Sotheby’s New York Presents Annual June  Whisky Auction Calendar 

Whisky & Whiskey | Single Cask Summer

 Featuring Two Never-Before-Auctioned Pappy Van Winkle Single Barrels

June 11 – 26

New York, 9 June 2026 — Sotheby’s today unveils highlights from its annual June Wine & Whisky auctions, a distinguished series of online sales celebrating the finest expressions of winemaking and distillation from around the world. Spanning legendary Bordeaux, blue-chip Burgundy, iconic American bourbon and rare whiskies from Scotland and Japan, the auctions bring together exceptional bottles distinguished by remarkable provenance and rarity.

Taking place throughout June in New York and accompanied by public exhibitions, the sales feature a remarkable array of offerings, from historic vintages and impeccably maintained cellar collections to highly coveted limited-edition spirits. Together, they present collectors with an unparalleled opportunity to acquire some of the most sought-after wines and whiskies on the market today.

A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE SALES

Whisky & Whiskey | Single Cask Summer

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Family Reserve Single Barrel “Connoisseurs of the Finest Bourbon Whiskey” 107 Proof (est. $15,000 – 20,000 each)

Sotheby’s Whisky & Whiskey | Single Cask Summer is led by two extraordinarily rare bottlings of Pappy Van Winkle, presented alongside celebrated releases from some of the world’s most sought-after whisky and bourbon producers, including Willett Family Estate, Michter’s, The Macallan, Karuizawa, and Old Fitzgerald. Running online from 11–26 June, the meticulously curated sale comprises more than 500 lots and is expected to achieve in excess of $1.2 million.

The headline lots are two exceptional bottles of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Family Reserve Single Barrel “Connoisseurs of the Finest Bourbon Whiskey” 107 Proof, each appearing at auction for the first time. Distilled in 2010 and bottled in November 2025, the bottles originate from an exclusive charitable barrel selection, with 100% of proceeds from the original release benefiting organizations supporting frontline California wildfire relief efforts.

The first bottle, drawn from Barrel #004, carries an estimate of $15,000–20,000. It was distilled on 21 January 2010, bottled in November 2025, produced  only 48 bottles, and aged for 15 years and 9 months. The second bottle, from Barrel #002, is likewise estimated at $15,000–20,000. Distilled on 5 January 2010 and bottled in November 2025, it is one of just 86 bottles produced and was aged for 15 years and 10 months.

Both barrels were selected as part of a philanthropic initiative supporting two nonprofit organizations actively engaged in California wildfire relief: World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andrés, which provides meals to first responders and impacted communities, and Another Round Another Rally, which offers emergency assistance and educational support to hospitality industry workers.

Zev Glesta, Sotheby’s Whiskey Specialist, commented: “These bottles are the rarest Pappy Van Winkle expressions to emerge in recent years. Neither has appeared at auction before, and they also carry a remarkable charitable story. These two barrels were hand selected by a fantastic group of whiskey connoisseurs who have all been actively involved with whiskey for years. It’s a rare opportunity to experience and collect these remarkable expressions. With only 48 sets possible – many have already been consumed – this is an incredibly limited offering of a Van Winkle single barrel.”

From left to right: Highlights from Heaven Hill and Karuizawa

Additional highlights of the sale include rare releases from Willett Family Estate, Michter’s, The Macallan, and Karuizawa, alongside a trio of highly sought-after Old Fitzgerald bourbons from the collection of Heaven Hill’s Executive Chairman. Whisky & Whiskey | Single Cask Summer is open for bidding from 11 – 26 June. For further details and to view the full catalogue, please visit the sale page.

About Sotheby’s

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Our deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate through RM Sotheby’s and Concierge. Sotheby’s Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby’s new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building in New York City, featuring Marcel, 945 Madison Avenue  – a new continental restaurant designed by Roman & Williams.

 *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.

