This Cocktail Just Became the Most Expensive in the World — Can You Guess How Much It Sold For?

Glance at a list of the world’s most expensive cocktails and it quickly becomes apparent that the drink itself is rarely the reason for the high price point. Perhaps there’s a diamond at the bottom of the glass or it’s “garnished” with a pricey necklace and some gold — so you’re really paying for the pieces you can’t imbibe. 

Now, a new beverage has set the record for the most expensive mixed drink in the world after selling for €37,500 (or $41,160) at restaurant and nightclub Nahaté in Dubai, and it certainly comes with its fair share of accoutrements. But unlike many others in its category, one of the drink’s primary selling points is the artistry of the person who created it: Salvatore Calabrese from the Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel in London, a legend known in cocktail circles simply as “The Maestro.” 

Calabrese, a mixologist and cognac expert with over 40 years of experience in the industry, has developed a reputation for daring to work with vintage or “dusty” bottles, unearthing fantastically rare and old cognacs and using them in cocktails. 

One of these creations, fittingly known as “Salvatore’s Legacy,” includes ingredients dating to the 18th century. With 788 Clos de Griffier Vieux cognac, 1770 Kummel liqueur, circa 1860 Dubb orange liqueur, and circa 1930 Angostura bitters, it’s described as “more than 700 years in a glass” and “the world’s oldest cocktail.” It can be purchased at the Donovan Bar for a whopping £7,500 ($9,949.13). 

But Calabrase may have outdone himself — at least in price — with the Nahaté, named after the venue it was created for. The starting point for the cocktail was a bespoke, one-of-a-kind blend of Patrón tequila, created specially for Nahaté by the brand’s master distiller, David Rodriguez.

The tequilas used in the blend remain a secret to all but Rodriguez himself, but Andrei Bolshakov, Nahaté’s marketing and beverage director, describes the final product as “incredibly refined, deeply aged, intensely woody, and remarkably dry on the palate. At the same time, it has a rich aromatic profile with subtle notes of chocolate, caramel, and vanilla.”

Calabrese chose the cocktail’s other two components: Angostura bitters from the 1930s and Kina Lillet from 1950. According to Nahaté, fewer than four small bottles of the latter are known to still exist. Kina Lillet is perhaps best known today for its inclusion in James Bond’s iconic Vesper Martini, as described in the original Casino Royale book by Ian Fleming, but the aperitif’s original formula was changed in 1986, when it became known as Lillet Blanc. 

“The original Kina Lillet had a distinct bitterness due to its quinine content, which made it unique among aperitifs,” Bolshakov says. “Because the original formula is no longer made, vintage bottles of Kina Lillet are extremely rare and highly sought-after by collectors and cocktail historians.”

The Nahaté cocktail was served in very rare glasses made by crystal brand Baccarat, which were originally crafted in 1937 and never intended for use. According to Bolshakov, “The technique used in their creation allowed for an exceptionally thin and elegant design. In fact, Baccarat attempted to recreate these glasses in 1999 but was unable to replicate them exactly, as the original technique was passed down orally from master to master back in 1937.”

“One remarkable feature is the hollow stem. The two curves inside the stem are not molded but blown by hand.” At 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces), these are far lighter than traditional Baccarat glasses, which typically weigh between 400-500 grams.

The cocktail was sold by auction at the aptly named World’s Most Luxurious Cocktail Event, created by Nahaté owners Jenya Makeeva and Semyon Florentsev and co-sponsored by Baccarat and Patrón.

The winner received the cocktail, blended and poured by “The Maestro” himself, as well as a bottle of the mysterious tequila blend used to make it. For a keepsake that will last much longer, the lucky individual took home the Baccarat glasses as well — the only two in existence. 

There was no diamond garnish involved, but it could be argued that the unique glasses and the cocktail itself are even more precious.