Rare Scotch whiskies going under the hammer

A number of sought-after Scotch whiskies are going to auction at Sotheby’s next month.

This includes four private collection decanters numbered ‘1’ directly from Gordon & MacPhail, a complete collection of The Macallan Six Pillars and the Macallan 72 Year Old.

The Sotheby’s Wine and Spirits sales on 18 March will feature a total of 87 lots with a pre-sale estimate of £842,420–£1.6 million.

The sale features the oldest Macallan and Karuizawa ever bottled alongside landmarks of luxury in the world of whisky.

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Spirits Specialist, said: ‘We are delighted to present such a strong selection of bottles consigned directly from producers as well as from private collections to begin our 2020 sales in London.

‘Among the most exciting bottles in this sale are the Gordon & MacPhail Private Decanters, all of which are numbered 1 of their respective outturn. This is the first time that any number 1 decanter from G&M has been offered for sale rather than kept within the Urquhart Family archives.

‘Offering these alongside such iconic bottles as Karuizawa 52 Year old from Cask #5627 and so many Macallan in Lalique decanters showcases the strength of current demand for the very best in the world of whisky.’

Among the most notable bottlings in this auction is an impeccable array of old Gordon & MacPhail releases from previous decades with vintages stretching back to the 1930s, which culminate in a collection of four highly aged and very limited Crystal Decanters from the G&M Private Collection.

These decanters have been consigned to Sotheby’s directly from the Urquhart family and each is number 1 out its respective outturn. This is the first time that any decanter numbered ‘#1’ has been released for sale from Gordon & MacPhail rather than being kept in the Urquhart family’s own collection.

A truly impeccable lineup of aged Macallan Whiskies ranges from an independently bottled 48 Year Old through an unbroken vertical of The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection – six crystal decanters ranging from 50 to 65 years old, rarely seen in an unbroken vertical – to the inimitable 72 Year Old Genesis Decanter, the oldest whisky to be released from this exemplary distillery.

Scotch whisky highlights include:

Gordon & MacPhail – 27 lots with a combined value in excess of £90,000 Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection Decanters numbered 1, including: Linkwood Gordon & MacPhail 60 Year Old 1956, Longmorn Gordon & MacPhail 57 Year Old 1961, Longmorn; Gordon & MacPhail 57 Year Old 1961, and Glenlivet Gordon & MacPhail 70 Year Old 1943 with an Exclusive Experience in Scotland est. £70,000-£100,000

The Macallan – 21 lots with a combined value in excess of £522,000; The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection est. £320,000-£480,000; The Macallan Lalique Genesis Decanter 72 Year Old, 42% est. £70,000-£100,000; The Macallan Duncan Taylor The Rarest of Rare Collection 48 Year Old 1969, 40% est. £24,000-£32,000; The Macallan 50 Year Old Anniversary Malt 1928, 38.6% est. £50,000-£70,000.

Glenfarclas – Glenfarclas Family Cask Trunk est. £55,000-£75,000 A vertical of 50 vintage bottles ranging from 1954 to 2003. The first time this trunk has been offered at auction.

The Dalmore – The Dalmore Candela 50 Year Old, 45% est. £50,000-£70,000

Chivas Regal – Royal Salute 50 Year Old, 40% est. £11,000-£14,000.

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