Rare Scotch whisky becomes world's most expensive bottle (2024)

A rare bottle of whisky has broken the record for the most expensive wine or spirit sold at auction.

Rare Scotch whisky becomes world's most expensive bottle (1)ADVERTIsem*nT

The Macallan 1926 single malt is one of the world's “most sought-after" bottles of Scotch whisky.

It was sold by Sotheby's on Saturday (18 November), at more than double its estimated price, for a record £2.1 million (€2.4m).

It was an increase on the estimate of between £750,000 (€857,000) and £1.2m (€1.3m).

The Macallan Adami whisky was bottled in 1986, 60 years after it began ageing in sherry casks, with only 40 ever produced - 12 of which had labels designed by Italian painter Valerio Adami.

The 40 bottles were reportedly not made available for purchase - instead, some were offered to The Macallan's top clients. Whenever any of the bottles have been auctioned over the years there have been record-breaking results - a similar bottle was sold in 2019 for £1.5 million (€1.7m).

Head of spirits at Sotheby's, Jonny Fowle, said the sale was "nothing short of momentous for the whisky industry".

Rare Scotch whisky becomes world's most expensive bottle (2)

The bottle sold on Saturday is the first to have been reconditioned by the distillery before it went to auction, which included replacing the cork and applying fresh glue to the corner of the labels.

For people wanting to know what a whisky worth more than €2 million tastes like, Macallan's master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell said it had notes of "rich dark fruits, black cherry compote alongside sticky dates, followed by intense sweet antique oak".

Rare Scotch whisky becomes world's most expensive bottle (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5965

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Merrill Bechtelar CPA

Birthday: 1996-05-19

Address: Apt. 114 873 White Lodge, Libbyfurt, CA 93006

Phone: +5983010455207

Job: Legacy Representative

Hobby: Blacksmithing, Urban exploration, Sudoku, Slacklining, Creative writing, Community, Letterboxing

Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.