Would you pay US$1.1 million over the phone for a bottle of Macallan whisky? One buyer from Asia did
Described as ‘the holy grail of whisky’ by a Bonhams specialist, the single malt Macallan 60-year-old is one of a limited edition of only 24 bottles
A bottle of Macallan 60-year-old went for US$1.1 million at auction in Edinburgh, Scotland on Wednesday.
According to a Bonhams press release, the rare Macallan Valerio Adami was distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986.
Bonhams whisky specialist Martin Green, who referred to the 1926 Macallan as “the holy grail of whisky”, noted in the press release that its “exceptional rarity and quality puts it in a league of its own”.
According to Forbes, it was bought over the phone by a bidder in Asia.
So, how rare is it?
It’s part of a limited edition of only 24 bottles. They feature custom-designed labels by pop artists — 12 by Peter Blake and 12 by Valerio Adami.
As for the location of the other bottles, according to the BBC, another Macallan Valerio Adami was sold at auction at Bonhams Hong Kong in May. That bottle briefly held the record for the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold.