The Grand Whisky January Auction 2021 is…Live!

www.thegrandwhiskyauction.com/live-auction

2000+ lots to bid on including this Rare Cask #2 Glenmorangie…

Auction closes Monday 25th January at 9pm.

Interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

T. +44 (0)1463 210 427

E. sales@thegrandwhiskyauction.com

WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE WHISKY SET TO BREAK RECORDS IN UPCOMING SALE 

The second half of one devoted whisky lover’s ‘Perfect Collection’ will go under the hammer next month in a sale that is set to go down in whisky history.

From 12-22 February 2021, over 1,900 bottles of the rarest, most coveted and expensive single malts in existence, including many from Scotland’s long lost distilleries, will feature in the sale hosted by online whisky auction specialists, Whisky Auctioneer.

Leading the auction is the world’s most expensive bottle of whisky – The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare 60 Year Old. Drawn from hallowed Cask #263, containing liquid distilled nearly a century ago in the height of America’s Prohibition, this is one of no more than 14 in the world adorned with the iconic Fine and Rare label. Considered the most coveted bottle of whisky in existence and the pinnacle in rare whisky collecting, the headline bottling is expected to fetch a hammer price of over £1m.

This is not the only collector’s item available in the auction, with whiskies such as The Balvenie 1937 50 Year Old also featured and icons of the whisky world hailing from Bowmore’s legendary 1964 vintage. Elusive whiskies from a bygone era in Scotland’s distilling landscape also appear, including a 1921 private cask bottling of Dallas Dhu which has not been seen on the secondary market for over 25 years.

The Perfect Collection Part Two, which initially launched last April, was postponed following a major cyber attack. Part one of the auction took place in February 2020, fetching a total hammer price of £3.2million and Whisky Auctioneer became the first online auction house to sell a million-dollar bottle.

Iain McClune, Founder of Whisky Auctioneer said: 

“Mr Gooding’s Collection is nothing short of extraordinary and we are honoured and delighted to bring it to auction. Collectors, investors and whisky lovers alike will have their interest sparked by the truly astonishing array of whiskies on offer. 

“Undoubtedly the entire collection is crowned by the incomparable The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare, a whisky that has in recent years become the pinnacle of whisky collecting and for good reason. With no more than 14 bottles in existence the rarity of this opportunity cannot be overstated and we anticipate that the battle for this icon of whisky will be a mighty one.” 

Old and rare whisky expert, Angus MacRaild, commented: 

“The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare is one of those handful of iconic whisky releases which has accrued such a lofty status that it exists more in relation to fine art these days than other whisky bottlings. Its performance at auction will no doubt be a powerful, bellwether statement about just how iconic and culturally relevant Scotch Whisky remains in the 21st century. Irrespective of where you sit in the whisky world, the chance to see such a bottling come to auction and potentially break price records is undeniably fascinating and exciting. 

“The most notable aspects about The Perfect Collection, for me, are that it offers enthusiasts and drinkers of old style whiskies a treasure trove of opportunities to obtain obscure and very rarely seen independently bottled single malts done solely for the USA market – bottlings which are now all but impossible to otherwise obtain. But overall, the collection represents who Mr. Gooding was as a person, his preferences as a drinker, his quirks and historical fascinations. It’s clearly a collection put together by someone who genuinely loved whisky and who loved to open, enjoy and share it with friends, as all great collections should be.”

Those who used to look to the markets for investment may, at this time, be looking for alternative investments in assets. Not only is whisky seeing a rise in demand with value tied to liquid rarity, recent reports have shown that over the last decade rare whisky has seen a huge increase in value, overtaking more traditional alternative investment assets such as cars and fine art.

The Collection was amassed by late American businessman and philanthropist, Mr. Richard Gooding, who dedicated over two decades to collecting whiskies from almost every Scottish distillery. Guided by his passion for Scotch, its provenance, and the iconic distilleries that craft it, Mr. Gooding travelled regularly to Scotland to search for special bottles in pursuit of creating the ‘perfect collection’ – a representation of every Scottish distillery, open or closed.

His collection would grow to become an eclectic library of 3,900 bottles of primarily single malt whisky – one of the largest and most significant whisky collections ever to go to public auction.

Additional auction highlights include:

• A host of highly sought-after bottles from some of Scotland’s lost distilleries including Dallas Dhu, Port Ellen, Glenugie and Killyloch with some bottles dating back as far as 1921.

• Other historic artefacts in the sale include a 1924 Royal Brackla 60 Year Old, of which only 62 were ever bottled, 1922 vintage Highland Malt from Berry Brothers and Rudd and a 1930s example of Old Vatted Glenlivet from Andrew Usher & Co. the industry fathers of whisky blending.

• Incredibly special and rare Bowmore finds such as the 1967 Largiemeanoch, the heralded 1964 vintage Oddbins exclusive and a 25 Year Old expression limited to just 75 bottles which were gifted exclusively to guests at the Auld Alliance reception at Chateau Lagrange in 1995.

• Near impossible to acquire, The Perfect Collection features some of America’s most enigmatic and sought-after Black Maple Hill whiskeys.

• A singular, 1 of 1 bottling of The Balvenie Vintage Cask 1961. A truly unique bottling, hand-filled and labelled at the distillery two years prior to the official 1961 Vintage Cask release in 1999.

Last year was a record year for Whisky Auctioneer as it experienced huge growth in its online customer base and announced its expansion into Europe with a new base in Germany, reflecting the global rise in demand for whisky. The business currently sees over 100,000 bids per month and has conducted deliveries to 74 countries across the globe.

To sign up for Part Two of The Perfect Collection by Mr. Richard Gooding and for more information, visit:  www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Decanter of Glen Grant-1948-72 year old by Gordon & MacPhail. Estimate: HK$300,000-380,000.

SCOTCH WHISKY TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT BONHAMS HONG KONG FIRST WHISKY SALE OF 2021

Link to catalogue: Bonhams: Whisky

Scotch whisky takes centre stage at Bonhams first Whisky Sale of 2021 in Hong Kong on Friday 29 January. One of the star lots is a decanter of Glen Grant-1948-72 year old by Gordon & MacPhail. It was bottled in 2020 and this is the first time it has appeared at auction. Numbered 88 of 290, the bottle is especially auspicious – 88 is a symbolic number in Chinese culture, meaning “wealthy”. It is also unusual for a whisky of this age to retain such a high alcoholic content at 52.6% volume, and this gives particular vitality to its taste and aroma. Estimate: HK$300,000-380,000. 

The Macallan Lalique Motor Car-1937-37- year old. Estimate: HK$450,000-550,000 (left).

The Macallan Lalique 50 year old. Estimate: HK$700,000-950,000 (right). 

As usual, the Macallan is well-represented in the sale with more than 30 lots offered spanning the 1950s-1990s, including The Macallan Lalique 50 year old (HK$700,000-950,000), and The Macallan Lalique Motor Car-1937-37- year old (HK$450,000-550,000). 

Other highlights include:

A bottle of Springbank Door Gods – Chin Chiong plus a bottle of Springbank Door Gods – Yu Chi Gong. Estimate: HK$50,000-70,000. (right).

A bottle of Coilltean-1975 from the Glen Garioch distillery.  Estimate: HK$8,000-48,000. (left)

A bottle of Springbank Door Gods – Chin Chiong together with a bottle of Springbank Door Gods – Yu Chi Gong are offered in one lot at HK$50,000-70,000.  These were bottled especially for the Chinese market in 2013.

A bottle of Coilltean-1975 from the Glen Garioch distillery, imported to Italy by S. Samaroli of Brescia.  Estimate: HK$8,000-48,000.

Among the highlights of the Japanese whisky in the sale are:

A bottle of Karuizawa-1972-29 year old-#8833. Estimate: HK$120,000-160,000 (left).

A Hibiki ceramic-35 year old-Tokuda Yasokichi III. Estimate: HK$250,000-350,000. (right)

A bottle of Karuizawa-1972-29 year old-#8833. Bottled on 2002 by Karuizawa’s Ex-Whisky Master Mr. Osami Uchibori, it is estimated at HK$120,000-160,000.

A Hibiki ceramic-35 year old-Tokuda Yasokichi III.  One of 150 bottle, the Suntory whisky comes in a beautiful piece of Kutani ware made by the world-famous potter Tokuda Yasokichi III in the Ishikawa prefecture. Estimate: HK$250,000-350,000.

Bonhams Director of Wine and Whisky, Asia Daniel Lam said, “The accent in our first sale of the year is very much on traditional Scotch whisky, including the stunning Glen Grant-1948-72 year old making its auction debut, classic Macallan Lalique and some unusual bottles such as the two Springbank Door Gods.  Among the selection of whisky from Japanese distilleries, the Hibiki ceramic-35 year old-Tokuda Yasokichi III is very special.”

Sale: WhiskyLocation: Admiralty Hong KongDate: Friday 29 January at 2pm

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

Our January auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 15^th January until Sunday 24^th January.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Hanyu – Joker Monochrome 

Glenfarclas – 40 Year Old

(& corresponding Limited Edition numbered print)  

Port Ellen – 40 Year Old (1979) Casks of Distinction 

Old Rip Van Winkle – 18 Year Old (Blue Smoke)

*Glen Garioch – 1985 (Hand-filled cask #1586)

*All proceeds raised from the sale of this lot will be donated to NHS Grampian, in an effort to assist the fantastic work they are doing in the fight against COVID-19.

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

FIRST EVER COMPASS BOX AUCTION CELEBRATES THE 21ST CENTURY REINVENTION OF THE BLEND

When it comes to the art of whisky making, it is often creativity and the courage to experiment that results in the creation of something exceptional.

Now, a collection of bottles produced by one of the world’s most innovative whisky makers, Compass Box, is going under the hammer in an exclusive online auction hosted by Whisky Auctioneer. From today (Thursday 14th January) until 18th January, over 130 expressions including 70 limited editions produced by the disruptive blender will feature in the sale, including the company’s inaugural release, Hedonism, which  launched in 2000.

Collated by one devoted and anonymous whisky enthusiast, known only as Pat, this Compass Box collection was part of Pat’s extraordinary library of over 9,000 bottles. Fuelled by a passion to learn, sip, share and savour whiskies from around the world, his genuine interest took him beyond tradition to discover boutique expressions bursting with quality and character.

In what marks the first dedicated Compass Box auction in the brand’s history, and the largest offering of its expressions to go on the secondary market from a single owner, Pat now hopes to spark the same interest in budding collectors.

The auction will also offer collectors and whisky fans a number of exclusive U.S only bottlings, including the ultra-desirable collaboration with Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, Florida.  The collaboration gave rise to Bern’s Blended Grain, a 41 Year Old made up of five unique casks from Strathclyde and Girvan. Of the 618 bottles produced, only 120 were available in retail.

Other sought after and limited expressions to feature include Mariage, Optimism, Lady Luck, The General and the 10^th Anniversary Hedonism bottling celebrating the company’s ten year milestone; this was an extremely rare bottling of 38 year old Invergordon single grain whisky distilled in 1971, of which there are just 120 bottles in existence.

James Saxon, Whiskymaker at Compass Box:

“In a collection whose stated aim is amassing whiskies that offer both rarity and serious drinking pleasure, it is wonderful to see so many Compass Box releases represented amongst these 9,000 bottles. We started Compass Box to share the joys of Scotch whisky with more people, an ethos that clearly resonates with this collector.

“To see so many of our past projects and releases represented – and in their own auction – is a first for us. If successful bidders would like to learn more about the stories and processes behind their new whiskies, they have only to reach out to us.”

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

“This is the first time that a dedicated collection of Compass Box has become available at auction, so we’re very excited to offer our whisky fans such a varied selection of whiskies that can really add something novel to their collections.

