£2.1m bottle of whisky is the second most valuable ever sold at action

A rare bottle of whisky has become the second most valuable ever sold at auction, after it went for £2.1 million.

When measured in US dollars, the bottle of The Macallan 1926 is the most valuable ever sold.

The “fabled” tipple went under the hammer at the Macallan estate in Craigellachie, Moray, in an invitation-only auction staged by Sotheby’s.

Distilled in 1926 and bottled aged 60 in 1986, it sold on Friday for a total of £2,187,500 (2,714,250 US dollars).

It was one of a number of Macallan whiskies – most from private collections – being sold to mark the centenary year of the vintage.

Jonny Fowle, global head of whisky & spirits at Sotheby’s, described the event, which is the first ever staged at the distillery, as a “remarkable milestone”.

“Today’s result reflects the enduring fascination that The Macallan 1926 inspires among collectors around the world,” he said.

“More than a century after it was distilled, it continues to stand alone as the benchmark for rarity, provenance and desirability in whisky.

“Achieving the second-highest price ever paid for a bottle of whisky at auction, and setting a new record for a Fine & Rare bottling, at the first auction held at The Macallan Estate during the centenary year of the vintage itself, is a remarkable milestone in the history of whisky collecting.”

After maturing for six decades, just 40 bottles of The Macallan 1926 were drawn from a single sherry seasoned oak cask – cask number 263 – in 1986, representing the oldest vintage ever bottled by The Macallan.

Fourteen were decorated with the Fine and Rare label, while 12 were designed by British artist Sir Peter Blake, and a further 12 by Italian artist Valerio Adami.

Two bottles were left unlabelled, with one later being hand-painted by Irish artist Michael Dillon, before going on to become the first bottle of whisky to surpass £1 million when sold in 2018.

Jaume Ferras, creative director at The Macallan, said the estate was “humbled” by the response to the auction.

“It was a privilege to welcome Sotheby’s and guests to our home, and to see such appreciation for whiskies that represent different chapters in our history,” he said.

“We are especially proud that the sale of The Macallan Romantica Collection Artists’ Edition, which has raised funds for charities nominated by the artists Valerio Adami, Sir Peter Blake and Michael Dillon, (give) this remarkable collaboration a meaningful legacy beyond the auction itself.”

The highest price ever paid for a bottle of whisky is £2.2 million (2.8 million dollars), which American collector Mike Daley paid for a bottle of The Emerald Isle by the Craft Irish Whiskey Co in 2024.