We take a look at some of the highlights, top lots and surprises from the latest auction.
Blended Whiskies
It’s unusual to see blended malts mixing it with single malts among the top lots at auction but there was plenty of interest in rare and vintage blends in October’s miniature auction. Top lot of the evening was Johnnie Walker Blue Label The John Walker Gift Set, which fetched an impressive £825.
Vintage blended whiskies also attracted huge attention from bidders. A flurry of late bids meant that Old Orkney Real Liqueur Blended Scotch Whisky eventually settled on a hammer price of £600. There were a number of miniatures from as far back as the 1930s up to mid 20th century, such as House of Lords, bottled in 1934 (sold for £120), Hedges & Butler Vat 250 (sold for £85) and a Johnnie Walker Red Label bottled in the 1950s that fetched £190.
Single Malts
Macallan won the battle for the top single malt lot. The eye-catching Ralph Steadman artwork of the Macallan Private Eye, ended the auction on £650 and narrowly beat a Gordon & MacPhail miniature of Talisker 1955 Cask Strength (sold for £625). Another independent bottling narrowly beaten to the top spot was this Prestonfield Islay 1965 22 Year Old single cask, that fetched a hammer price of £600. A quintet of 50 year old malts from Gordon & MacPhail fetched between £60 and £220 each, and this anniversary bottling of Springbank 1965 27 Year Old, bottled in 1992 for the legendary Milroy’s bar in London finished at £310.
Memorabilia
Memorabilia is great for whisky fans looking for something a bit different to add to their collection. For £750 one lucky collector got their hands on a Diageo Classic Malts Brand Ambassador Tasting Set presented in a custom built wooden carry case, including tasting glasses and Classic Malts branded flasks.
For whisky lovers looking to add to their home bars there were plenty of mirrors, vintage posters and prints. This Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky Mirror sold for £180 and a personal favourite was this Glenfiddich Distillery Print by artist Alfred Daniels (sold for £45). There were also vintage figurines such as these Johnnie Walker Striding Man (£65 and £55), White Horse (£40), and a ceramic of one of whiskies most famous (and prolific) moggies Glenturret’s Towser sold for £50.
A highlight of the memorabilia section was this beautiful late 19th century Sikes’s Hydrometer, sold for £130, presented in its original wooden, velvet-lined box.
If you were looking for something to drink your whisky from, there was a wide range of glassware and some standout results were Macallan Jacobite Glass and a pair of Remy Martin Louis XIII Glasses (both sold for £180) and a box of six Moser Crystal Glasses that fetched £240.
Roundup
The auction saw great results in general, notably for rare and collectable Japanese whiskies. These 18cl bottles of Hibiki 17 Year Old sold for £260 and £220 while 5cl bottles of Hibiki 17 Year Old fetched £60 each.
Miniatures remain an ideal opportunity to sample excellent whiskies at a fraction of the price of full size bottles and a number of Suntory ‘The Art of Japanese Whisky’ gift sets containing miniatures of Yamazaki, Hibiki and Hakushu went for £100 to £130.
