A bottle of exceedingly rare Macallan whiskey sold for US$250,000 at a Sotheby’s auction last week in New York.
Proceeds from the sale will benefit ChaShaMa, a New York-based nonprofit arts organization that transforms unused real estate into spaces for artists, small businesses, and community-centric art classes.
“The Macallan has a longstanding history celebrating artistry and supporting the arts, and we are proud that the funds from this very special release, which pays homage to one of the world’s most iconic cities, will benefit New York City artists through the ChaShaMa charity,” Geoff Kirk, channel director secondary market at The Macallan, said in a news release.
The Macallan “Distil Your World New York Single Cask Edition” was created from a single cask constituent of the original blend, distilled in 2002, and bottled at cask strength, resulting in a 55% alcohol by volume. Only two bottles were made. The standard, 75cl bottle has “a quintessential New York flavor note of chocolate covered peanuts, along with a new taste of sweet candy, and a hint of cherry blossom,” Sotheby’s said.
Presented in a blue box featuring an engraved aerial map of New York, the bottle also comes with a dining experience at El Celler de Can Roca, a bistro in Girona, Spain, for the collector and three guests, and a booklet signed by a team that made a documentary about this special edition, according to Sotheby’s.
The lot was offered as a highlight of Sotheby’s first whisky auction of the year in New York, which ran online from Jan. 30 to Feb 10. Prior to the sale, the auction house had expected it to fetch between US$30,000 and US$80,000.
There were a total of 68 bids placed by 20 bidders, and the winning bidder is an Asian collector, Sotheby’s said.
The other bottle of “The Macallan Distil Your World New York Single Cask Edition” will be kept in The Macallan archive.
In total, Sotheby’s realized US$1.33 million from the 272-lot sellout auction, with 90% of lots selling for more than their high estimates, the auction house said.
By Fang Block
Feb. 13, 2023 3:40 pm ET
Source: https://www.barrons.com/articles/a-rare-bottle-of-macallan-whiskey-sells-for-a-quarter-million-dollars-e14e66d8
