Skip to content 
Last Updated on November 9, 2022 by Lydia Martin
Whiskey has been around for centuries, and people have always been fascinated by it. In fact, whiskey is so popular that there are auctions held for the most expensive bottles.
But what’s the highest auction price fetched for the most expensive whiskey? And what makes it so special? Keep reading to find out.
What’s The Highest Auction Price For Whiskey?
The Emerald Isle Collection (by the Craft Irish Whiskey Co in partnership with Fabergé) sets the record for having the highest auction price of $2 million for whiskey. The seven wonders of Ireland inspired the collection, so only seven ultra-exclusive sets exist. This makes it a highly covetable bottle.
Luxury whiskey bottles priced above $1 million at auction houses are world record prices, and the expensive amount has something to do with age, rarity, singularity, and fine taste.
What Makes It Expensive?
The Emerald Isle Collection is the most expensive whiskey sold at auction for three reasons:
- Limited edition
- Oldest triple distilled single-malt Irish whiskey
- Large chunk value of gold included in the set
The set contains two bottles of rare 30-year-old Irish whiskey, not to mention the Fabergé gold additions.
9 Whiskeys Sold With High Auction Prices
1. Craft Irish Whiskey Co. – The Emerald Isle Collection
Price: $2 million
What Made It Expensive: The Emerald Isle set contains two rare 30-year-old whiskeys, considered the oldest triple distilled Irish single malt. The additions of jeweler Fabergé on the set greatly influenced the cost of the bottled whiskey.
2. The Macallan Fine and Rare 60 Year Old
Price: $1.9 million
What Made It Expensive: Macallan 1926 holds the world record of being the single whisky sold with the highest auction price [1]. Macallan Fine and Rare Series 60-year-old whisky may have set a new world record for being the highest auction price, breaking the $1.2 million previous record in 2019.
3. The Macallan Michael Dillon 1926 60-Year-Old
Price: $1.53 million
What Made It Expensive: The Macallan Michael Dillon 1926 is one of the remaining bottles from cask #263, the holy grail of Scotch whisky. The single malt scotch was commissioned to be hand-painted by Irish artist Michael Dillon to make it more expensive.
4. Hanyu Ichiro’s Full Card Series
Price: $1.52 million
What Made It Expensive: Hanyu Ichiro’s Full Card Series is a set of ultrarare Japanese whiskies and is the most expensive Japanese whisky set ever sold. It comprises 54 bottles, each representing a playing card in the deck.
5. The Dalmore Decades No.6 Collection
Price: $1.24 million
What Made It Expensive: Dalmore Decades No.6 is now a prized possession of a private collector at $1.24 million. It brings an amazing selection of six milestone releases, starting from 1951 to the new millennium, and selected by Richard Paterson, the Dalmore Whisky Master Distiller.
6. The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 60 Year Old
Price: $1.07 million
What Made It Expensive: The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 is the second release of 60-year-old Scotch whisky from the elusive cask from 1993. The label was designed by the Italian painter Valerio Adami, and there are only 12 bottles produced. It was rumored that the Japanese Earthquake destroyed one of the bottles of Macallan 1926 Valerio Adami.
7. The Macallan Peter Blake 1926 60-Year-Old
Price: $1.04 million
What Made It Expensive: The whisky from Macallan Distillery was laid untouched for six decades in sherry casks and divided into 40 bottles.
There are 12 bottles of 60-year-old whisky on its first release, and to make the most expensive bottles of whisky, the Macallan teamed up with Sir Peter Blake, famous for his Beatles’ album cover.
8. The Macallan Lalique Six Pillars Collection
Price: $993,000
What Made It Expensive: Lalique Six Pillars from Macallan Distillery is a set of six crystal decanters from the jeweler and glassmaker Lalique to store single malts matured 50 to 65. The limited-edition decanters are highly prized, but the ebony cabinet that holds the set made its winning bid reach $993,000.
9. The Macallan Red Collection
Price: $975,756
What Made It Expensive: The Macallan Red comprises six whiskies, two of which are the oldest releases (73 and 78 years old). Collectors worldwide compete to own this rare bottle of whisky from Scotland.
The Most Expensive Cask Sold At An Auction
The Macallan Cask – Distilled In 1988
This particular Macallan cask was accidentally forgotten in the distillery for 33 years before it was auctioned for $1,295,500. It was sold at about $6,275 by the previous owner and has been held in bond by The Macallan for three decades before being considered a holy grail.
The Macallan Cask set the new world record as the most expensive cask sold at the auction by an unnamed American buyer through an online auction site.
Why People Thought “The Intrepid” Could Break The Record
The Intrepid, a 311-liter bottle of Macallan Scotch whisky, was estimated to be sold for around $1.6 million. Created by Fah Mai Holdings Group Inc and Rosewin Holdings PLC, many believed it could be a record-breaker because of its size – the bottle was 5 ft and 11 inches.
In 2021, it was certified as the world’s largest bottle of Scotch whisky by Guinness World Records [2]. In March, it sold for about $1.4 million during a live auction by Lyon & Turnbull. The bid was placed anonymously.
FAQs
What is the most expensive whiskey sold?
The Emerald Isle Collection is the most expensive whiskey sold, priced at $2 million. It is a rare Irish whiskey with Fabergé gold additions.
Who makes the most expensive whiskey in the world?
Based on research, Macallan makes the most expensive whiskey in the world. Macallan’s Fine & Rare collection is made of the finest vintage bottles, the oldest of which is the Macallan 1926.
Key Takeaways
The Emerald Isle Collection may technically hold the title of the most expensive whiskey ever sold. Still, it cannot quite claim its title because a huge value is attributed to the exquisitely-crafted gold that is part of the set. The set included a 22k gold timepiece with sapphire crystals and a Fabergé Celtic egg.
Emerald Isle may be the most expensive whiskey bottle, but other bottles from The Macallan product lineup also dominate the list.
References:
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/04/21/macallan-whisky-cask-could-break-auction-records-after-owner-forgot-it-at-the-distillery-30-years-ago/
- https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-bottle-of-scotch-whisky-whiskey
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
