World's most expensive bottle of whiskey smashes records as it's sold at auction
Get your lips around the world's most expensive whiskey after it was sold at auction for a whopping £2,187,500 - that's around £100,000 a shot!
The Macallan, a 60-year-old bottle of single malt, has been sold by Sotherby’s auction in London after it was originally set to be sold for an estimate of £750,000 to £1.2million - leaving auctioneers absolutely stunned. This whisky was distilled in 1926, and only 40 bottles were released in 1986 after six decades maturing in sherry-seasoned casks.
Of the 40 bottles drawn in 1986, a maximum of 14 were decorated with the iconic Fine and Rare labels, one of which was the record-breaking bottle sold by Sotheby’s in 2019. The record breaking sale, which took place on November 18, marks the first time one of the 40 bottles has come to auction at Sotheby’s since the previous record was set.
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Global Head of Spirits, said: “The Macallan 1926 is the one whisky that every auctioneer wants to sell and every collector wants to own. “Working alongside our friends at The Macallan Distillery to recondition and perform clinical analysis on this bottle and liquid has elevated it to an unparalleled status.
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby's Global Head of Spirits, unveils a bottle of The Macallan 1926, the world's most expensive whisky (mediadrumimages/Sotherby’s)"Now, as the bedrock for all Macallan 1926 authenticity and with its condition approved by master distiller Kirsten Campbell, this must surely be the most desirable bottle of whisky ever to come to the market.” The Macallan 1926 Adami bottle which was sold by Sotheby’s is now the foundation for all other 1926 bottles that may undergo testing in the future.
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In order to recondition the capsule, a sample swatch of the old capsule was used as a material match by a producer in Austria to recreate an identical replacement matching the original. While someone has splashed out, another has made a huge profit on the rare dram.
That works out at nearly £100,000 a shot! (mediadrumimages/Sotherby’s)
After being aged in sherry casks for six decades, just 40 bottles of The Mcallan 1926 were bottled in 1986 (mediadrumimages/Sotherby’s)A whisky aficionado paid £199 for an ultra-rare Macallan display case on auction site eBay - but quickly found out how much it was worth. He took the empty case to a local whisky merchant who gave him the news it was worth as much as £138,600.
He told Business Manchester: “When checking eBay one day, I could not believe my own eyes. The first image was a close-up of a tiny plaque, inscribed with four numerals: 1926.”
Mark Littler valued the find and said: “I understand that the valuation of the case might raise eyebrows, and it’s important to highlight the distinct nature of rare whisky collecting. The £138,600 price tag, though an undeniably divisive price for a case, reflects the rarity and desirability of the Macallan 1926 60 year old.
“For the individual who possesses the corresponding Macallan bottle, missing its original case, this box is not just packaging—it’s a vital piece of the whisky’s legacy, rendering it priceless. In this unique market, such elements are key in preserving both the monetary and sentimental value of these rare treasures.”
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