This whisky was distilled in the same year that Mt. Everest was first summited

Hey, Macallan, you’re not the only distillery in town (Scotland, specifically) that’s releasing whiskies approaching a century old anymore. That’s because your Speyside neighbour Glen Grant just announced details of a 70-year-old single malt called Devotion, the oldest ever released from the distillery with just seven bottles available.

The inspiration for this whisky was Queen Elizabeth II, according to the distillery, with that 70-year-old age statement matching the length of her reign as British monarch. This is a single cask release, matured in a French oak butt (a larger type of barrel) that was seasoned with oloroso sherry before being filled with whisky back in 1953. According to the official tasting notes, the colour is a deep chestnut and there are notes of dried fruits, raisins, sultana, dry spice, and just a hint of oak on the palate. It was bottled at 55.5 percent ABV, which is on the higher side considering how many decades this whisky spent maturing in the Glen Grant warehouses.

“To be devoted is to show unwavering loyalty and love to something you care for deeply, which sits at the heart of our whisky-making philosophy, as well as shining through with our creative collaborators,” said master distiller Dennis Malcolm in a statement. “This is a lifetime of character and legacy captured in a magnificent creation, like nothing we have ever seen.” The seven decanters are shaped like gems, each with its own distinct floral design that is meant to celebrate the queen’s life ranging from a rose to an orchid to a begonia. Each bottle comes matched with a wooden sculpture crafted from an elm tree from the distillery’s gardens with an engraving of the queen’s favourite flower, the lily of the valley.

Decanter number one goes up for auction next month via Sotheby’s from September 11 to 22, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to benefit the Royal Scottish Forestry Society—it’s expected to sell for between £70,000 and £110,000 (US$88,000 and US$138,000). The remaining six decanters will then become available in October in select markets throughout the United States and Asia, but you’ll have to contact the distillery directly to enquire about pricing. If you need some Glen Grant single malt scotch to drink right now matured between 12 and 18 years, which are also very good ages, you can find a selection of bottles available to purchase from websites like Total Wine.

This story was first published on Robb Report USA