Auction Update: Summer Slowdown

July brought a slower pace to the whisky auction market as auction departments took a seasonal break, with the major houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams scheduling no sales.

A bottle of Macallan in Lalique 65 year old, sold by McTear’s, Glasgow, had the highest finish among its auction competitors, but a somewhat unimpressive hammer price. Originally released at $35,000 in 2016, this rarity has halved in value at auction since last October. Macallan lost the lead to Yamazaki as last month’s highest price paid for a single bottle of whisky. While no Yamazaki is expected to make July’s 20 highest list, bottles of Hibiki 40 year old, Karuizawa Aqua of Life 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538, and Karuizawa Emerald Geisha 35 year old Cask No. 8518 have attracted the interest of Japanese whisky collectors.

In American whiskey, prospects look good for whiskeys including Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel rye, Eagle Rare 30 year old, and an O.F.C. 1980 from Buffalo Trace. As the auction calendar returns to full strength, the focus will be on whether Macallan can still gain for the year despite trading lower, whether a sufficient volume of Japanese rarities will emerge to sustain the challenge, and what impact the era of big age statement American whiskeys can have on the top tier of the collectibles market.

McTear’s Auctioneers, Glasgow – Whisky: Elegance & Luxury

Auction ended July 1^st

• Speyside: Macallan in Lalique 65 year old, $25,228. Once upon a time, McTear’s were the only auction house running specialist whisky auctions. This month, it has the delivered the highest hammer price.
• Islay: Black Bowmore 1964 First Release, $11,950. Prices for the original trio of Black Bowmore expressions, released between 1993–1995, have been on the rise this year.
• Lowlands: Signatory Vintage Rosebank 1965 28 year old, $2,390. Bottled in 1993, this independent bottling was matured in a single sherry cask, yielding just 180 bottles.

Whisky Auctioneer – June 2026 Auction

Auction ended July 6^th

• Islay: Laphroaig 14 year old, $18,715. A case of Laphroaig 10 year old Carlton Company Imports featured as our lot of the week in May, but this early 1950s Carlton Company import bottling is even older, and will have been filled with whisky distilled before the outbreak of World War II. If you’re looking for something more contemporary and wallet-friendly, Laphroaig recently brought back their 15 year old.
• Campbeltown: Springbank 50 year old, $9,625. Distilled in 1919, this is the original release, presented in Springbank’s classic pear-shaped bottle.
• Islands: Duncan Taylor Accolade Highland Park 1970 54 year old, $9,357. At the time of release, this was the oldest independent bottling of Highland Park.

Scotch Whisky Auctions – 181^st Auction

Auction ended July 12^th

• Speyside: Macallan 40 year old 2017 Release, $16,741. Within the same sale, this Macallan 40 year old received higher bids than The Red Collection 40 year old.
• Islands: Ledaig Dùsgadh 1972 46 year old, $4,821. One of 500 bottles, each set includes a copper nameplate made from the distillery’s retired stills.
• Blend: Royal Salute 21 year old Bill Amberg Limited Edition, $2,143. The Bill Amberg Studio has collaborated with whisky brands from Yamazaki to Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but this leather and canvas pouch for Royal Salute’s signature blend delivered an exceptional result this month. In its two previous appearances at Scotch Whisky Auctions, this 2016 release produced hammer prices of just $151 in 2023 and $99 in 2022.

Lot of the Week

Amid the many scotch whisky distilleries to celebrate their bicentenary in recent years, such as Macallan, Glenlivet, Old Pulteney, and Glendronach, it would be easy to overlook some of the smaller names. One such distillery is Edradour, near Pitlochry, one of Scotland’s smallest traditional distilleries which marked its bicentenary in 2025. Owned by Andrew Symington of independent bottler Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky since 2002, the Highland distillery produces both Edradour and the heavily peated Ballechin single malts. The picturesque farm buildings that house the distillery, Edradour’s home since 1837, retain much of their traditional equipment, including a small open-topped mash tun, the last working Morton refrigerator (a type of wort cooler) in a scotch whisky distillery, and worm tub condensers. Sadly, visitors can no longer experience this gem of a distillery, as distillery tours ceased in 2020 and have yet to resume.

To commemorate its bicentenary, Edradour released a range of special bottlings across different markets, crowned by a pair of sherried single cask 35 year old whiskies distilled on the same day in September 1989. Beyond representing the bicentenary and sporting impressive age statements, the pair offer an intriguing comparison of how warehouse conditions can influence long-term maturation. Enigma 1 was drawn from a first-fill oloroso sherry butt matured in a traditional dunnage warehouse, yielding 498 bottles at a natural cask strength of 52.6%. Meanwhile, Enigma 2, also a first-fill oloroso sherry butt, was matured in a modern (racked) warehouse. After 35 years, it produced only 379 bottles at a natural cask strength of 62.3%; fewer bottles but at a markedly higher ABV. Both whiskies were offered at Scotch Whisky Auctions this month, with bidders willing to pay a modest premium to acquire the scarcer, higher strength Enigma 2 for their collection.

Lot: Edradour 1989 35 year old Enigma 1
Sold at: Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer Price: $1,004

Lot: Edradour 1989 35 year old Enigma 2
Sold at: Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer Price: $1,071

Upcoming Auctions:

August 10^th, Whisky Auctioneer: July Auction. Bidding opens on July 31^st, but will the unsold Yamazaki 55 year old from June make a reappearance?

August 12^th, McTear’s, Glasgow: Whisky. Can McTear’s bring more trophy bottles to market next month?