Auction Update: 20 Highest Hammer Prices for October

October was a monster month for whisky auctions: It’s the fourth month of the year where the 20 highest single bottle hammer prices exceeded $1 million, joining April, June, and July. The year’s highest hammer price to date was set at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong for Karuizawa 1960 52 year old Cask No. 5627. It was another dominant month for Macallan, with bottles from the Red Collection and Fine & Rare joining rarities such as its Anniversary Malt 1928 50 year old.

American whiskey performed exceptionally well, with a Binny’s Barrel Selection Van Winkle Special Reserve 18 year old hitting $86,000. Sotheby’s matched its own previous high bid, $48,000, for a bottle of LeNell’s Red Hook Rye 23 year old, nearly breaking the $48,500 world record held by Unicorn Auctions. An Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old decanter made $30,400. With nearly every bottle on the list selling for more than $30,000, October’s total sales delivered $1,170,165, the year’s highest monthly total for the 20 highest hammer prices.

With two months still to play in 2024, the excitement looks set to continue, with a jaw-dropping selection of rarities on sale at Whisky Auctioneer while collectors of Ardbeg, Bowmore, Glendronach, Glenturret, and Springbank will want to browse the deep selections at Sotheby’s next sale. Both of those are scheduled for November.

October 2024 – The 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Macallan Fine & Rare 1978 39 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $26,164

19. Macallan Fine & Rare 1958 43 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $26,164

18. Macallan Fine & Rare 1937 37 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $27,472

17. Macallan Fine & Rare 1950 52 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $29,434

16. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old
Sold on: October 27^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $30,400

15. Karuizawa 1968 50 year old Cask No. 6223
Sold on: October 10^th at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong
Hammer price: $30,887

14. Macallan Fine & Rare 1952 49 year old
Sold on: October 25^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $32,000

13. Macallan The Red Collection 50 year old
Sold on: October 10^th at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong
Hammer price: $33,461

12. Karuizawa 1969 50 year old Cask No.538
Sold on: October 10^th at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong
Hammer price: $33,461

11. Macallan 1949 50 year old Millennium Decanter
Sold on: October 25^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $35,000

10. Macallan Anniversary Malt 1928 50 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $44,478

9. Macallan Anniversary Malt 1928 50 year old
Sold on: October 23^rd at McTear’s, Glasgow
Hammer price: $46,592

8. LeNell’s Red Hook Rye 23 year old Barrel No. 3
Sold on: October 25^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $48,000

7. Macallan in Lalique 72 year old
Sold on: October 8^th at Whisky.Auction
Hammer price: $51,716

6. Samaroli Laphroaig 1967 15 year old Sherry Wood
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $52,327

5. Samaroli Bowmore Bouquet 1966
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $53,635

4. Macallan in Lalique 65 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $58,868

3. Van Winkle Special Reserve 18 year old Binny’s Private Barrel Selection
Sold on: October 13^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $86,000

2. Macallan The Red Collection 60 year old
Sold on: October 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $145,207

1. Karuizawa 1960 52 year old Cask No. 5627
Sold on: October 10^th at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong
Hammer price: $283,135

Each month, we publish the 20 highest hammer prices for single bottles of whisky. This table ranks the 20 brands by the sum of their 20 highest hammer price sales and shows the latest month’s results.