VSOP 3 - RARE OLD GOLDEN WHISKY

The gift of a bottle of The Macallan malt whisky is the way to win friends and influence people. But anyone who buys this very special limited edition Lalique decanter filled with the golden liquid is likely to keep it to themselves, as it contains an exceptionally rare 55-year old malt and costs in the region of £6,000.

The Macallan, as any connoisseurs of whisky will know, is one of the most venerated of single malts and this one has remained undisturbed for over half a century at Easter Elchies House – The Macallan’s spiritual home on Speyside, Scotland.

I t has been decanted into just 420 of these decanters, specially made by famous French crystal house Lalique. This is the second in what is to be a collection of six limited edition decanters, the first introduced in 2005, and it will be available from January.

SUITED IN A CLOTH OF GOLD

For the man who loves to shine, what about a suit glistening with gold?  Not for the retiring soul, maybe, but Gold Treasure, the fine Super 150s suiting from Scabal with a 22 carat gold stripe is subtle enough to be worn by the man who wants the ultimate in suiting luxury.

One Savile Row customer has already bought five suit lengths in four different designs – presumably for his five abodes around the world. A suit length in this golden cloth is priced at about £1,000. Alternatively, Scabal has brought out a tie in Gold Treasure, priced at £175. We advise against wearing the suit and tie to match.

CAR OR BOAT - WHY NOT BOTH?

If it is hard to decide whether to splash out on a car or a boat, why not buy both? The Amphijeep produced by Dutton is a robust little vehicle that doubles as a boat. A testament to its prowess is that it has successfully crossed the English Channel, a notoriously difficult stretch of water, and designer Tim Dutton claims it is the only truly amphibious craft in the world.

It is for those who don’t mind sturdy as opposed to  luxury.  The advantage to its simple, rugged design is that it is easy and inexpensive to repair and “will go on forever”, says Dutton. The company has been making amphibious cars for a dozen years and has built up an enthusiastic customer base around the world.  From around £30,000, it really does seem to be a two-for-the-price-of-one bargain.  www.timdutton.com