“Blends have been soaring in popularity as more and more whisky fans look beyond the boundaries of what is traditionally perceived as quality, and we are delighted to spotlight the flag-bearers for the 21st century revival of the category.”

Over the past 12 months Whisky Auctioneer has recorded an increase in page views by over 25% for Compass Box, and the value of its whiskies has risen significantly, with their inaugural release increasing by over 850% in value since 2015.

Boundary breakers and masters of innovation, Compass Box was founded in 2000 by John Glaser, a former marketing director for the Johnnie Walker brand, who fell in love with Scotch whisky and the idea of blending whisky as a creative art. Its core range consists of The Spice Tree, The Peat Monster, Oak Cross, Asyla and Hedonism blends and aims to reinvent the Scotch whisky category with its exceptional quality and limited releases.

Whisky Auctioneer’s auctions are world leading and record breaking. Unmatched in auction volume, variety of bottles offered, prices achieved, global reach, service standards upheld and broadness of knowledge and expertise, the company is truly a global authority.

To find out more and to register to take part in upcoming auctions please visit www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Notes: 

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.

About Compass Box 

Compass Box is a blending company founded in 2000 by John Glaser, a former marketing director for the Johnnie Walker brand. Their core range consists of The Spice Tree, The Peat Monster, Oak Cross, Asyla and Hedonism blends, and they regularly produce limited editions as well. The company prides itself on its boundary-pushing approach to its creations, and on occasion, boundary-crossing creations, such as the original Spice Tree in 2005 which was banned for its use of suspended staves in casks.

They have gained worldwide attention, including from the single-malt oriented collectors impressed by the whisky makers skill in marrying whiskies together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.    

Visit:  www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Instagram: whiskyauctioneer

Facebook: WhiskyAuctioneer

Twitter:  Whisky_auction

A quick reminder that the latest auction will end this evening. For the benefit of our first time bidders, this is how it works:

From 7pm UK time the software starts monitoring activity on the site, and at an unspecified time it will shut down the auction. This feature has been designed to beat sniper software.

The auction does not end at 7pm, only the end process begins then. In our experience it is some time after 8.30pm before the auction ends, so there us no need to rush to bid dead on 7pm.

If you are looking to collect the bottles from the office please note that we are now operating an appointment only system. Appointments are available from 10am-7pm Monday-Friday and you can book online.

We hope you have enjoyed the auction.

Kind regards from Glasgow,

The SWA Team.

View Auction

TAKE ME STRAIGHT TO BARGAINS

Get bidding, and good luck!

The Whisky.Auction Team

info@whisky.auction

+44 (0)20 8838 9381

whisky.auction

Our December (2020) Auction ends soon!

Place your bids from Friday 18^th December until Sunday 3^rd January, 2021.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Glenfarclas – 63 Year Old (1953) Pagoda Sapphire Reserve

(*Brought to auction for the first time ever.)

 Hanyu – Joker Monochrome

  Macallan – 40 Year Old (1979) Fine & Rare

 Laphroaig 13 Year Old (1967) & Laphroaig 14 Year Old (1970) 

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

A very warm welcome to our Christmas auction! Naturally our malty grotto is filled to the brim so if you’re not already pouring a large festive dram then please take a browse and see if you can pick up a treat or two. You snow the drill by now so let’s get started with what Santa has distilled for us.

View Auction

Ardbeg Committee Set! 

This auction also holds a fantastic choice of rare SMWS bottles!

Modest looking but don’t be fooled!

Go and treat yourselves, you’ve earnt it after this stonker. There’s plenty more dynamic and varied drams to pick from and to help get you through the New Year! We hope you’ve had a lovely Christmas wherever you are and look forward to seeing you all next year!

Get Bidding!

FREE UK COLLECTIONS

We continue to offer free doorstep collections for over 10 bottles or collectively worth a minimum of £1000 are also available across Central Scotland – contact us to find out more and check availability.

Glasgow appointments

In line with government COVID restrictions our office is currently closed to the public. Book now for collections or drop offs from 18th January.