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The Grand Whisky Auction is closing soon…

www.thegrandwhiskyauction.com/live-auction

2900+ lots will close Monday 16th Aug at 9pm!

Interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

T. +44 (0)1463 210 427

E. sales@thegrandwhiskyauction.com

BONHAMS ANNOUNCES DIEGO LANZA AS WHISKY SPECIALIST IN LONDON

Diego Lanza

Bonhams has announced the appointment of Diego Lanza as its whisky specialist in London. Diego joins an established and successful team of international whisky specialists – Martin Green in Edinburgh and Daniel Lam in Hong Kong – reporting to Bonhams International Director of Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky, Richard Harvey. He takes up his new position on 11 August.

Diego, who is fluent in English and Italian, will be responsible for sourcing whisky from the UK and Europe to be sold in Bonhams whisky sales in Edinburgh, Hong Kong and Paris. He joins Bonhams from The Whisky Exchange where he was the Old and Rare Spirits Manager, advising leading spirits auctions across the UK, USA and Hong Kong; curating The Whisky Exchange’s extensive private collection; working with private clients to develop their offerings – including a single cask bottling project for the Davidoff of London 40^th Anniversary and hosting the Whisky Exchange’s Old and Rare Whisky Show.

Richard Harvey said: “I am very pleased to welcome Diego to Bonhams. Our international whisky team has enjoyed great success over recent years setting world records and establishing the market for Japanese whisky. Diego has exactly the right experience to help us maintain and strengthen our position in this highly competitive field.”

Diego Lanza said: “I am delighted to be joining Bonhams international whisky team. It has an enviable reputation and I am looking forward to helping it achieve even more success in the future.”

NOTES 

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com. bonhams.com

The Grand Whisky Auction is live…

www.thegrandwhiskyauction.com/live-auction

2900+ lots will close Monday 16th Aug at 9pm!

Interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

T. +44 (0)1463 210 427

E. sales@thegrandwhiskyauction.com

BOTTLED TIMELINE OF AMERICAN WHISKEY HISTORY TO BE EXHIBITED IN ONLINE AUCTION

America has had a storied history of distilling since the 18th century. From thrifty farmers that turned their hands to distilling alcohol with surplus crop, to settlers from Scotland and Ireland who set up stills on arrival to the ‘new world’, the early days of whiskey production would go on to shape what is now a thriving industry synonymous with American culture.

But in 1920 America saw its (legal) production of whiskey ground to a halt with the introduction of strict Prohibition laws – an era that would become one of the most historically significant moments in American history.

Now almost a century later, an extraordinary collection of over 500 whiskey expressions ranging from the pre-prohibition era to the present day are coming to online auction on Whisky Auctioneer. Spanning over 100 years in total, the auction will represent a timeline of America’s distilling history, journeying through its periods of challenge and triumph.

The 10-day sale will run from 13-23 August and will feature some of the most sought after American and bourbon whiskeys ever produced. The oldest bottle to feature in the auction will be an Old Overholt expression, distilled in 1908 in the years before prohibition. Highly sought after bottles produced during America’s prohibition years will also feature, including   Old Mock, I.W. Harper, and Harry E. Wilkin whiskeys.

Some of the most collectible bourbon in existence will feature in the sale, including expressions bottled under the guidance of Julian Van Winkle Jr. from the legendary Van Winkle family. These consist of Pappy Van Winkle, Old Rip Van Winkle and Van Winkle Reserve bottlings, and also feature the very rare 1975 Special Reserve bottled exclusively for the Corti Brothers of Sacramento. A variety of expressions from iconic brands such as Four Roses, Wild Turkey, and Maker’s Mark will also be included.

The auction follows Whisky Auctioneer’s sale of the ‘Heart and Soul’ of Pat’s Whisk(e)y Collection last year, which secured mass interest across the globe and an overall hammer price of $485,625 (£375,000).

And this interest in American whiskey is showing no sign of slowing down – Whisky Auctioneer has recorded a 600% increase in the volume of whiskeys from the USA featuring in its auctions between 2016 and 2020, with value increasing by over 900% in the same time period.

