Auction Update: August's 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

A strong August for Macallan helped the 20-highest hammer prices for the month reach a combined total of $557,495. This pushed Macallan’s appearances on this year’s table past the $3 million mark—reaching that goal faster than last year, and with a larger share of bottles overall. Notably, August of 2024 managed to reach a total of just $366,215.

The Grand Whisky Auction delivered the highest hammer price of August with a bottle of Macallan The Red Collection 60 year old. Single malt scotch dominated the top five positions overall, including a Dalmore 50 year old signed by master distiller Richard Paterson. Vintage scotch performed well, with entries including Samaroli Bowmore Bouquet 1966, Laphroaig 14 year old from the 1950s, and Gordon & MacPhail Port Ellen 1969 15 year old. A stronger month for Irish whiskey too, with two bottles of Midleton making the list, including the 95-point Midleton Very Rare 30^th Anniversary Pearl Edition. Rye outperformed bourbon in August with a bottle of LeNell Red Hook Barrel No.2, a German export bottle of Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel, and Lotta’s Home, a private bottling 13 year old by Julian Van Winkle III, all making the list.

The auction season now ramps up through fall into the holidays, with upcoming sales at Sotheby’s and Bonhams Skinner. Sotheby’s, Hong Kong has a bottle of Macallan The Reach 81 year old up for grabs, followed by Sotheby’s, New York Whisky & Whiskey sale on September 24^th. Bonhams Skinner presents Whiskey Archives: The Lone Star Collection on September 30^th, which includes Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old and Bowmore 1964 37 year old Fino Cask. After our first glimpse at The Distillers One of One auction at Sotheby’s, Edinburgh this October, further unique lots have been revealed. Kandoblanc’s Dragon in Clouds is a 60 year old Speyside single malt matured in refill sherry casks, presented in a unique magnum vessel that fuses Japanese craftsmanship and Italian glassmaking, embodying the maison’s philosophy of cultural preservation and understated beauty. At the Distillers One of One auction in 2023, Kandoblanc Aga sold for $43,806, making the 20-highest hammer price list for October 2023. The Glenfarclas Gallon 58 year old (Est. $32,00–$60,000) was matured in a first-fill sherry butt and the 4.5 liter bottle is presented in a bespoke oak box carved by sculptor Stuart Murdoch. The oldest Port Ellen release joins the lineup, with a magnum bottling of Prism 1978 46 year old (Est. $200,000–$400,000) encased in a glass sculpture by Wilfried Grootens. The whisky was initially matured in refill hogsheads before being married in refill American oak puncheons for more than a decade. This is the highest-value whisky at the auction, and retains a remarkable ABV of 57.8%, even after nearly five decades of maturation.

20-Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices of August 2025

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Buffalo Trace O.F.C. 1980
Sold on August 17^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $16,300

19. Macallan 40 year old (2016 Release)
Sold on: August 7^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $17,000

18. Macallan The Red Collection 40 year old
Sold on: August 10^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $17,483

17. Midleton Very Rare Vintage 1988
Sold on: August 5^th at Grand Whisky Auction
Hammer price: $18,298

16. Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel Rye (2014 Release)
Sold on: August 31^st at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $19,000

15. Karuizawa 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538
Sold on: August 4^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $19,269

14. Gordon & MacPhail Port Ellen 1969 15 year old
Sold on: August 4^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $19,934

13. Karuizawa 1968 50 year old Water of Life Cask No. 6223
Sold on: August 4^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $19,934

12. Lotta’s Home Papa’s Private Family Reserve 13 year old Rye
Sold on: August 3^rd at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $20,100

11. Laphroaig 14 year old
Sold on August 17^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $20,200

10. Midleton Very Rare 30^th Anniversary Pearl Edition
Sold on August 24^th at Whisky Bidder
Hammer price: $21,642

9. Macallan Millennium 1949 50 year old
Sold on August 24^th at Whisky Hammer
Hammer price: $23,695

8. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old
Sold on August 24^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $29,000

7. Macallan in Lalique 65 year old
Sold on: August 7^th at Sotheby’s, New York
Hammer price: $32,000

6. LeNell Red Hook Rye Barrel No.2
Sold on: August 31^st at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $32,200

5. Dalmore 50 year old
Sold on August 17^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $33,000

4. Macallan The Red Collection 50 year old
Sold on: August 4^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $35,881

3. Samaroli Bowmore Bouquet 1966
Sold on: August 4^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $37,210

2. Macallan 1950 Tales of the Macallan Volume I
Sold on: August 4^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $53,157

1. Macallan The Red Collection 60 year old
Sold on: August 5^th at Grand Whisky Auction
Hammer price: $72,192

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.