New world record as two bottles of Macallan whisky fetch US$2.11 million at Hong Kong auction
Rare 60-year-old spirits named after British pop artist Peter Blake and Italian painter Valerio Adami were never meant for sale
Two bottles of rare, 60-year-old Macallan whisky set a world record on Friday night when they were auctioned for a total of HK$16.6 million (US$2.11 million).
The vintage spirits, unseen in public since they last went under the hammer 30 years ago, were the highlights of a Bonhams auction held in Hong Kong for fine and rare wines and whiskies.
One bottle, named after Italian artist Valerio Adami, sold for HK$8.64 million to a bidder in the room. The other bottle, named after British pop artist Peter Blake, fetched HK$7.96 million from a buyer on the phone.
The buyers’ identities were not disclosed.
The whiskies had been expected to go for between HK$3.6 million and HK$4.5 million a piece. They were distilled in 1926 and matured in sherry casks for 60 years before being bottled in 1986.