Just in time for the holidays, two beloved beverage makers–The Macallan and Beaulieu Vineyards–have debuted special stocks of their single-malt whisky and cabernet sauvignon, respectively.

The Macallan 60-Year in a Limited Edition Lalique Crystal Decanter
Having achieved great success last year in auctioning off its Macallan 64-year old single-malt, which raised $460,000 for Charity:Water, the beloved Highland distillery now draws from its massive library of aged whiskies. This time, their 60-year old whisky will be sold for $20,000 per decanter–each one specially made of Lalique crystal and designed to echo The Macallan’s trademark “small stills”. Only four hundred decanters will ever be produced, and only seventy will be sold in North America.

To produce this whisky, five casks, made of a mix of Spanish and American oak, were filled on November 9th and 10th, 1950.  Rich on the nose, with spicy, then smoky, peaty and earthy flavors following as it goes into a long, smooth finish, the 60-year old is a show-stopper. Already a fan of The Macallan’s 15-year Fine Oak, this writer is quite lucky to have had a dram of the 60 year-old stuff–upon finishing the sample snifter, it was tough to decide whether to float off on the long finish or run off with the bottle.

Want one? Find a retailer near you by visiting www.themacallan.com

Beaulieu Vineyard’s Geoges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
As one of Napa Valley’s historic wineries, Beaulieu’s Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has often been considered the benchmark for Californian Cabernets. Highly rated by Wine Spectator and by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, this rich, deep red is considered to be an even further improvement on Latour’s 2006 and the 2007 releases.

“Our new dedicated reserve winery gives us the flexibility and technology to create a truly world-class, premium wine”, according to Jeffrey Stambor, Beaulieu’s Director of Winemaking. Having been founded by French immigrant Georges de Latour in 1900, the vineyard, now under beverage giant Diageo, still produces premium wines that, interestingly, serves as the official wine for the Emmy Awards.

For the holidays, the vineyard suggests a one-of-a-kind gift: a custom etched, 27-liter bottle of the Latour 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. With high ratings from wine critics large and small, this could be a definite hit with the oenophile on your list.

In our January/February magazine, be sure to check out Markets Media’s in-depth interview with Macallan Brand Ambassador Charlie Whitfield as he tells us about the Scottish distillery’s history, practices…and gives our lifestyle writer a private tasting of their 60-year old single malt.