Most expensive bottle of liquor ever auctioned: highest bid was 2.4 million euros
This is incomprehensible to me, but for whisky lovers it is probably the ultimate dream: having the most expensive bottle in the world at home, or getting a sip or glass of it. Although… The chance of getting a free sip from the owner is pretty small, because one swallow is almost equivalent to a ton. A bit exaggerated, but it comes close: 2.4 million euros was paid for the most expensive bottle in the world. Hooooly shit, that’s a lot of money. You really have to be a true enthusiast (and have a substantial bank account).
The bottle was sold by auction house Sotheby’s, and they were astonished too, because it ultimately went under the hammer for more than twice the expected amount. They had expected it to sell for around 800,000 to 1.3 million euros, but it turned out to be a financially pleasant surprise.
Which whisky is it, and what makes it so special?
It is a Macallan from 1926, and a similar bottle had already set the previous record: in 2019, exactly this kind of bottle was auctioned and fetched 1.7 million euros at the time — and now it has brought in 700,000 more. This Macallan spent 60 years maturing in the dark in European oak, which is also reflected in its dark color. The label was designed by Italian artist Valerio Adami, making it one of only twelve bottles in the world with this label.
Only 40 bottles were filled from the cask this whisky came from, cask 263, by Macallan in 1986 (in Moray, in the north of Scotland). Notably, none of the 40 bottles were used for sale; instead, they were given as gifts to Macallan’s most important customers. The bottles are highly sought after and keep breaking records at auctions like this one — with this particular bottle now the current record holder.
What does the Macallan 1926 taste like?
So I seriously wonder whether the new owner wanted the bottle to drink it or as an investment. Because what is a good moment to open a bottle worth almost 2.5 million? You don’t really do that on the first date, I imagine. And besides, this flavor is so specific that probably only true whisky lovers can appreciate it. Jonny Fowle, head of the whisky department at Sotheby’s, was able to tell us that. Nice job, by the way.
Before the Macallan 1926 was auctioned, he was allowed to taste a drop, much to his delight: ‘I tasted a small drop — a really small drop — of the whisky. It is incredibly full-flavored, with lots of dried fruit and, as you would expect, plenty of spice and a lot of oak.’
‘It is not a whisky that goes down easily. It is a full-bodied, rich dram, but it is phenomenal.’ The identity of its fortunate new owner is not known.
Also read:
