore, worth more than $1 million, include Dom Perignon Reserve de L'Abbaye 1978, Chateau Cheval Blanc 1986 Imperial and Luzhoulaojiao National Salute from Chinese liquor maker Luzhou Laojiao.
"I want to sell them all. Our plan is really to showcase the brands, our relationships and the uniqueness of our products," Harold Brooks, president of global merchandising at DFS, told Reuters at Saturday's invitation-only opening.
"Some of them are buying them for investment, some of them are buying them because they can and some people really buy it to enjoy it."
Brooks did not directly address the question of regional pricing but said Asia is a "critical opportunity" for Hong Kong-based DFS, especially China and its brand-conscious consumers.
The gold and black invitation for Saturday's event included RSVP numbers for China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.
Singapore is also no stranger to pricey whisky.
Last year, a Chinese businessman spent S$250,000 on a bottle of rare 62-year-old Dalmore single malt at Changi Airport during the previous Master of Spirits promotion.
Diamond Jubilee is among the dearest whiskies ever sold, although exact comparisons are difficult because of shifting auction prices and differences between blends and single malts.
Not surprisingly, free samples of Diamond Jubilee are in short supply. Not even Brooks has had a sip.
So what does that much money taste like?
"Its different facets weave around each other: velvet texture, the refreshing bitter perfume of spices, pools of soft fruits as it flows down the throat," the Whisky Advocate blog said in a February review, giving it 93 marks out of 100.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.