Auction Update: The 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices for September

Karuizawa moved up to lead the 2026 auction list as September’s 20 highest hammer prices totaled $1,139,934. As we enter the final quarter of the year, the list has outperformed 2025 in 6 out of 9 months in 2026, and September produced the third million-dollar month of the year. The list’s combined value is over $1.5 million ahead of the same point in 2025, showing a growing confidence in the secondary market. While there is no Distillers One of One auction this year, October is set to deliver plenty of thrills as Sotheby’s will host a magnificent sale direct from Macallan Estate, with additional sales of rare Japanese whisky and scotch in Hong Kong.

Sotheby’s sale of the unique bottle of Karuizawa 1960 52 year old for a hammer price of $500,000 helped the closed distillery edge past Macallan, becoming the fourth brand to lead the table in 2026. Japan is the first whisky-producing nation to have topped the table with two separate brands, after Yamazaki led the table in June. Karuizawa has delivered one in nine bottles on the list so far this year, and its average hammer price for bottles on the list is 2.5 times higher than Macallan’s. Despite slipping to 2^nd place, Macallan had the most entries on the list in September, taking six slots with whiskies aged from 50–74 years. Van Winkle and Old Fitzgerald made solid gains in September too, with a bottle of Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1950 18 year old Blackhawk taking $84,900 (Sotheby’s sold a bottle of this for a hammer price of $90,000 in January). The Johnnie Walker Collection at Whisky Auctioneer was led by a bottle of John Walker & Sons Old Highland Whisky, which sold for $13,370.

Karuizawa is unlikely to hold on to the lead of the table for long. The Sotheby’s sale from Macallan Estate includes the first bottle of Macallan Fine & Rare 1926 60 year old to come to auction since the Sotheby’s sale in 2019, where it set a world record. It’s been more than 1,000 days since the last million-dollar Macallan bottle sold in November 2023, and a strong result will be crucial if Macallan is to defend its position at the top of the table for 2026. Additionally, the upcoming Sotheby’s sale includes Macallan The Reach 81 year old, a complete set of the Six Pillars Collection, and much more. Whisky Auctioneer has a strong selection of Bowmore whiskies, including Bowmore x Aston Martin 1968 Arc-54, Black Bowmore 1964 50 year old The Last Cask, and a Black Bowmore 1964 First Edition. The sale also includes the auction debut of the 97-point Ardbeg The Abyss and a bottle of Glenlivet Eternal Collection 56 year old. Let’s not forget that the six highest hammer prices of the year so far have all been for Japanese whiskies, so further rare Yamazaki and Karuizawa bottlings at Sotheby’s Hong Kong sales could keep competition for control of the table continuing through the end of the year. Buckle up for October; it’s about to get busy.

September 2026 – Top 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old Bourbon Decanter
Sold on: September 20^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $21,000

19. Karuizawa Japonisme Edition 1965 50 year old
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $21,664

18. Macallan Select Reserve 1946 52 year old
Sold on: September 18^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $22,000

17. Old Rip Van Winkle 17 year old Bourbon Woodside Partner’s Reserve
Sold on: September 13^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $22,300

16. Karuizawa Monyou Edition 1965 50 year old Cask No. 2372
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $22,341

15. Karuizawa Aqua of Life 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $23,695

14. Rogin’s Choice 25 year old Bourbon bottled by Willett
Sold on: September 13^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $24,500

13. Laphroaig 10 year old Liqueur Scotch
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $25,726

12. Macallan 1949 50 year old Millennium Decanter
Sold on: September 6^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $26,200

11. Old Rip Van Winkle Family Reserve 10 year old Bourbon Delilah’s 10^th Anniversary
Sold on: September 13^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $26,800

10. Bowmore 1964 46 year old Fino Cask
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $27,080

9. Bowmore x Aston Martin 1968 Arc-54
Sold on: September 18^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $30,000

8. Very Very Old Fitzgerald Bourbon 1950 15 year old Blackhawk
Sold on: September 18^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $35,000

7. Macallan Anniversary Malt 1928 50 year old
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $40,620

6. Macallan 50 year old (2018 Release)
Sold on: September 7^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $41,974

5. Van Winkle Family Reserve 18 year old Bourbon Park Avenue Liquor
Sold on: September 13^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $42,300

4. Macallan The Red Collection 74 year old
Sold on: September 22^nd at Just Whisky
Hammer price: $46,634

3. Macallan in Lalique 55 year old
Sold on: September 6^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $55,200

2. Very Very Old Fitzgerald Bourbon 1950 18 year old Blackhawk
Sold on: September 27^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $84,900

1. Karuizawa 1960 52 year old The Prototype, Cask No.5627
Sold on: September 18^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $500,000

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 hammer price sales and shows the latest month’s results.