Whisky auctions have been all the rage as of late. With record prices going to batches of The Macallan and other brands offering those newfangled NFTs alongside their own coveted bottles, now is as good a time as ever to unload some of your rare spirits — that is, if you have them.
That’s exactly what famed London auction house Bonhams is doing at its Paris division with the upcoming Exceptional Whisky and Spirits auction. Bonhams has offered everything from rare art to memorabilia, but this is the first time they’ve assembled together spirits. Sourced from Italian collections, such as the trading company Samaroli, the sale boasts 189 lots in all. The highlights include a rare 15-year-old Laphroaig Scotch from 1967, bottled from a Sherry wood cask and considered by collectors to be one of the best whiskies of all time. This single malt from Samaroli is numbered 280 out of 720 and is estimated to go anywhere between €28,000 and €38,000 (~$29,474 and $40,002).
Among the other bottles is a 12-year-old Springbank deemed the best the Scotch-maker has ever produced, coming from a small batch of only 2,400 bottles. The cask-strength single malt is estimated to go between €15,000 and €20,000 (~$15,790 and $21,054). A 1938 bottle from The Macallan is also up for auction, one of the rare 10-year examples bottled by the sought-after Gordon & MacPhail bottlers. Numbered 11 and presented in a vintage wooden case, this Scotch is estimated to sell for between €9,600 and €12,000 (~$10,105 and $12,631). Even the lowest-estimated sale in the lot is still exceptional, with a Cardhu 12-year-old expected to nab at least €200 (~$210).
The Exceptional Whisky and Spirits auction will take place Tuesday, May 10 at Bonhams in Paris starting at 2 pm local time, but bids can be made via Bonhams’ website as well.