Other highlights in the upcoming auction that are expected to excite collectors and American whiskey lovers include:

• Over 65 expressions of Willett Family Estate bourbon and ryes, including some which have been personally autographed by legendary industry figure, Even Kulsveen.
• More than 40 commemorative decanters containing liquid from Stitzel-Weller and Michters.
• Several legendary examples of the famous A.H. Hirsch 1974 Reserve, including Van Winkle’s first Lawrenceburg bottling, produced on 26th February 1990.
• Highly revered bottlings of ‘Old Heaven Hill’ distilled before the original Bardstown distillery’s notorious fire in 1996. These finite expressions are a highly prized possession for bourbon collectors and connoisseurs.
• A very rare and sought-after 1999 bottling of 16 year old Stitzel-Weller bourbon produced by Van Winkle for the Twisted Spoke bar in Chicago, IL.

Joe Wilson, Head of Content at Whisky Auctioneer, said:

“We’ve seen interest in Bourbon and American whiskey soar over recent years. Once confined to small, passionate communities of “dusty-hunters” and online forums, the world of collectible bourbon is now a mainstream fascination. This auction celebrates the names that proved so influential in the evolution of this, from A.H. Hirsch and Van Winkle to Buffalo Trace.

“However, through a carefully curated selection of 20th century classics, this auction is also a ground-breaking opportunity to explore, engage with and ultimately own a piece of the story that continues to capture the hearts and minds of whiskey-lovers across the world.”

Peggy Noe Stevens, Founder of the Bourbon Women Association and the world’s first Female Master Bourbon Taster, said:

“This incredible American Whiskey auction is literally a treasure trove of some of the finest whiskey and vintage finds available on the market. In my 30 years as a spirits veteran and Master Taster, this one-of-a-kind collection is certainly one for the record books, pleasing any palate and showcasing the finesse and expertise of our famed Master Distillers.”

To register for the auction, click here

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer is the global market leader and trusted authority on the buying and selling of whisky and spirits at auction. Founded in 2013 and located in Perth, Whisky Auctioneer utilises its expertise and knowledge combined with its auction platform, to increase interest and passion in the whisky and spirits community.

Whisky Auctioneer endeavours to make the market more accessible for buyers and sellers of any background and geography. Its monthly global auctions feature the most comprehensive selection of old, rare and collectible whiskies and spirits available online. Whisky Auctioneer is passionate about connecting these bottles with those who share in their passion and actively support their customers in their aims, whether that be consuming, collecting or investing.

In February 2021, the Perth-based online auction house made history during the iconic sale of The Perfect Collection when a bottle of The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare 60 Year Old sold for a hammer price of £1m, the first time a single bottle of whisky has sold at an online only auction for one million pounds.

Whisky Auctioneer became the first online auction house to sell a million-pound bottle and outperformed the nearest traditional auction house by 200% in value from spirits sales in 2020, showcasing the move that whisky collectors, investors and drinkers have already made online and firmly establishing their leading position within the modern secondary whisky market.

The business currently sees over 100,000 bids per month and has conducted deliveries to 74 countries across the globe. It also opened its first European base in Germany last year.

The business’ Founder, Iain McClune, was listed as ‘One to Watch’ in The Telegraph’s Most Ambitious Business Leaders 2020 programme.

About Joe Wilson, Head of Auction Content at Whisky Auctioneer

Joe Wilson manages the authentication and exhibition of the whiskies to feature in Whisky Auctioneer’s auctions. His interest and expertise lies specifically in old, rare and unusual American Whiskeys, stemming from his background in history and studying artefacts from some of the most highly acclaimed museums in Europe. The historian in him found rich pickings in researching these bottles, their complex history providing a fascinating insight into one of America’s most iconic industries. Today he is Whisky Auctioneer’s resident expert on all things Bourbon.

About Peggy Noe Stevens

Peggy Noe Stevens is president of Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates, founder of the Bourbon Women Association, and the first female master bourbon taster in the world.

More info about Peggy can be found here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Visit:  www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Instagram: whiskyauctioneer

Facebook: WhiskyAuctioneer

Twitter:  Whisky_auction

Scotch Whisky Auctions are on the road again!

