Dalmore’s set of six vintage single malts spanning six decades has set a new record for the Scotch brand at auction, after selling for US$1.1 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
The record price was achieved at the dedicated one-lot auction in Hong Kong, which not only smashed the highest price for The Dalmore, but was also the highest value for a whisky lot sold at Sotheby’s so far this year and the most valuable whisky lot ever sold by Sotheby’s in Asia.
The successful bidder was an Asian private collector, who fought of stiff competition from collectors from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the UK.
A percentage of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to V&A Dundee, in line with The Dalmore’s announcement of a four-year partnership with Scotland’s first design museum, which aims to champion Scottish culture and creative talent on a global stage. The V&A Dundee was the first Victoria & Albert museum to open outside London.
Sotheby’s spirits specialist, Jonny Fowle said The Dalmore was “an icon of the whisky world” and the collection encapsulated “everything that the Distillery stands for”, while highlighting the key elements that collectors are looking for in today’s premium whisky market.
“Representing yet another benchmark, the record result – which also represents the highest value whisky we have sold so far this year – speaks volumes of the strong global demand we have witnessed over the past two years,’” he said.
The six-bottle collection was created by The Dalmore’s master distiller Richard Paterson, and includes one of the oldest liquids ever to have been released by the distillery, the 1951 vintage, along with the 1967, 1979, 1980, 1995, and 2000 vintages.
The Scotch whisky brand, which is owned by Whyte & Mackay, released 15 of The Dalmore Decades, which comprised five of the whiskies (excluding the 1951), which were valued at $275,000 USD. Each decanter – which is engraved with an exclusive set number – features a different and distinctive coloured stopper and the set comes with its own display pedestal. They are available at prestigious retailers internationally including Harrods in London, Le Bon Marché in France, Wally’s Wine & Spirits and CDFG Hainan (CH).
