Understand
Rare Macallan 1926 whisky sells for £2.1m at Sotheby's auction
Overview
A rare bottle of Macallan 1926 Scotch whisky, distilled 100 years ago and matured for 60 years, has sold for £2.1m at a Sotheby's auction held at the Macallan Estate in Speyside. The sale marks the second most valuable bottle of whisky ever sold, narrowly missing the previous record set by the Adami Edition in 2023. The auction was an invite-only event for leading collectors, held to mark the centenary of the vintage.
Key points
- A bottle of Macallan 1926 Scotch whisky sold for £2.1m ($2.8m) at a Sotheby's auction in Scotland.
- The whisky was distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986 after maturing for 60 years in a single sherry-seasoned oak cask.
- Only 40 bottles were drawn from the cask, including 14 released with the Fine & Rare label.
- The auction took place at the Macallan Estate in Speyside, marking the first time an auction has been held at a Scottish distillery.
- The event was an exclusive invite-only gathering attended by 50 leading global whisky collectors, alongside online bidders.