Please see below for our August 2021 schedule.
To register your interest in a collection please complete the form which can be found here.

Please note home collections are available to those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000 and above.

Please get in touch if your area is not listed below but you would like a home collection. We will do our best to accommodate all requests.

Collections are limited and by appointment only. If you would like to attend please complete the form which can be found here. Please note dead lines apply for collection requests. In a bid to adhere to social distancing guidelines it would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift with the submission form and label completed. A winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery (to collection point) service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

Submission Form & Label

BONHAMS HONG KONG PRESENTS 30-YEAR-OLD MACALLAN CASK

A Nippon Whisky Collection online-only sale returns with fresh-to-market editions from the early years of the ‘big eight’ Japanese distilleries 

A cask of Macallan-1991-#21429-18/029/1
Distilled 12th December 1991 at the Macallan Distillers Limited, Craigellachie.

Estimate: HK$3,200,000-4,000,000

For many whisky aficionados, owning a cask of whisky was once perhaps the pinnacle of their collecting journey. But as the market matures and collectors explore wider possibilities, whisky casks are now accepted by many even at the early stage of forming their collection. Old casks, especially from prestigious distilleries, are extremely rare, but a prime “all-rounder” example – a 30-year-old Macallan 1991 whisky cask – is appearing at Bonhams Fine and Rare Whisky sale in Hong Kong on 20 August.

Distilled by Macallan in December 1991, the cask was re-racked in 2017 with sherry. Sherry is the preferred choice of wood to give whisky a unique impact of clove, resin, dried fruit and tannin – a sweet palate which most drinkers will find approachable. Its high alcohol content at around 51.5% ABV makes it a highly desirable choice for both long-term collecting and for eventually yielding around 202 bottles for enjoyment. The cask carries an estimate of HK$3,200,000-4,000,000, which translates into a competitive per-bottle price at about HK$14,800.

Daniel Lam, Bonhams Director of Wine and Spirits, Asia, commented: “Whisky casks hitting 30 years old or above are exceedingly rare in the current market. This 1991 Macallan cask on offer in our August sale is an all-rounder of its class: it comes from a prestigious distillery, is casked in top-notch wood, a high alcohol content, and an attractive estimate. We expect a lot of interest as the market now matures towards collecting casks.”

Bonhams currently holds the world auction record for a whisky cask. A rare 30-year whisky sherry hogshead cask from Macallan Distillery achieved HK$4,464,000/ US$572,000 at Bonhams Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky sale on 15 November 2019.

A NIPPON WHISKY COLLECTION – ONLINE-ONLY SALE 

After a 100% “white-glove” achievement in March, the online-only sale of A Nippon Whisky Collection returns from 26 July to 2 August on Bonhams.com. Around 50 lots strong, the sale spotlights a range of fresh-to-market whiskies from the very early years of the eight most internationally-sought-after Japanese distilleries, namely Karuizawa, Hanyu, Yamazaki, Hakushu, Yamazakura, Miyagikyo, Yoichi and Saburomaru. Highlights include:

(From left to right)

·         山崎 Yamazaki-Noblesse Oblige-25 year old. Est. HK$60,000-80,000.

·         山崎 Yamazaki-1984-20th Anniversary of WakuWaku. Est. HK$38,000-50,000.

·         余市 Yoichi-1976-15 year old-#126121. Est. HK$20,000-26,000.

·         Ichiro’s Malt Pulse・Moment-律動・刹那. Est. HK$30,000-40,000.

Sale: Fine and Rare Whisky 20 August 202120/F, One Pacific Place, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Sale: “A Nippon Whisky Collection” Online-only Sale 26 July – 2 August Bonhams.com

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com. bonhams.com

AUGUST 2021 AUCTION PREVIEW

Gems from Japan.
A selection of outstanding Japanese whiskies in our August sale.

FIND OUT MORE

RARE AND COLLECTIBLE SCOTCH

Old, rare and discontinued malts feature in our upcoming auction.

FIND OUT MORE

The temperature here in Scotland may be dropping but things are hotting up in our 122nd Auction. Ending Sunday 1st August –  don’t lose your bottle!

New releases this month are plentiful, from the Macallan Concept No.3, Ardbeg 8 Year Old For Discussion and plenty of Lindores to be had.

Fresh in from Campbeltown is Springbank’s Hand Filled Distillery Exclusives. Call us biased but these are sure to be tasty and of course cask strength!

BIG PEAT FEIS ILE 2021 PEATRICHOR. 

Big Peat is a small batch vatted Islay malt whisky from Douglas Laing: a shovelful of Islay single malt Scotch whiskies including those distilled at Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Port Ellen, with each bringing different qualities to the blend. 

Buy it now in auction 122 with no additional buyers premium.

View Auction

We continue to offer free doorstep collections for over 10 bottles or collectively worth a minimum of £1000. Contact us to find out more and check availability. Collection requests can be made here.

Whisky Hammer/Still Spirit. PR SHOTS OF CO-FOUNDERS DANIEL (black) AND CRAIG MILNE(grey). INTERIOR SHOTS OF THE SHOP.

Scottish whisky auction firm Whisky Hammer agrees investment deal with Hong Kong business Rare Whisky Holdings

Online whisky auction site, Whisky Hammer, and its sister retail business Still Spirit, is poised for global expansion after selling a 49% stake of the Scottish family business to Rare Whisky Holdings, a whisky investment group managed out of Hong Kong.

The multi-million-pound deal will deliver a 2.6X return to retail investors on their original investment, who participated in its crowdfunding campaign just two years ago.

Whisky Hammer started in 2016 by brothers Daniel and Craig Milne who are originally from Macduff, near Speyside, an area renowned for the production of Scotch whisky.

The success of Whisky Hammer, and its vast potential, has been recognised by Rare Whisky Holdings, which is the same management team behind the Platinum Whisky Investment Fund, the first private equity fund in the world to focus on rare single-malt whiskies.

Platinum Whisky Investment Fund launched in 2014, raised USD 12 million and is in the final stage of its wind down, exiting at over USD 24 million in 7 years.

Rare Whisky Holdings also owns the Glenor Cask Company, which holds 1,000 casks of maturing single malt, blended, and grain whiskies. The new investment and partnership ensures registered members of Whisky Hammer and Still Spirit will receive exclusive access to a range of cask opportunities for the long-term.

Whisky Hammer hosts monthly auctions, dedicated to whisky and other fine spirits, allowing buyers and sellers from every corner of the globe to participate. It has auctioned a wide range of whiskies, both bottles and casks, with auctions selling in excess of £1 million under the hammer each month.

A recent feature included the 31-Year-Old Black Bowmore ‘DB5’ collaboration with Aston Martin, distilled in 1964 and sold for a hammer price of £81,000 in March 2021.  The customer base of Whisky Hammer features an extensive global network of whisky enthusiasts who buy and sell on the platform, resulting in a 70% growth in revenue in 2020.

Whisky Hammer re-located in 2019 to a new, purpose-built facility in Aberdeenshire, which is also home to Still Spirit – a whisky shop, e-commerce site and dram bar offering over 100 rare whiskies to taste while overlooking the beautiful Scottish countryside.

Daniel Milne, Managing Director of Whisky Hammer and Still Spirit said: “This is a very exciting time for our business.  The transaction signifies an important bond with our new Asian partner that will rapidly bring the group to the next phase of growth, and we are incredibly excited about what lies ahead. In addition, we are delighted to have generated a substantial return for our crowdfunding investors that helped us build the business to where it is today.”

Rickesh Kishnani, Co-Founder of Rare Whisky Holdings commented “Our investment group is proud to join the Milne family business and help with their expansion to Asia, where the demand for whisky continues to grow at a rapid pace. We are also excited to use this new partnership to provide Whisky Hammer and Still Spirit members with exclusive access to our collection of aged casks.”

Legal support was provided for the transaction by Goodwin Proctor LLP (acting on behalf of the buyer) and Brodies LLP (acting on behalf of the sellers).

Follow Whisky Hammer on @whiskyhammer on Facebook and Instagram. 

https://www.whiskyhammer.com