The Macallan’s auction prowess needs no introduction. For decades, the Speyside distillery has continued to beat its own bottles when it comes to the most expensive whiskies ever sold at auctions.
Running from 1983 to 2004, their Anniversary Malt is not necessarily its most coveted (the brand initially released them at £25 a bottle as a nod to the 25-year age statement) but has become one of its most beloved for how it gives collectors the chance to compare vintages across different years — that is, if you have access to all 19 bottles. Thankfully, U.K.-based broker Mark Littler is selling perhaps the only complete collection of the Anniversary Malt series, but you’ll have to break out your wallet to get the chance to own it.
The First of Its Kind
When The Macallan launched the Anniversary Malt in 1983, they were doing something nobody else was: releasing vintage-dated, 25-year-old single malts directly from the distillery. This was years before single malt became the darling of whisky connoisseurs, back when most Scotch was still destined for blending. The series helped push The Macallan into luxury territory and positioned sherry-cask maturation as the gold standard for serious collectors.
The 19-bottle lineup spans vintages from 1957 through 1975 (with some gaps like 1960, 1961, and 1973), plus a handful of non-vintage releases in different formats. Each bottle came in an elaborate wooden presentation boxes, included with detailed backstories.
A Three-Decade Hunt
The collection belongs to 72-year-old Italian collector Danielle Smeyers, who started buying Anniversary Malts in the late 1990s after a trip to Scotland. She didn’t plan to assemble a complete set — it just happened organically over 30 years of hunting through auctions and specialty shops across Europe. Now that she’s finished, she’s ready to pass it along.
According to Littler, who’s handled hundreds of thousands of bottles in his career, this is the only complete Anniversary Malt collection he’s aware of anywhere in the world. Beyond just having all 19 bottles, every single one has exceptional fill levels (all into the neck) and comes with its original presentation box. Replicating this today would take years, assuming you could even find bottles in comparable condition.
SPEC SHEET
Collection: The Macallan Anniversary Malt Complete Set
Total Bottles: 19
Vintages: 1957, 1958, 1958/59, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, plus non-vintage editions
Age Statement: 25 years (vintage releases)
Series Run: 1983-2004
Price: $168,461
Pricing & Availability
The complete collection is available now through Mark Littler’s site for $168,461. That’s roughly $8,900 per bottle, which, considering some individual Anniversary Malts command well into five figures at auction, is a relative bargain if you’re serious about owning a piece of whisky history.
Recap
The Macallan Anniversary Malt Complete Set Auction
The only known complete set of The Macallan Anniversary Malt series — all 19 bottles spanning 1957 to 1975 vintages — just hit the market for $168,461 through whisky broker Mark Littler. It’s a three-decade collection in pristine condition that would be nearly impossible to replicate today.
