Our mission is to make special items available for everyone through online auctions and just one of our many auction categories is whisky. As you can imagine there are quite a few truely exceptional whiskies out there and Anne-Sophie Bigot, one of our whisky experts, put together a list of 10 of the most unique whiskies to come up for auction, not only at Catawiki, but at auctions all across the world. She defines them as unique based on their age, quality, exclusivity and presentation. Keep reading to discover what these unique whiskies are and what they sold for.
10. Macallan ‘M’ Whisky
When it comes to craftsmen, the more the merrier for the Macallan 'M' whisky. It takes 17 craftsmen working for 50 hours to creates just one bottle of this liquid gold. Out of a stock of four, just two bottles were ever made available, adding to the exclusivity and resulting in a sale price of €323,000 at auction.
9. Hibiki 21 Year – Mount Fuji Wooden Box Limited Edition
In honour of Japan's highest peak, Mount fuji, 2,000 bottles of Hibiki's 21-year-old whisky were produced and packaged in a limited edition box. The ornate decorations represent the 24 seasons of the Japanese lunar calendar in 24 facets. One of these limited edition bottles sold at Catawiki in 2017 for €800.
8. Bowmore 1957 54 Year Old London, December 2015
This is the oldest and rarest whisky to be released from the Scottish Isle of Islay. The exquisite bottles were hand blown to resemble the waves crashing against the shore of the island where the distillery is located. Just 12 of these exclusive bottles were ever produced, so it should come as no surprise that when one came up for auction it sold for €136,000.
7. Dalmore 1926 50 Year Old
This is a supurb example of packaging that will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find in the near future. This pure malt scotch whisky was distilled in 1926, allowed to mature for 50 years and bottled at cask strength. It was presented in a wooden box with leather straps. One bottle of this exceptional whisky was sold at Catawiki in 2016 for an impressive €8,500.
6. 52-Year-Old Karuizawa 1960
This Karuizawa whisky made a name for itself by setting new records in the UK and Europe for the most expensive single bottle of Japanese whisky to be sold at auction. It is indeed quite rare to see one come up for auction as only 41 bottles of this particular whisky were ever produced. So when one did sell at auction, it brought in €111,000.
5. Glenfiddich 1937
This rich whisky with hints of cedar, cinnamon, cloves and toffee and it can't be found in the supermarket. Only 61 bottles (aged since 1937) were ever produced. One sold at auction in 2006 for €17,000.
4. Springbank 1965 Lombard Bottling
Crafted in Scotland's oldest family-owned distillery, Springbank, and bottled in a hand blown decanter by Lombard Scotch Whisky, this 1965 Campbeltown single malt sold at auction for €5,250.
3. Macallan 64 Year in Lalique Cire Perdue Decanter
This bottle is the oldest single malt whisky released by Macallan. It was created from 3 sherry seasoned casks from 1942, 1945 and 1946. It sold at auction bringing in an impressive €387,000 for charity.
2. Yamazaki 50 Year Single Malt (first edition)
This single malt whisky received a 'richly sweet and mature' expression as a result of maturing for half a century in a Mizunara cask. It was originally released in 2005 by Suntory and sold at auction for €110,000.
1. Hibiki 35-Year-Old Aritayaki Ceramic 2016 Limited Edition
Only 150 bottles of this Hibiki (aged for 35 years) were ever produced. When it went up for auction, not only did the winner receive an exquisite whisky, they also received the beautiful hand-painted Japanese Arita bottle that will hopefully be around long after the whisky is gone. The winning bid was €9,370.
Take a look at our weekly Whisky auctions to discover more unique, exquisite, beautiful and delicious whiskies to add to your collection. You can also register as a seller and offer up bottles from your collection for sale and who knows, you may make our next list of most unique whiskies sold at auction.