Stream live auctions and place bids in real time, discover the value of a work of art, browse sale catalogues, view original content and more at sothebys.com, and by downloading Sotheby’s apps for iOS and Android.

Glencairn announces next-generation leadership team

to accelerate innovation and growth

Left to right: Glencairn’s next generation board of directors Aileen Logan, Jason Kennedy, Kirsty Nicholson, Scott Davidson, Robyn Macdonald and James Crilly

The award-winning, Scottish glassware company, Glencairn, has announced a series of strategic director-level appointments as it strengthens its leadership team to support its next generation of innovation, development and global growth as a premium glassware brand. Over the past two years, Glencairn has expanded into more than 80 additional countries, with its products now reaching customers in over 140 markets worldwide.

Glencairn has expanded its leadership team with three dynamic industry figures bringing extensive experience across the drinks and packaging sectors. The transition also signals the retirement of founder Raymond Davidson, who established the family company in 1981, and is widely respected for having played a pivotal role in building Glencairn Crystal into an internationally recognised name in the drinks industry.

Kirsty Nicholson, already one of the whisky industry’s most renowned creative women, has been promoted to director level having been with the company for 12 years and previously serving as Marketing and Design Manager. Kirsty has been nominated for various awards – she led the marketing team to win Marketing Campaign of the Year at the 2025 China-Scotland Business Awards and is also a finalist in this year’s Women in Packaging Excellence Awards. In her new role, Kirsty will continue to lead and inspire the marketing team as the brand evolves into its next chapter of global growth.

Robyn Macdonald has been appointed to the board bringing fresh expertise and creative leadership to Glencairn’s internationally renowned design capabilities. With more than a decade of experience in the packaging industry, she will play a key role in driving the company’s continued pioneering product innovation and will work closely with Glencairn’s global partners and clients to bring ambitious creative visions to life.

Having built more than 20 years of experience within the drinks industry, Aileen Logan has formally joined the leadership team after several years with the business. In her new role, she will play a key part in supporting Glencairn’s continued growth, with a focus on strengthening people, culture, and operational excellence across the organisation. She will also help shape the company’s future as it continues to evolve internationally.

The wider leadership team remains in place, with Jason Kennedy continuing to lead the sales team and James Crilly focusing on purchasing and procurement. Scott Davidson has been appointed as Managing Director, taking over the role from his brother Paul Davidson, who now becomes Chairman. 

Founded 45 years ago, Glencairn has grown from a small family business into an internationally recognised brand in premium glassware. It is known for its unrivalled craftsmanship serving the global whisky and spirits industry in the creation of bespoke decanters – often for the world’s rarest and most exclusive spirits. The company is also renowned for the iconic Glencairn Glass which is the world’s official glass for whisky, with over 50 million glasses being sold since it was launched 25 yeas ago.

In recent years, Glencairn has significantly expanded its product portfolio through a series of industry-leading innovations. A proud sponsor of the whisky industry’s prestigious Distillers One of One Auction, the company crafted the luxury decanters for more than a quarter of the one-of-a-kind lots featured in last year’s auction.

Scott Davidson, Glencairn Crystal Managing Director said: “These changes mark an exciting new chapter for Glencairn as we continue to evolve and position the business for the future whilst building on the family legacy that has shaped the company for more than four decades.

With our strong new leadership team in place, we are well positioned to guide the business through its next generation of growth – driving continued creativity, pioneering innovation and international expansion yet at the same time maintaining the craftsmanship, quality and customer focus that have defined Glencairn since the very beginning.”

The company’s continued success has also been recognised through a number of major recent awards. Last year, Glencairn received The King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation as well as the Manufacturing Innovation Award at the Insider Made in Scotland Awards. The company was named a finalist for the prestigious Exporter of the Year Award at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2025.

For more information about Glencairn, visit www.glencairn.com

12 YEAR OLD

70cl · 46% ABV

Laphroaig 12 Year Old Single Malt is a rich and distinctive Scotch whisky crafted on the wild shores of Islay, celebrated for its powerful smoky character and coastal influence. Matured in carefully selected American oak barrels, this expression adds a unique depth and complexity to Laphroaig’s iconic peated style, delivering a beautifully balanced and memorable dram.

NOSE:

Sea salt, seaweed, stewed green apple and heather honey with a slight rhubarb tang. Behind this can be found pleasing and mellow notes of vanilla, crusty pastry, hazelnut, dried orange peel, hints of ginger, lemongrass, and intermingling through it all are phenolic, tarry peat embers.

PALATE:

Carbolic soap intertwined with salt encrusted seaweed, smouldering campfires, blackcurrant, hints of stone fruit, thyme, liquorice root, aniseed and herbal thyme.

FINISH:

Sweet and powerful, with savoury notes leading to iodine and oily mackerel complexity.

From Islay to the world, the 12-Year-Old from Laphroaig is created for curious characters. It is a whisky for free spirits who aren’t content to sit still, and who won’t rest until they’ve tasted the rewards of a life well travelled. For those not content to stick with what they know, this is an outstanding Islay single malt to begin a new journey — a tantalising taste of its wind-swept home.

With no chill-filtration or added colour, this is the real deal done the Laphroaig way: complete with its unmistakably smoky style, and with a twist that takes things beyond the ordinary. Matured in ex-bourbon American oak barrels, carefully selected for the task, it offers a flavour that is as fresh as it is classic. This 12-Year-Old single malt presents a tasting profile for the curious, grounded in the traditions and character refined over generations on Islay. It begins on a rugged stretch of coastline — where it goes from there is entirely up to the drinker.

Big Peat Fèis Ìle 2026

PEDRO XIMÉNEZ SHERRY CASKS

Exclusive access to a bottle hand-signed by Fred and Cara Laing.

Crafted to mark the 40th Anniversary of Fèis Ìle, this limited edition brings together “his” classic marriage of Islay Single Malts in a release that honours the island, its spirit and its global Whisky community. Big Peat’s unmistakable smoky style is enriched through finishing in exceptional Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks, adding layers of indulgent sweetness, depth and complexity. Each bottle hand signed by Fred and Cara Laing.

ELEVATED THROUGH PEDRO XIMÉNEZ SHERRY CASKS.

LEARN MORE

Explore Signatory Vintage

Signatory Vintage has long been celebrated for uncovering distinctive whiskies from across Scotland. Bottled with an emphasis on quality and character, its releases offer whisky lovers the chance to explore unique expressions beyond the original distillery bottlings.  From rich sherry casks and elegant refill maturations to boldly peated styles, Signatory Vintage remains one of the most respected names in independent bottling.

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The English Whisky 12YO Gentle Peated Sherry Hogshead.

THE VIDEO

I haven’t spoken a lot about English whisky, not because I dislike it, quite the opposite. There are just so many places to be occupied by in the world of whisky. Anyway, This release from The English Distillery has been occupying my mind for quite a while.

Gently Peated, although peated to 44.6PPM, fully matured in ex-sherry hogsheads and bottled at just under 12 years old, this is a proper killer of some big, classic bottles, for pretty much the same price. It is a small batch release, so it isn’t going to be around forever, but this is easily the best English whisky I’ve tried in what is admittedly a long time.

Lots of sweet, sticky, sherry, cigar smoke, dying BBQ, beach fire embers, Nan’s Sunday desserts, a kids sweet shop and everything else in between. A truly wonderful bottle of single malt whisky.

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THE BORDERS DISTILLERY SETS NEW STANDARD FOR CASK TRANSPARENCY

Hawick-based distillery aims to rebuild trust in whisky investment and cask ownership with new Cask 1837 platform

The Borders Distillery has launched a first-of-its-kind app to give whisky cask owners unprecedented access to every stage of their spirit’s journey, from filling to bottling.

The new transparency initiative is centred on a digital app that allows cask owners to track the full lifecycle of their whisky in response to growing consumer concern around whisky investment and cask ownership practices.

The platform – 1837 – provides customers with detailed, ongoing insight into their cask’s progress – from filling and maturation through to sampling, re-racking and eventual bottling.

The initiative comes amid increased scrutiny of the cask investment market, where transparency and consumer trust have become vital. By offering real-time insight and personal engagement, The Borders Distillery is setting a new benchmark for openness in Scotch whisky.

The Borders Distillery’s 1837 Private Cask programme allows whisky enthusiasts to own part  of a limited number of individually numbered casks – each filled with award winning new‑make Borders spirit and matured under bond at the distillery in Hawick. Owners choose their fill date and cask type from a range of options carefully selected to complement the distillery’s fresh orchard fruit‑character new spirit.

Nathan Cahoon, Chief Operating Officer at The Borders Distillery said:

“Cask ownership shouldn’t be mysterious. It should be something people can follow, learn from, and enjoy along the way. For many, buying a cask can feel like putting it in a cupboard and waiting years to hear anything. With our 1837 Casks, owners stay connected with their whisky and feel part of the journey, not just observers.

“This is an exciting time for The Borders Distillery – with our first single malt almost ready, we’re proud to be bringing whisky back to the region for the first time in nearly 200 years and showing the world what the Borders can do.”

The investment into the new digital platform is just the latest of a string of digital initiatives from the Hawick distiller. Late last year, The Borders Distillery invested in Bottle ERP technology to track whisky production from field to glass.

At the forefront of the spirits industry’s digital revolution, the transformation comes at a pivotal time for The Borders Distillery. Established in Hawick in 2018, the distillery has brought the craft of Scotch whisky making back to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837 and is currently gearing up to launch its first single malt Scotch, which is imminent.

Click here for more information on The Borders Distillery’s Cask 1837 Programme.

For more information on The Borders Distillery, visit www.thebordersdistillery.com.

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The Borders Distillery:

Nestled in the heart of the historic and picturesque town of Hawick, The Borders Distillery is bringing the craft of Scotch Whisky making back to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837. By using its surroundings and talented people as its muse, the distillery aims to capture the spirit and heritage of the region by producing high quality spirits since its opening in 2018.

Knob Creek Brings Father’s Day Legacy to Life with Huckberry and NYC Pop-Up

Father’s Day has always been part of Knob Creek’s DNA – rooted in a multi-generational bond between fathers and sons. This year, in light of the recently released Blender’s Edition 01, Knob Creek is giving you a reason to pour one with dad.

To take the guesswork out of gifting, Knob Creek has teamed up with men’s lifestyle brand Huckberry to launch a co-branded tote, dropping on 6/10 with a guarantee to deliver by the holiday, with a custom pocket designed to fit a bottle of Knob Creek. The collab also includes a lineup of Huckberry gifts, hand-selected and Knob Creek-approved, perfect for any kind of dad available to shop ahead of Father’s Day on Huckberry.com.

And, it all comes to life in person on June 11 and 12 at ‘The Art of Bourbon’ Father’s Day Shop styled by Huckberry in NYC –  a free, 21+ takeover of Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal, open 11am–8pm both days. Guests can expect tastings of Blender’s Edition 01 and Knob Creek 9 Year Old, Old Fashioned pours to enjoy with dad, the shoppable Huckberry items, and a Father’s Day memento to gift or keep.

Our whisky is one of a kind. So is he. To celebrate the dramtastic character in your life, we’re releasing a special 35cl bottling Cask No. 105.61: Matured to perfection. This 11-year-old Toasted Oak & Vanilla whisky is a Speyside delight, packed with sweet vanilla, spicy leather and oaty milk chocolate on the nose with cola, menthol and jammy raspberry gummy sweets on the palate.

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BUY DIGITAL GIFT CERTIFICATE

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video