Lotte Mart goes posh with $88,000 Macallan Horizon whiskey

The Macallan Horizon, designed in a horizontal orientation. (Macallan)

Lotte Mart is set to make history by selling a bottle of The Macallan Horizon whiskey for 120 million won ($88,000), the first time for a South Korean discount store to sell a liquor priced above 100 million won.

Lotte Mart announced on Monday that Bottle Bunker at its Zettaplex Seoul Station branch will begin offering the ultra-premium Macallan Horizon on Thursday.

This exclusive whiskey is priced at twice the amount of Lotte’s previous highest-priced offering – the Balvenie 50-year-old single malt whisky, which sold for 59 million won.

The Macallan Horizon is a collaboration between Scotland’s renowned single malt whiskey distiller, Macallan, and British luxury carmaker Bentley, released to commemorate Macallan’s 200th anniversary.

Only a few hundred bottles were produced worldwide, with a limited number imported to Korea.

Last month, Macallan chose Korea as the first country in Asia for its official release.

The 700-milliliter bottle of The Macallan Horizon features a unique horizontal design, distinguishing it from typical whiskey packaging. The bottle and its case are crafted from recycled materials, including oak barrels, aluminum, and leather—repurposed elements from both the whiskey and automobile production processes.

The sale of The Macallan Horizon at Lotte Mart’s Bottle Bunker store represents a significant expansion in the type of liquor typically available at large supermarkets.

Unlike department stores, which have traditionally led the market for ultra-premium alcohol, or convenience stores known for quirky marketing strategies, large supermarket chains have rarely ventured into selling such high-end products.

While selling wines and whiskeys priced in the hundreds of thousands of won is common during holiday seasons, items costing tens of millions of won have been almost unheard of in these outlets.

Lotte Mart’s Bottle Bunker, which specializes in premium wines and whiskeys, is using this rare sale as part of a broader strategy to expand its range of high-end products and attract a new customer base.

In an effort to strengthen its relationship with loyal customers, the store recently hosted a wine-tasting event featuring Patrick Farrell, a globally renowned Master of Wine, at Seoul’s Sebitseom Island.

This event was designed to diversify its product lineup and ramp up its marketing efforts within the premium alcohol market.