The 20 Highest Hammer Prices for April

The combined value of the 20-highest single bottle hammer prices for April hit $600,904, led by Macallan The Reach 81 year old as the month’s top lot. That marks a strong showing—up 39% from April 2025—even if year-to-date totals still trail last year’s pace by 9%. With the April 30^th announcement lifting U.S. tariffs on scotch, collectors should be able to benefit from this welcome news in the months ahead.

Our auction table is shaping up to be a two-horse race. Just a third of the way through the year, Macallan has surged ahead, opening a lead of more than $200,000 over its nearest rival, Van Winkle. Yet the picture is more nuanced: Macallan has landed 35% fewer bottles on our 20-highest single-bottle hammer prices than at the same point in 2025, and its value is down 48% year on year. In fact, Macallan’s top 20 brand value by the end of April 2026 had yet to surpass its value for the month of February 2025.

Van Winkle, by contrast, is growing in strength as a collectible. It still holds the highest hammer price of the year to date and added another standout result with an $80,600 winning bid for a Van Winkle Special Reserve 1985 18 year old Single Cask for Binny’s at Unicorn Auctions, the second time this rarity has appeared this year. With its presence in the 20-highest up 150% and total value surging 175% compared to 2025, the momentum currently sits firmly with the American whiskey.

April’s results also delivered the year’s highest hammer price for a Japanese whisky, with $56,904 paid for Ichiro’s Malt Card Series Hanyu 1990 Queen of Hearts Cask No. 9102 at Whisky Auctioneer. Scotch was well represented across the top 20, with independent bottlings from Samaroli, Sestante, and Gordon & MacPhail making appearances; however, aside from Macallan, no single scotch brand has yet surpassed $100,000 in total value or appeared more than five times this year.

Late-month auctions filled the final four spots on the list, featuring a Glenfarclas Pagoda decanter, a pair of Macallan Fine & Rare releases, and a Macallan Millennium 1949 50 year old. Notably, the latter changed hands for just $16,188 at Christie’s, London—a striking result for an expression that once commanded close to $50,000.

The Eagle Rare 30 year old Bourbon Takes Flight sale at Bonhams, Edinburgh runs through May 8^th. Note, Sotheby’s, London postponed its whisky auction originally slated for the same day to June 5^th, marking a second consecutive month without a Sotheby’s whisky sale. Bonhams, Hong Kong will close out the month with its Finest and Rarest Spirit sale on May 30^th.

April 2026 20-Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Glenfarclas Pagoda Saphire Reserve 1953 63 year old
Sold on: April 29^th at Christie’s, London
Hammer price: $16,188

19. Macallan Millennium 1949 50 year old
Sold on: April 29^th at Christie’s, London
Hammer price: $16,188

18. Macallan Fine & Rare 1940 35 year old
Sold on: April 26^th at Whisky Hammer
Hammer price: $16,197

17. Macallan Fine & Rare 1966 35 year old
Sold on: April 26^th at European Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $16,644

16. Karuizawa 1995 18 year old Ghost Series No. 2 Cask No. 5022
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $16,542

15. Glendronach Finest Highland Malt
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $17,204

14. Twisted Spoke 16 year old
Sold on: April 26^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $18,300

13. White Bowmore 1964 43 year old
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $17,865

12. Sestante Caol Ila 18 year old
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $17,865

11. Gordon & MacPhail Generations Mortlach 1939 75 year old
Sold on: April 12^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $21,528

10. Macallan Fine & Rare 1972 29 year old
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $21,174

9. Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old
Sold on: April 19^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $22,700

8. Macallan Fine & Rare 1952 49 year old
Sold on: April 12^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $24,219

7. Macallan Fine & Rare 1937 37 year old
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $29,114

6. Macallan x Bentley Horizon
Sold on: April 12^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $30,000

5. Samaroli Glen Cawdor 1965 Pure Malt
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $30,437

4. Samaroli Laphroaig 1967 15 year old Matured in Sherry Wood
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $39,701

3. Ichiro’s Malt Card Series Hanyu 1990 Queen of Hearts Cask No. 9102
Sold on: April 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $56,904

2. Van Winkle Special Reserve 1985 18 year old Single Cask for Binny’s
Sold on: April 26^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $80,600

1. Macallan The Reach 81 year old
Sold on: April 21^st at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $91,534

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.