THE MACALLAN BREAKS WORLD RECORD FOR MOST EXPENSIVE WHISKY SOLD AT AUCTION – Scotch Whisky News
THE MACALLAN BREAKS WORLD RECORD FOR MOST EXPENSIVE WHISKY SOLD AT AUCTION
Guinness World Records™ has awarded The Macallan the accolade of ‘most expensive whisky sold at auction’. Now the definitive world record holder, The Macallan’s 64yo, The Macallan’s 64 Year Old in Lalique, Cire Perdue sold at auction for $460,000 (£291,125), with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting charity: water, an organisation that provides access to clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations.
Coveted by bidders, the one-of-a kind Lalique crystal decanter housed the oldest and rarest Macallan ever bottled by the distillery, a 64 Year Old single malt whisky. The historic auction which took place at Sotheby’s in New York in November 2010 was the culmination of a 12-city “tour du monde” of the decanter.
David Cox, Director of Fine and Rare Whiskies for The Macallan commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded the Guinness World Record™ for the most expensive whisky sold at auction. This major accolade from such a world-renowned and respected organisation, proves once and for all that The Macallan is the world record holder.”
He continued, “We had a phenomenal response around the world to this very special and rare decanter and I feel it is a fitting tribute to the inspiring project which managed to raise a staggering $600,000 overall for charity: water.”
Silvio Denz, President and CEO of Lalique, commented: “We are enormously proud of this world record we share with our friends at The Macallan, with whom we have successfully collaborated since 2004. Over the years our crystal decanters, which are entirely handcrafted by our glassmakers, have proved hugely admired and sought after by whisky consumers and connoisseurs, as well as collectors of Lalique crystal and lovers of beautiful ‘objets d’art’. This latest achievement, which was realised through the lost-wax moulding technique, is testament to the exceptional quality, artistry and longstanding tradition that is shared by both Lalique and The Macallan.”
The Macallan and Lalique global fundraising tour raised more than $600,000 (£375,000) for charity: water to provide clean water to over 30,000 people (www.charitywater.org/themacallan).
About The Macallan:
Founded in 1824, The Macallan is one of the world’s most admired and awarded single malt whiskies. The reputation of The Macallan is based on a product of outstanding quality and distinctive character, founded upon a set of guiding principles, the Six Pillars. An obsession with quality has been the hallmark of The Macallan since its founding by Alexander Reid on a plateau above the river Spey in north-east Scotland. The distillery is surrounded by a 150 hectare estate, with Easter Elchies House, a Highland Manor built in 1700, at its heart. Traditionally known for maturation in Spanish oak, sherry seasoned casks, The Macallan’s range of outstanding single malts includes :Sherry Oak, matured in Spanish oak casks seasoned with sherry; Fine Oak, matured both in sherry casks of Spanish and American oak and in American oak casks seasoned with bourbon; the 1824 range, exclusive to Global Travel Retail. In addition, The Macallan is well known for its great range of vintage whiskies, dating back to 1926, and is considered the most sought after of all single malts among collectors and connoisseurs at auction. Please savour responsibly.
About Lalique:
LALIQUE is more than just a name. It is René LALIQUE’s (1860-1945) talent, a genius destined to revolutionise the world of jewellery, beginning in 1885 with his famous ″Art Nouveau″ jewellery sets, true works of art, which are now highly sought-after by museums and collectors. A brilliant master glassmaker of the Art Déco movement, René LALIQUE’s creations were highly eclectic. Indeed, it was René LALIQUE, who was responsible for the great technological and commercial revolution which even today continues to influence the way bottles of perfume are created and packaged. René LALIQUE’s imagination has proved to be the source of a vast and varied collection, including bowls, vases, statuettes and perfume bottles. They were produced at the Wingen-sur Moder factory in Alsace, opened in 1922.René Lalique’s creations belong to the international artistic and cultural patrimony. His works are displayed in more than 40 Museums worldwide including the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Lalique museum in Hakone, Japan. A national Lalique museum was opened in Wingen-sur-Moder, in the Alsace region of France on 1 July 2011. In February 2008, the Swiss company Art & Fragrance acquired Lalique SA from the Pochet Group and Silvio Denz became Lalique’s President and CEO.www.lalique.com
About charity: water
charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing safe and clean drinking water to people in developing nations. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. charity: water gives 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Just $20 can give one person in a developing nation clean water for 20 years. In four years, charity: water has brought clean drinking water to over 1.4 million people in 17 countries.
www.charitywater.org
About Sotheby’s
Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is a global company specialising in art auction, private sales and art-related financing activities. Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is the oldest and largest internationally recognised firm of fine art auctioneers in the world with an international network of 98 offices in 38 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas, including 17 worldwide auction centres. Nearly 1,000 sales a year are held around the world. Central to Sotheby’s ability to achieve great successes is the well-established global name recognition, a reputation for knowledge and expertise, an extensive distribution network, and long-standing client relationships around the world, of which Sotheby’s is extremely proud.
