Bids at 230,000 euros
Macallan distills the most expensive whiskey in the world – now the oldest bottling of the distillery comes under the hammer
This is it, probably the most expensive and rarest whiskey in the world. Whiskey expert Charles MacLean examines it here in Edinburgh. The comic-like design by the Italian artist Valero Adami is easy to recognize.
© Andrew Milligan/DPA
Macallan is known for exclusive and, above all, expensive whiskeys. Now a very special bottling from the distillery is going under the hammer: the oldest Scotch in the world. The bids are already in six figures.
A bidder raised around 1.7 million euros for a single bottle of The Macallan 1926 in 2019 – the high point of the hype so far about the whiskeys from the Scottish distillery. Since then, extremely high prices have been achieved for exclusive whiskeys such as Yamazaki or The Dalmore, but the 1926 is and remains the most expensive ever sold. Now the distillery is following suit. A bottle comes under the hammer that collectors should lick their fingers for. It is the oldest Scotch of the house – it is also the oldest in the world.
Macallan has a long history. The distillery is one of the first legal whiskey distilleries in Scotland. Since 1824, whiskey has been distilled on the banks of the Spey, in the very heart of the whiskey region. But especially in recent years, the distillery has been on the upswing. This is mainly due to the limited whiskeys that Macallan regularly releases and which have made the company increasingly attractive to collectors. Exclusivity plays a big role when it comes to opening the wallet.
Relic from World War II
And the oldie is exclusive. Macallan The Reach was distilled in 1940, just as World War II had begun. It is the year in which the distillery had to close for the first time since it was founded in 1824. Meanwhile, the Scotch was stored in the cellar and matured there undamaged in a sherry oak cask for 81 years. He beat 80-year-old Gordon&MaxPhail’s Glenlivet, who until recently held the title of oldest Scotch.
It was created in a turbulent time and shows the history, the ingenuity and the unmistakable strength of character of The Macallan. “Created by many hands, The Reach is a true collaborative effort,” said Kirsteen Campbell, the Distillery’s Master Whiskey Maker. “It’s also a tribute to the people who made this precious whiskey.”
Bids are around 230,000 euros
One of the bottles of Macallan “The Reach” 81 Years Old is now being offered at auction in a special presentation. It comes in a mouth-blown glass decanter, which is held by three hands on a bronze base. The offered bottle is number 3 of a total of 288 bottles. The bids are already around 230,000 euros. That’s more than was expected. When the Scotch was launched last year, it was offered for almost half that, around 114,000 euros. The explanation for the much higher bidder price is that the proceeds go to charitable purposes. The money goes to The Macallan Artisan Apprenticeship Fund, which works to keep “traditional crafts and generational skills” alive.
Whiskeys in this price range are usually bought by collectors who store the bottle unopened. It is rarely tasted. In this case, however, the buyer will have the opportunity to try the 81-year-old. Because not only the bottle is auctioned, but also a visit to the distillery including tasting. According to tasting notes, the deep red-brown Scotch leaves notes of syrup toffee, blackberry jam, liquorice, crystallized ginger, nutmeg, charred pineapple, pecans and wood smoke on the palate. The finish is intensely rich, sweet and smoky.
Source: Whiskey Auctioneer, The Whiskey Wash, The Macallan