S otheby's November Finest Whisky sale is led by the first partnership between The Glenlivet & Sotheby's in the distillery's historic 200th Anniversary year, The Glenlivet 55 Year Old 200th Anniversay Edition, a unique whisky available exclusively in this auction. The sale also includes the third part of the The Kodawari Collection, almost a year after Part I became the most valuable Japanese Whisky Collection ever sold at auction, totalling more than £1.8m.
Supporting these are a number of old & rare bottles of Scotch whisky from the likes of Springbank, Bowmore, Ardbeg and The Glenturret.
The Glenlivet 55 Year Old, 200th Anniversary Edition, 1 of 1 is the inaugural lot in a partnership between Sotheby’s and leading Scotch whisky maker, Chivas Brothers, to bring highly aged, one-off creations to auction. Released as part of The Glenlivet’s 200th Anniversary celebrations, this entirely unique and bespoke whisky and decanter were created exclusively for Sotheby’s collectors with all proceeds benefitting the National Trust for Scotland.
Bottled at 42.8% (at a higher strength than The Glenlivet's standard 55 Year Old release), this whisky is created from a bespoke assemblage and is entirely unique, never to be repeated. At 55 years old, this is the oldest whisky ever released directly by the distillery - a fitting tribute to mark such a significant moment in The Glenlivet's long history.
Each whisky project is distinct, however creating a genuine 1 of 1 whisky is extraordinarily special. From the meticulous selection of the casks from our exceptional aged inventory to the handcrafting of the final spirit — a blend of 55yo whisky from a bespoke sherry-seasoned European oak cask and select exceptional aged casks going back to 1959 — this represents the most exclusive whisky we have ever produced. It holds a uniquely significant place in my career.
The Glenlivet 55 Year Old, 200th Anniversary Edition, 1 of 1 is a truly extraordinary bottle, meticulously crafted to honour two centuries of unparalleled whisky-making heritage. Sitting alongside The Glenlivet 55 Year Old Eternal Collection, a limited edition of 100 decanters, this unique version features a bespoke 1 of 1 liquid, housed in exclusive packaging alongside a one-off artwork by computational architect Michael Hansmeyer.
Adorned with 24k gold plating and pavé set with 37 carefully selected Peridots, known for their natural luminescence, the bottle presents a striking contrast of green hues with glowing golden accents. The stopper features an intricate enamelling technique, reminiscent of the craftsmanship seen in Fabergé eggs. The bespoke 3D-printed artwork, plated in pure gold, rests on a base of Brazilian Emerald Quartzite. Designed by computational architect Michael Hansmeyer, a visionary known for merging traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, this piece reflects the same spirit of innovation that defines The Glenlivet in whisky.
Tasting Notes - Kevin Balmforth, The Glenlivet Cask Master
Nose: The aroma of this whisky is a delightful combination of red apples, ripe white peach, rich cranberry sauce, dark chocolate fondant, orange peel, nutmeg spice, and new leather, creating a sensory experience that evokes a sense of indulgence and complexity.
Taste: Upon sipping, the palate is treated to a symphony of flavours, with juicy plums, spiced baked apples, lavish caramel, roasted hazelnuts, desiccated coconut, dark liquorice, and a hint of ginger and cinnamon spice, providing a rich and satisfying taste experience.
Finish: The finish is incredibly rich and sweet, leaving a lasting impression of enduring, warming spice that lingers on the palate, completing the tasting journey with a sense of satisfaction and warmth.
This auction includes the second part of The Kodawari Collection, the most valuable Japanese Whisky Collection ever sold at auction. Included are a number of rare offerings from Karuizawa, Hanyu and Yamazaki.
Highlights include two bottles of one of the most legendary Karuizawa ever bottled and certainly one of the collector’s favourites, the Karuizawa Vintage Cask #6426 from 1967. Bottled in 2009 at 42 years old, the oldest Karuizawa ever at that time, the cask was split between La Maison Du Whisky (229 bottles) and The Whisky Exchange (195 bottles), for their 10th Anniversary. The bottles originally retailed at around €260, which was very expensive for a bottle of Japanese whisky at the time.
Scoring 95 Points from both Whisky Fun and WhiskyNotes.be, they both sit firmly as two of the top three most highly rated Karuizawa bottlings on Whiskybase and command an almost mythical status amongst whisky enthusiasts and lovers of heavily-sherried malts.
At the top of my list is the 1967 Vintage Cask #6426, which is shared between La Maison Du Whisky and The Whisky Exchange. I think this is my favourite whisky of all time.
Also included within this auction are some of the most sought after and highly rated Scotch whiskies ever bottled.
The Springbank Samaroli 12 Year Old, bottled at 100 Proof in the early 1980s, is one of the most legendary bottles of whisky ever produced. Consistently rated as one of the finest whiskies ever bottled it sits within the top 10 on the Whiskybase top 100 and was scored 98 points by Serge Valentin of Whiskyfun who described it as "A complete catalogue of aromas and flavours. Yes, this one is well a ‘Grand Cru’, or a malt king".
Also in the Whiskybase Top 10 and included in this sale are not one but two bottles of Springbank Local Barley 24 Year Old Cask #443. One of the first bottlings in the Local Barley series which has been ever popular with malt whisky enthusiasts and collectors, this whisky scored 95 Points on Whiskyfun.
From Islay, highlights begin in the form of the Bowmore Kingsbury Celtic Label 35 Year Old Cask #3300, one of 300 bottles from a single cask released exlusicely in Japan. Distilled during what is considered the greatest era of production at Bowmore, this whisky has only been seen at auction a handful of times before and is one of the most sought after bottlings of Bowmore ever released due to its quality and rarity. This whisky also scored 95 Points on Whiskyfun.
Also from Islay, Ardbeg Distillery is well represented in this sale with a number of rare and sought after bottles dating back to 1963. Among the highlights is the impressive Ardbeg 1965, bottled from two casks in 2005 at around 40 years of age and one of the most collectible bottles ever released by the distillery. Also featured are two bottles from independent bottler, Signatory Vintage, which have both scored amongst the highest of any Ardbeg whiskies ever released. Both distilled in 1967, Cask #575 (pale Oloroso butt) and Cask #1140 (dark Olroso butt) scored 95 Points and 92 Points on Whiskyfun respectively and are both are legends in their own right, displaying the high quality of Ardbeg in contrasting cask types and styles.
First released in 2007, the Glenfarclas Family Casks series highlights the best vintages from the family-owned Speyside distillery, going back all the way to 1952. This sale includes bottles from the 1952-1996 vintages, many of which come from the early iterations of this series, with an incredibly low outturn.
Finally, there are a number of rare bottles from one of Scotland's oldest distilleries which has had a major revival in recent years, The Glenturret.
The Glenturret 50 Year Old is the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery. Crafted by Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno, formerly Whisky Maker at The Macallan Distillery, the whisky was drawn from the last remaining cask from Glenturret’s 1972 vintage, the oldest cask in their possession. As a single cask it spent the last five decades maturing in a refill European Oak Sherry cask and is housed in a striking, hand carved black crystal decanter produced by luxury French crystal house, Lalique and designed by Marc Larminaux, Artistic and Creative Director at Lalique.
Alongside a number of impressive releases is the exceedingly rare Glenturret 24 Year Old Annabel's release, bottled exclusively for members of the legendary London members club in Mayfair. Only 20 bottles were ever produced and this is the first time this bottle has ever been offered at auction.
