Sotheby’s New York will public sale the Timeless Whisky Assortment on September 23, 2022. (Picture by Sotheby’s)
Sotheby’s New York is ready to public sale what it says is the highest-value whisky assortment ever to be bought in a single public sale within the U.S. That’s to not say that is the biggest ever: extra sizable collections have been damaged up and bought in several places. This assortment, constructed over a few years by an nameless California-based collector, has been valued at $1.55-$2.15 million and consists of over 60 bottles aged 50 years previous or above. Bidding is open on-line, and can conclude with a stay public sale on September 23 at 10 a.m. EDT.
The spotlight of the sale is an entire six-bottle set of the Macallan Six Pillars Assortment (Est. $400,000–$600,000), together with a bespoke burr elm show podium, and a “Lalique expertise” consisting of a keep at Villa Rene Lalique in Alsace and eating at its 2 Michelin Star restaurant for the profitable bidder and a visitor.
The Macallan Six Pillars Assortment (Picture by Sotheby’s)
There are many inexpensive whiskies to contemplate; the 497 tons, consisting of 565 bottles, have a median lot estimate of $1,000–$1,300. Single malt scotches from 44 totally different distilleries are represented among the many 512 bottles of scotch whisky. Islay is probably the most considerable whisky area on this sale with 36% of the bottles, adopted by 24% from Speyside and 15% from Campbeltown. Time and age are dominant themes all through, with the bottles aged 50 years or older originating from 18 single malt scotch distilleries. Greater than 80 bottles come from 8 closed distilleries in Scotland and Japan. Total, a lot of Sotheby’s estimates look quite cautious, so bidders can count on quite a lot of the tons to exceed their excessive estimates.
A deep dive into the catalog reveals a larger variety of impartial bottlings than official distillery bottlings of scotch whisky (56% vs 44%). Of the impartial bottlings, 37% are from Hunter Laing & Co. Ltd, 19% from Gordon & MacPhail, and 16% from Douglas Laing & Co., though the Gordon & MacPhail bottlings are probably the most useful impartial bottlings by some margin. This assortment reveals the previous proprietor’s preferences for specific manufacturers and areas, whereas different distilleries are fully unrepresented. There are greater than 80 bottles of Springbank, for instance, however no bottles of Longrow, Hazelburn, Kilkerran, or Glen Scotia from Campbeltown. Nor are there Jura, Kilchoman, or distillery bottlings from Bruichladdich, no grain whisky, no Irish whiskey, and solely two blends.
There are over 50 bigger bottles on sale (1.5-liter bottles)—giant format bottles are standard amongst wine collectors as a result of variations in maturation and shortage, however these components are much less related for whisky collectors, so that you merely have twice as a lot of the identical whisky. From Japan, there are a couple of Karuizawa, Hanyu, and Yamazaki bottlings. From the U.S., there are some Hirsch, Van Winkle, and an affordable collection of WhistlePig The Boss Hog, a sequence we’ve lined for What’s it Value? Closed distillery bottlings make up 15% of the sale, with 44 bottles of Port Ellen and 23 bottles of Littlemill on supply. Admirably, once more, the choice is eclectic to the collector—there are bottles of Dallas Dhu, Glen Mhor, Rosebank, and Kinclaith, but no St. Magdalene, Glenury Royal, or Convalmore bottlings.
Which tons supply the perfect worth? Relying in your price range, look to the Speymalt Macallans at first of the sale, the Benromach 35 yr previous is well-priced (est. $500–$600), and contemplate selecting up the Glenfiddich 40 yr previous (est. $2,400–$3,500) provided that the brand new version will price $4,600. There are multiples of many bottles, for instance; there are 4 bottles of Glenrothes John Ramsay on the market (est. $500–$750), which price $1,000 on launch in 2009. There are two Gordon & MacPhail Glenlivet 70 yr olds within the sale; the one distilled in 1940 has a low estimate of $6,000, whereas it’s $22,000 for the opposite bottle distilled in 1943. There are Port Ellen bottlings with low estimates under $1,000, and I’d snap up the Springbank when you can. Undoubtedly, the Timeless Whisky Assortment at Sotheby’s affords each the strategic single malt scotch collector and the discerning drinker loads of scope to amass quite a lot of nice bottles and take them dwelling to get pleasure from.
Sotheby’s continues to carry giant useful single-owner collections to public sale. “I will probably be unhappy to half with this assortment, however it felt just like the time was proper for it to discover a new dwelling,” stated the vendor via Sotheby’s. “I’ve nonetheless held again a few of my favourite bottles to get pleasure from over the subsequent few years.”
Be Ready Earlier than You Bid: Sotheby’s purchaser’s premiums for this sale are 24% of the hammer worth, plus an extra 1% for Sotheby’s overhead premium.
The Timeless Whisky Assortment: 10 Most Costly Tons by Estimate
|
Bottling |
Low Estimate | Excessive Estimate | |
| 1 | The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Assortment (6 bottles) | $400,000 | $600,000 |
| 2 | The Macallan in Lalique 72 yr previous Genesis Decanter | $70,000 | $90,000 |
| 3 | Black Bowmore The Final Cask 50 yr previous | $38,000 | $55,000 |
| 4 | Bowmore 1961 50 yr previous | $32,000 | $50,000 |
| 5 | The Macallan 1949 50 yr previous Millennium Decanter | $30,000 | $40,000 |
| 6 | Karuizawa Budo Assortment 1981 (3 bottles) | $30,000 | $40,000 |
| 7 | The Macallan Superb & Uncommon 1938 31 yr previous | $26,000 | $35,000 |
| 8 | Ardbeg Double Barrel 1974 (2 bottles) | $22,000 | $30,000 |
| 9 | Gordon & MacPhail Non-public Assortment Glenlivet 1943 70 yr previous | $22,000 | $30,000 |
| 10 | The Macallan 40 yr previous 2017 launch | $20,000 | $30,000 |
