The record-breaking man

So, we make a bold claim, one day saying, "This rum is the oldest in the world." A few years go by, and then another announcement fizzles out. It's not easy to keep up with how quickly records fall. Harewood's record did last a few years, though, and allow us to officially mark it with a few fitting musical notes: Symphony No. 45 by a certain Haydn, aptly titled "The Farewell" and, as luck would have it, released in 1772… 

We knew nothing about this 1772 rum before learning about its owner: the Vietnamese Nguyen Dinh Tuan Viet. His name probably doesn't ring a bell, but this gentleman holds numerous staggering records: The Man Behind The World's Most Expensive Whisky Collection (Billionaire Magazine), with a collection estimated to be worth over $150 million in 2025 (we'll spare you the euro conversion), and The Collector Who Broke 20 Guinness World Records (Forbes). In addition to owning the oldest and most prestigious whiskies in the world, this businessman also possesses the oldest known bottles of Cognac, Armagnac, and, of course, rum. His nickname The King of World Spirits is therefore entirely fitting.

Nguyen Dinh Tuan Viet thus possesses the most prestigious spirits collection, at least officially recognized as such, for both whisky and cognac, holding the honorary titles of The World's Most Valuable Whisky Collection with over 1,200 bottles, and The World's Most Valuable Cognac Collection (estimated at over $25 million and comprising over 700 bottles), according to Guinness World Records. For a complete list of his records, see this page… 

A collecting bug bit him one fine day in 1996, when he was in his twenties:

"I started my spirits collection more than thirty years ago now. My passion wasn’t born from any particular bottle, but from the simple act of holding a piece of history in my hands. At that moment, I felt the presence of time itself: each drop seemed like a heartbeat from the past, each aroma like a lingering breath of centuries—silent, yet so profoundly alive."

And since those very first acquisitions, this gentleman has amassed a great many pieces of history. We won't list his entire collection here; almost everything is revealed on his website (prepare to be amazed…): https://nguyendinhtuanviet.com

More than thirty years of collecting have resulted in a vast collection where each bottle bears witness to time, capturing incredible historical moments… "Each category—whisky, cognac, armagnac, rum—carries within it a unique story, reflecting the culture, know-how, and life of the eras in which they were created" Mr. Viet continues. More than just a hobby, he has been pursuing his quest to unearth stories forgotten by time, contributing to building a cultural and heritage memory without equal.

Four Records for Four Spirits

The bottles below are undoubtedly the centerpieces of his personal collection. They are considered the oldest bottles of spirits in the world, according to Guinness World Records, a London-based institution that publishes the annual bible of global achievements. But for M. Viet, they represent much more than records… "These spirits tell four human stories etched in the liquid. When I stand before them, I don’t just see spirits; I see time, humanity, and the memories of centuries that have slept peacefully, never to disappear." Each, in its own way, invites you to enter another world...

Jules Robin Cognac from 1696, recognized to this day as the oldest bottle of Cognac ever (re)discovered. "This Cognac is like a sealed letter from the 17th century. Three hundred years have passed, and yet its amber hue still holds the breath of old France: elegant, contemplative, and imbued with the expertise of the artisans who shaped the history of Cognac."

From its (honorary) position as the oldest bottle of whisky in the world, Glenlivet 1843 "evokes a fragment of ancient Scotland" for Mr. Viet, "where fog and peat once enveloped the first aging casks." More than 180 years later, this bottle still bears witness to the beginnings of modern whisky.

Just a few days ago, the record was still held by a 195-year-old bottle of Armagnac, a Château du Bourdieu 1830, but at the time of publication... that record has fallen. On December 17, 2025, the Château du Bourdieu has been surpassed by a Grand Cocardas Armagnac from... 1800! This discovery marks Nguyen Dinh Tuan Viet's 21st Guinness World Record.

And finally, the oldest rum, older than the Harewood 1780, the Ancienne rum from 1772.

"Over 250 years old, this bottle holds a story bordering on legend. Once kept in the cellar of Raphaël Bienvenu Sabatier, an eminent French surgeon, it has survived wars, upheavals, and countless generations, and remains sealed as if time itself had chosen to protect it." Its existence is in itself a small miracle, a fragment of history that we will tell you about in a next article.

And among all these concentrated pieces of history, is there one truly memorable tasting, a moment now etched in his memory?

"Definitely tasting a Louis XIII over 140 years old! A rare moment where I felt as if I were touching history itself. Every aroma, every drop of alcohol seemed to tell the story of the countless hands that shaped and preserved it for generations. I felt as if I were between two eras, listening to the discreet pulse of a bygone past."

And among his memorable experiences, let's also mention tasting an 85-year-old Macallan : "This encounter confirmed for me once again that tasting old spirits is not simply a matter of taste. It's a dialogue with time, an encounter with the souls that have left their mark over the centuries, and a moment where eternity is felt in a single sip."

Seeing his collection more as a "living archive" of time passing, where history isn't confined to books, M. Viet nurtures an ambitious vision: to create a unique, world-renowned museum dedicated to exceptional spirits in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City :

"It will be a place where visitors can experience history firsthand; where bottles aren't simply displayed under glass, but tell their own stories; where time becomes an experience rather than a concept. I hope this museum will serve as a bridge between past and present, preserving my family's legacy while becoming a shared memory for the community of those who love spirits, art, and ancestral values."

A whole program that we will certainly follow and about which we will keep you informed...