Macallan cask sets new world record at auction

A Sherry hogshead of 1987 The Macallan sold for HK$2.9 million earlier this month at Spink China’s sale of fine and rare spirits in Hong Kong, setting a new world record for a whisky cask sold at auction.

Taking place on 3 October, the HK$2,928,000 (£282,890/US$374,839) realised for cask #3335 set two world records – one for the most ever paid for a complete cask of Scotch whisky and another for the individual price of each of the 228 bottles the cask would yield – HK$10,166 per 70cl.

Angie Ihlo Fung, auctioneer and whisky specialist at Spink, commented: “We estimated that it would sell for around HK$2.3 as it is very rare to see an aged Macallan sherry cask, never before has anything like that been offered to the public, as after all – it is a rather small barrel yielding less than 300 bottles even if you flip the cask upside-down.

“As the action went on, we saw determination from buyers participating from different parts of the world, and it reached a price it certainly deserves, we are most content.”

Distilled on 13 April 1987, the cask is currently stored in bond at The Macallan warehouse in Speyside.