Auction Update: The 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices in November

November’s list claimed the third-highest monthly total of the year, coming close to a million dollars. For the fourth month in a row, results were better than the year-earlier period: November’s combined 20 highest hammer prices reached $991,808, up 24% compared to November 2024. After 11 months, 220 bottles with combined hammer prices exceeding $10 million have made the monthly lists this year: results are 13%, or more than $1.1 million, up from the equivalent period in 2024.

Gordon & MacPhail successfully set a new record for the world’s oldest whisky sold at auction in November, one of three G&M bottlings to make this month’s 20-highest list. Achieving $160,000 at Christie’s, New York for Gordon & MacPhail 85 year old from Glenlivet Distillery, the company took the record back from Macallan The Reach 81 year old, which has held the record since 2022. Proceeds from the sale will benefit American Forests, and you can read our tasting notes here on this whisky distilled in 1940. It wasn’t the only big-ticket item this month, as a rare bottle of Yamazaki 50 year old 2011 Release led the sale at Sotheby’s, London, becoming the highest hammer price for November. At $183,081, it eclipsed the sale of Glenlivet Eternal Collection Second Edition 56 year old One of One, which garnered $65,386. Springbank achieved its first bottle on the list this year, with the rare re-bottled Springbank 1919 50 year old delivering the fifth highest hammer price of the month. The most fought over bottle was the first auction appearance of Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1950 15 year old Blackhawk, where intense bidding pushed the hammer price up to $77,100 at Unicorn Auctions. Look out for another bottle going under the hammer on December 12^th at Sotheby’s, New York.

Macallan returned to the list in November with multiple entries after missing out in October. We’ve been reporting on the sharp fall in Macallan values this year, and this month brought a further decline. Macallan The Red Collection 71 year old has dropped 33% in value in six months, losing over $20,000 since it made the list in May 2025. In 2018, a Macallan 50 year old was released for $35,000. Back in May 2023, it made the 20 highest list with a bid of $54,976. By November, the hammer price had fallen 29% to $39,232—a drop of over $15,000, wiping out most of its gains and heading back toward its original retail price. This is good news for buyers looking to acquire prestige bottles at lower prices, but in a falling market, there’s the eternal dilemma of choosing the best time to buy. For Macallan sellers, there is no point looking in the rearview mirror; the second-best time to sell is now.

With that in mind, and only December’s 20 highest hammer price bottles yet to be determined, the story to follow is Macallan Time:Space. This was the pinnacle of Macallan’s bicentenary releases in 2024 and cost $190,000 on release. Containing 84 year old single malt, it is now the world’s second-oldest whisky since Gordon & MacPhail reclaimed the title this year. While it has made a couple of auction appearances, it has always fallen short of the reserve and never sold. Now, two sets of Macallan Time:Space are being auctioned in December, at Whisky Auctioneer, and another at Zachy’s, New York. Zachy’s pre-sale estimates are $120,000–$180,000, noticeably lower than the original retail price, but remember to factor in shipping. Whisky Auctioneer warns that this large set weighs over 187 pounds in its outer storage crate and is not eligible for storage. For reference, Macallan’s highest auction price this year came in March with a $127,748 winning bid for Macallan Sir Peter Blake Anecdotes of Ages 1967 A License to Distil. Check out our next auction update to find out if one, both, or neither sets of Macallan Time:Space sold, and whether bidding broke through the threshold of its original $190,000 retail price or not.

November 2025 – 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Glenfarclas Pagoda Sapphire Reserve 1953 63 year old
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $20,924

19. Gordon & MacPhail 1948 72 year old from Glen Grant Distillery
Sold on: November 23^rd at Whisky Hammer
Hammer price: $21,216

18. Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned Copper 1983 2016 Release
Sold on: November 2^nd at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $22,100

17. Cadenhead’s Ardbeg 1965 23 year old
Sold on: November 3^rd at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $22,352

16. Old Rip Van Winkle 23 year old Decanter
Sold on: November 2^nd at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $22,600

15. Gordon & MacPhail Port Ellen 1969 15 year old Celtic Label
Sold on: November 3^rd at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $23,010

14. Samaroli Bowmore 1964 20 year old
Sold on: November 3^rd at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $26,297

13. Macallan Exceptional Cask 1950 67 year old Cask No. 1683-13
Sold on: November 25^th at The Grand Whisky Auction
Hammer price: $27,332

12. Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery 47 year old Chapter No. 3
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $28,770

11. Macallan Exceptional Cask 1950 67 year old Cask No. 1683-13
Sold on: November 9^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $30,259

10. Bowmore 1967 Largiemeanoch 12 year old
Sold on: November 3^rd at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $31,556

9. Macallan 50 year old 2018 Release
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $39,232

8. Macallan The Red Collection 71 year old
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $41,847

7. Macallan The Red Collection 78 year old
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $41,847

6. Macallan The Red Collection 73 year old
Sold on: November 3^rd at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $51,279

5. Springbank 1919 50 year old
Sold on: November 27^th at Christie’s, London
Hammer price: $55,620

4. Glenlivet Eternal Collection Second Edition 56 year old One of One
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s
Hammer price: $65,386

3. Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1950 15 year old Blackhawk
Sold on: November 17^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $77,100

2. Gordon & MacPhail 85 year old from Glenlivet Distillery
Sold on: November 21^st at Christie’s, New York
Hammer price: $160,000

1. Yamazaki 50 year old 2011 Release
Sold on: November 20^th at Sotheby’s, London
Hammer price: $183,081

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 prices and shows the latest month’s results.