Connoisseurs of fine meats now have another delicacy to look forward to sampling next year. Manuel Maldonado’s 2006 Alba Quercus Reserve promises to be the most expensive ham in the world. The appellation refers to the year the pigs were slaughtered; the ham will have been cured for two years prior to its availability in late 2008.
The pigs themselves were of black Iberian stock. They were allowed free range over a 6-mile area of meadowlands in Spain’s southwest and were fed a diet of acorns to produce a rich flavor and oily texture.
This expensive ham will cost around $160 per pound, as opposed to the $30 per pound price of other top-quality hams. In addition, one must buy the entire 13-pound leg. Only 80-100 of the legs will be available, as each one must pass a sniff test administered by Maldonado himself.
