This month in the auction world, we look to multiple charity auctions being held at the moment — from a celebrity donation to a whisky-castle getaway. We also look back on bottles from luxury brands Macallan and Dalmore sold recently in auction.
What you missed...
The Dalmore Aurora
Described in our previous auction round-up as "the highlight" of the Dalmore entries to a Whisky Auctioneer auction this summer, the Dalmore Aurora sold for a winning bid of £15,500. Bottled in 1964, the 45-year-old whisky was aged in a single oloroso sherry cask for the duration of its maturation.
The Macallan Anniversary Malt 50 Years Old
In his September column, Whisky Auctioneer's Joe Wilson says that this rare whisky served "as an emblem of the long-running faith [Macallan] placed in the quality of its product". Released in 1983, the whisky itself was distilled in 1928. The bottling received a winning bid for £45,000 at auction.
Coming up...
The Glenlivet Eternal Collection: First Edition
Speyside distillery The Glenlivet recently revealed its oldest single malt to date, a 55-year-old whisky released as the first edition in The Glenlivet's new Eternal Collection. Housed in a sculpture designed by computational architect Michael Hansmayer, the release is drawn from a single cask. The distillery will partner with Sotheby’s to auction one bespoke 55-year-old whisky and accompanying Hansmayer sculpture — a move which marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between The Glenlivet owner Chivas Brothers and Sotheby's. Through the partnership, Chivas Brothers will release never-before-seen whiskies exclusively through the auctuion house. The 55 Years Old will be available exclusively at auction from 22nd October–5th November, and proceeds will go to the National Trust for Scotland.
Ewan McGregor auctions collection
Featured in Whisky Auctioneer's September auction is 150 bottles of Arran Single Malt donated by celebrated Scottish actor Ewan McGregor. McGregor was gifted the 1998 cask when he toasted the inaugural Arran Single Malt in 1998. Now 26 Years Old, the whisky is being auctioned in aid of Children’s Hospices Across Scotland. 100 per cent of the proceeds from all sales of "Ewan's Cut" will go to the charity, including Whisky Auctioneer's fees. The auction is open from 27 September–7 October.
Whisky Live Paris 2024 charity auction
Whisky Live Paris is running its annual charity auction, with lots including a weekend stay at luxury whisky destination Rothes Glen Castle and six bottles of Scotch from the Rothes Glen Artist Collection by La Maison du Whisky. The winning bidder will receive exclusive use of the 14-room Speyside castle for a weekend, as well as the six single malt, single cask whiskies, which include bottlings from Aberlour, Glenburgie, Highland Park, Laphroaig, Longmorn, and Macallan. The auction is open via Fine Spirits Auction.
SMWS first releases
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is perhaps the world’s foremost whisky club, with members having access to an incredible range of renowned bottlings. This month, Whisky Auctioneer feature a selection of .1 bottles by SMWS, representing the first bottling of each particular distillery. These include lost distilleries from Scotland such as St Magdalene and Glen Albyn. Perhaps the most rarely seen, however, are SMWS’s Karuizawa bottlings numbers 1 to 6. The Japanese distillery is a collector’s favourite, and bottles such as these are rarely seen at auction.
Macallan 65 Year Old Lalique Six Pillars Collection
The final of Macallan’s six pillars collaboration with Lalique, this bottle is a true piece of art. The elegant glasswork represents a single drop of liquid and contains 65-year-old Macallan. Representing the pillar of “peerless spirit”, this is one of the most exclusive bottlings of Macallan ever seen, limited to only 450 decanters.
