Depends on your whiskey preference. I’m not a peaty monster, but your dollars will go further with Scotch or Japanese whiskey for great and unique bottles.
Great and unique bottles of bourbon and rye are hard to find and mostly available only at expensive secondary prices these days.
I interpreted your original post that you wanted a few bottles of whiskey with a maximum budget of $500. If that’s the case, get a line-up of Springbank 10, Springbank 12, Springbank 15 and Springbank 18. Compare and contrast. I know it’s Scotch, but Springbank is not as peaty as others.
Since you spelled it with an ‘e’ and not whisky–I assume you are not looking for Scotch? For bourbon Michter’s 10 Years Old Single Barrel Bourbon, Old Pogue Master’s Select, Four Roses 130th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch would be my choices.
Someone I know was looking for a special bottle or two to celebrate his sons impending marriage. A mutual friend had suggested a bottle of Boss Hog. I recommended a couple bottles of Woodford Master Collection for half the price and he was pleased as punch.
Try the Laphroaig 25 year old. 48.9 % abv. Its seriously good whisky. Has a bit of peat and smoke but that has mellowed with age. It has intensity but it is not overblown and in your face. The length and complexity is exquisite. One of the best whisky I have tried this year.