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October is often the month with the strongest sales of the year, and The Distillers One of One auction certainly made our monthly list of the 20 highest single-bottle hammer prices more competitive than ever. That hasn’t been the only story, as bottles of Samaroli Laphroaig 15 year old Sherry Wood led both this month’s Whisky.Auction and Whisky Auctioneer sales, and Christie's received a bid of $24,269 for a bottle of Macallan Fine & Rare 1950 52 year old. Sotheby’s also conducted sales in New York and Hong Kong, with the first five of Macallan’s Six Pillars Collection leading the charge in New York.
Unicorn Auctions “No Reserves” Auction
Auction ended October 8th 
- American: Pappy van Winkle Family Reserve 23 year old First Release, $23,400. The rarity of this whiskey distilled at Stitzel-Weller Distillery ensures its place among the most collectible bottles of Pappy’s.
- Scotch: Talisker Prima & Ultima 37 year old, $2,625. This 93-point whisky came from the last casks of Talisker filled in 1984.
- Canadian: Heaven’s Door Bootleg Series Volume I 26 year old, $2,000. Rated 89 points, this whisky has quadrupled in value from its original release price of $500.
Whisky Auctioneer
Auction ended October 9th
- Scotch: Samaroli Laphroaig 15 year old Sherry Wood, $67,122. This bottling has made a surprisingly frequent number of appearances at auction this year.
- Japanese: Hanyu 1985 Ichiro Malt Card Series Ace of Spades Cask No. 9308, $37,832. Of the 13 Ace of Spades bottles handled by Whisky Auctioneer, this one achieved their second-highest bid.
- American: Van Winkle Special Reserve 1975 for Corti Brothers, $19,526. This rarity is slipping in value, as it nearly reached $30,000 in 2021.
Sotheby’s, New York – Legends, Six Decades of Collecting
Auction ended October 14th
- Scotch: Macallan in Lalique 50 year old, $75,000. The first release from Macallan’s Six Pillars collection, and there was plenty of interest in the other releases from the collection going under the hammer.
- American: Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel Rye, $15,000. This bottle was one of 25 bottles originally sold in the UK market.
Lot of the Week
There are three new Port Ellen releases on the market this fall, including a $7,300 first-fill sherry cask release from Duncan Taylor, a $15,000 refill sherry cask expression from Gordon & MacPhail, and an American oak hogshead bottling only available as part of the $56,865 Diageo Prime & Ultima 2023 releases. These collectible bottles command a high price given the age and scarcity of the liquid, but that doesn’t mean that all Port Ellen is unobtainable. This bottle of Connoisseur’s Choice Port Ellen was distilled in 1980 and matured until 1999, and sold for just over $500 this month, proving there are some fantastic bargains around at auction at the minute. So if you have always wanted to try a whisky from a legendary distillery but your budget doesn’t stretch into tens of thousands of dollars, then your wish can still come true.
Lot: Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice Port Ellen 1980
Sold at: Whisky.Auction
Hammer Price: $504
Upcoming Auctions
Bottles to bid on in the next few weeks:
October 22nd, Irish Whiskey Auction: Method & Madness 33 year old Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask Filling notoriously leaky mizunara oak casks with 33 year old single pot still whiskey was certainly brave, but the flavors from this 94 point collectible Irish whiskey suggest it was a risk worth taking.
October 24th, Whisky.Auction: Glenfiddich 50 year old (miniature) Previously, we have shone a spotlight on Glenfiddich’s highest prices at auction, which included their previous 50 year old bottlings. This miniature gives you a chance to experience all the flavor for a fraction of the cost. This sale also features a rare miniature of Springbank 1919 50 year old, a historic liquid that can attract very high prices on the day.
October 26th, Bonhams Skinner: A. Keller Bourbon Whiskey 1856 22 year old Reportedly, this was distilled at Paris, Kentucky in October 1856 and bottled 22 years later in 1878.
November 18th, Sotheby's: Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 60 year old Only 7 bottles have ever sold for more than $1 million at auction. Could this be the 8th?
