A whisky bottle worth Sh4.8 million has hit the market.
Quality matters more to the discerning single malt scotch whisky drinker than bottle cost. This drinker is willing to pay whatever it takes to enjoy the expression of flavors, the pride that comes from enjoying the best product available, and the history that goes with it.
Steve Mburu 
In light of this, Glenfiddich this week debuted a unique new line of 50, 40, and 30-year-old whiskies for the luxury market.
The drinks in this collection, suitably titled "Time Re: Imagined," have prices ranging from £900 (Sh123,000) to £35,000 (Sh4.8 million), and they are only offered in a few bottles internationally, according to the business.
Are these offered in this marketplace? Can Kenyans purchase them? The national brand ambassador for Glenfiddich in Kenya, Mulunda Kombo, claims that there are only a few bottles left of these whiskies.
"Because these are the rarest in the series, there are only 220 decanters of the 50-year-old expression in the world. There are only 1,600 bottles in the 40-year-old category," he explains. According to Mr. Kombo, the 30-year-old whisky will be "more widely available" in the coming days, and the company is working on making them available locally soon.
Glenfiddich’s 30, 40 and 50-year-old high-end whiskies. PHOTO FILE.
So, what factors motivate people to buy 50, 40, and 30-year-old whiskies? According to Mr. Kombo, the Time Series is a study of the craft and distillation of whisky, as well as an ode to the three master distillers who oversaw the process.
He claimed that the trio of whiskies will be purchased by Glenfiddich fans and whisky experts in general because "they are the apex of Glenfiddich's unique Speyside whisky production approach."
Collectors and investors would buy them to either simply add to their own collections or to eventually generate a handsome profit, he continues.
"Glenfiddich is one of Kenya's most recognizable brands, with a healthy uptake among both traditional and new drinkers. "It is now Kenya's best-performing single malt scotch whisky," he says.
On the demographics of drinkers, Mr Kombo notes that the brand is consumed by both men and women, particularly those aged 25 to 55.
The Kenyan market has attracted premium whisky brands from around the world in recent years, with many of them establishing distribution channels in Nairobi to serve Kenya and the region.
Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, The Macallan, and Glenlivet have become popular among the wealthy, with their dealers appreciating good business.
