‘Holy grail’ bottle of 92-year-old single-malt whisky sells for world record £1.2m

By Robert Mann

- Last updated on GMT

Vintage malt: The Macallan 1926 60-year-old sold at Christie's for a world record price of £1.2m
Vintage malt: The Macallan 1926 60-year-old sold at Christie's for a world record price of £1.2m
A bottle of whisky distilled in 1926 has sold for a staggering £1.2m – making it the world’s most expensive bottle of whisky sold at auction.

The Macallan 1926 vintage was put up for sale at auctioneers Christie's in London, where it was snapped up by an overseas buyer.

The single-malt Scotch was produced by revered distillery The Macallan in Moray, Scotland, in the same year world-famous illusionist and stunt performer Harry Houdini died.

Said to be the “finest cask of whisky ever matured", it spent the next 60 years maturing in an ex-sherry cask before being bottled in limited numbers in 1986.

The “one-of-a-kind” hand-painted bottle depicts the Easter Elchies House on the Macallan estate in Speyside, against the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. 

Tim Triptree, international director of wine at Christie’s, said he “would like to believe” the new owner would enjoy what he described as the “holy grail” of whisky.

“The Macallan is undoubtedly the leading distiller of all single-malt whisky and is streets ahead of any other distillery,” he said.

“Some 40 bottles were produced from this cask, but this record-breaking bottle was completely unique.”

He added: “There is a huge demand and limited supply. We are delighted with the world record price it achieved, it is an amazing result.”

The previous world record for a bottle sold at auction was set in October when another Macallan 1926 60-year-old was bought for £848,750 at Bonhams in Edinburgh.

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