Auction Sales Break The Million Dollar Mark in April, But Are Down 29% Year to Date

April’s 20-highest hammer prices broke the million-dollar barrier for the first time in 2024, thanks largely to two sales of Macallan The Reach 81 year old. The month's 20-highest hammer prices were valued at $1,023,392, but despite this bumper month, year to date sales are down 29%, by a total of $1.3 million. The market for the most expensive collectibles has softened since 2022–23, with unsold bottles of five-figure whiskies failing to meet the reserve price now becoming a regular occurrence at auction. The whiskies struggling to sell are often relatively recent releases or bottles in a price segment where market is undergoing a correction after an initial flurry of interest has died down. But even this month’s usual stand-outs, Macallan and Karuizawa, are experiencing some of these market forces. Sellers who can accept a lower sum might make the sale regardless, whereas others might want to take their bottles back from the auction house and wait for the market to improve.

But it's not all doom and gloom, as plenty of trading is taking place further down the market, so that bottle you wanted might now be cheaper than you thought. Cask sales are good for certain distilleries; Whisky Hammer auctioned a hogshead of Springbank 1998 for $115,152 containing enough whisky for 233 bottles of 25 year old, and sold a second cask of Springbank in the same auction, while casks of Craigellachie and Glentauchers failed to find a buyer.

In the current secondary market for rare whiskies, sellers with expensive bottles should be choosy about which auction house they use to sell their collection, basing the decision on recent track records with high-value bottlings. If you’re a collector, it’s good time to buy as you can find better prices on the rare whiskies you seek, and you might face less competition.

April 2024 – Top 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Macallan Fine & Rare 1979 40 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $21,715

19. Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 1948 72 year old
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $22,143

18. Glenfarclas 1954 Pagoda Ruby Reserve 62 year old
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $23,409

17. Yamazaki Junshin
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $24,041

16. Karuizawa Vintage 1965 Cask No. 8852
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $25,547

15. Bowmore 1964 35 year old Cask No. 3709
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $25,939

14. Glenfarclas 1953 Pagoda Sapphire Reserve 63 year old
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $27,205

13. Karuizawa 1965 50 year old Cask No. 8636
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $29,103

12. Karuizawa 1968 50 year old Cask No. 6223
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $33,211

11. Karuizawa 1968 50 year old Cask No. 6223
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $33,211

10. Karuizawa 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $35,766

9. Macallan The Red Collection 50 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $35,766

8. Macallan 52 year old
Sold on: April 14^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $42,343

7. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old
Sold on: April 15^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $42,600

6. Karuizawa 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538
Sold on: April 8^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $43,657

5. Macallan The Red Collection 74 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $57,481

4. Macallan The Red Collection 78 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $57,481

3. Macallan in Lalique 55 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $61,313

2. Macallan The Reach 81 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at WVA Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $189,859

1. Macallan The Reach 81 year old
Sold on: April 2^nd at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $191,602

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.