Whisky Auction Update: 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices of November

November delivered a new world record for whisky at auction with the Macallan Valerio Adami, and the total hammer price value for the 20 highest single bottle sales reached nearly $3.3 million. While the Valerio Adami got the spotlight at the top of the list, Japanese whiskies made up more than half of the top 20, with the sale of the Karuizawa 1960 52 year old Daikoku God and the Yamazaki 50 year old 2^nd release in second and third place. That made November the highest monthly total of 2023—though the year isn’t over quite yet, with auctions running through December. Competition for December's top slots may come from the upcoming sale of a bottle of Macallan The Reach 81 year old and a bottle of Yamazaki 55 year old in Paris.

November 2023 – Top 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Macallan Fine & Rare 1979 40 year old
Sold on: November 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $21,558

19. Karuizawa 1965 50 year old Cask No. 8636
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $23,612

18. Karuizawa 1965 50 year old Cask No. 8636
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $24,233
17. Karuizawa Platinum Geisha 38 year old Cask No. 4365
Sold on: November 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $24,780
16. Macallan Millennium 1949 50 year old
Sold on: November 18^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $24,913
15. Karuizawa Platinum Geisha 38 year old Cask No. 4365
Sold on: November 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $25,399

14. Karuizawa Ruby Geisha 38 year old Cask No. 7582
Sold on: November 12^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $25,670
13. Karuizawa 1965 50 year old Cask No. 2372
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $27,340

12. Karuizawa 1965 50 year old Cask No. 2372
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $27,340
11. Karuizawa Noh 1971 41 year old Cask No. 1842
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $29,825
10. Glenturret 1972 50 year old
Sold on: November 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $34,691
9. Karuizawa 1965 50 year old Japonisme Cask No. 2372 & No. 8636
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $39,767
8. Macallan in Lalique 65 year old
Sold on: November 24^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $44,910
7. Macallan in Lalique 62 year old
Sold on: November 24^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $57,741
6. Macallan Genesis in Lalique 72 year old
Sold on: November 7^th at Whisky.Auction
Hammer price: $61,476
5. Bowmore Arc-52
Sold on: November 18^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $62,284
4. Macallan The Red Collection 78 year old
Sold on: November 18^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $62,284

3. Yamazaki 50 year old 2^nd Release
Sold on: November 24^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $198,887
2. Karuizawa 1960 52 year old Cask No. 5627 Daikoku God
Sold on: November 11^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $298,251
1. Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 60 year old
Sold on: November 18^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $2,179,927

This table ranks the 20 brands by year-to-date total and also shows November’s results.