Auction Update: 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices for July

At a total of $365,984, July delivered the lowest combined value for the 20 highest hammer prices of the month since August 2024. Macallan in Lalique 65 year old set the highest hammer price of the month at $25,228 at McTear’s, Glasgow. Although nearly $10,000 below the bottle's original $35,000 release price, this sale helped Macallan overtake Yamazaki and reclaim the top spot in our rankings, albeit by the narrowest of margins. Elsewhere, Just Whisky sold bottle No.13 of Blair Castle whisky for $20,129. That cache of bottles first came to auction in 2023, hailed at the time as the world’s oldest whiskies, although the credibility of the evidence supporting the claim drew criticism online.

Japanese whisky comprised 20% of the 20 top bottles, with the sale of a third bottle of Hibiki 40 year old and three bottles of Karuizawa, led by a winning bid of $17,378 for the Karuizawa Aqua of Life 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538.

After a couple of months in which the 20 highest hammer price lists were dominated by single malts, Kentucky bourbon made more of an impact in July. Bottles of Buffalo Trace’s O.F.C. did well, with the 1980 vintage fetching $18,600 and the 1985 vintage making $16,600, plus a bottle of Eagle Rare 30 year old landed at $17,600, still trading 40% above its suggested retail price. No Van Winkle whiskeys have made the list for two months now. Michter’s had one of its most successful months at auction, securing two of the five highest hammer prices of the month with a bottle of Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel rye selling for $21,500, and a second bottle for $20,100. Additionally, a bottle of Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash 2013 Release took $15,200, and a bottle of Michter’s 20 year old Single Barrel bourbon L14L709 narrowly missed a top 20 place with a bid of $13,200. If you’ve always wanted to try aged Michter’s expressions like these, get your tickets for the WhiskyFest Afternoon Seminars as Michter’s 20 year old bourbon is just one of the incredible whiskies you can look forward to tasting.

July 2026 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices

Results converted to dollars using xe.com

20. Bowmore 1971 51 year old
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $14,704

19. Karuizawa Emerald Geisha 35 year old Cask No. 8518
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $14,704

18. Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash 2013 Release
Sold on: July 26^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $15,200

17. Bowmore Vaults Series 1969 50 year old
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $15,373

16. Karuizawa Ruby Geisha 34 year old Cask No. 3668
Sold on: July 26^th at Whisky Hammer
Hammer price: $15,454

15. Old Fashioned Copper 1985
Sold on: July 26^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $16,600

14. Macallan 40 year old (2005 Release)
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $16,709

13. Macallan 40 year old (2017 Release)
Sold on: July 12^th at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hammer price: $16,741

12. Karuizawa Aqua of Life 1969 50 year old Cask No. 538
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $17,378

11. Eagle Rare 30 year old
Sold on: July 12^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $17,600

10. Old Fashioned Copper 1980
Sold on: July 12^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $18,600

9. Laphroaig 14 year old
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $18,715

8. Macallan Fine & Rare 1964 37 year old
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $18,715

7. Balvenie 50 year old (2018 Release)
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $19,383

6. Macallan Fine & Rare 1938 31 year old
Sold on: July 6^th at Whisky Auctioneer
Hammer price: $20,051

5. Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel Rye
Sold on: July 26^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $20,100

4. Blair Castle Whisky
Sold on: July 20^th at Just Whisky
Hammer price: $20,129

3. Michter’s 25 year old Single Barrel Rye
Sold on: July 19^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $21,500

2. Hibiki 40 year old
Sold on: July 6^th at Unicorn Auctions
Hammer price: $23,100

1. Macallan in Lalique 65 year old
Sold on: July 1^st at McTear’s, Glasgow
Hammer price: $25,228

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.