Most Expensive Whisky Ever Sold Gets an Artistic Makeover

(Photos: The Macallan)

Renowned whisky collector Nguyễn Đình Tuấn Việt has transformed one of his most valuable bottles into a bespoke piece of fine art.

Last week, Việt unveiled a 360-degree painting applied directly to his decanter of The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old. To call it an expensive makeover would be an understatement. A bottle of the same whisky sold at auction in 2023 for a record-shattering $2.7 million, handily making it the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction. Việt says he’s already declined an offer of over $10 million for his reimagining.

The artwork lining the bottle was commissioned from Roberto Ferri, an Italian painter known for sweeping neoclassical pieces reminiscent of 17th-century greats like Caravaggio. Ferri reportedly spent two months conceptualizing the decanter. In it, a pair of red-haired nymphs lie in a bed of water, surrounded by interconnected branches extending toward the cork.  The nymphs are said to personify barley and oak, while their hair is “a symbolic flame that evokes Scotland.” Myriad smaller details pay tribute to the mashing, cooling and ambient maturation of The Macallan’s spirits.

“To paint directly onto a bottle valued in the millions was an immense responsibility; there was no room for error,” Ferri remarked in a news release.  “I chose to depict barley, oak, water and flame as allegorical figures—the elemental forces that give birth to whisky. My aim was to elevate this bottle into a work of art in the classical tradition.”

It’s the latest crown jewel in a collection overflowing with gemstones. Việt’s treasure trove spans 1,200 bottles collectively valued at over $150 million, among them the oldest known bottlings of whisky, rum, cognac and armagnac ever recorded. Though he insists his collection isn’t concerned with sheer cost, it’s hard to ignore that Việt owns not one but five editions of The Macallan 1926, otherwise known as the “Holy Grail” of whisky.

“The Macallan 1926 is already a symbol of rarity, but I wanted to give it a new chapter where art and heritage are intertwined,” added Việt. “I see myself not merely as an owner, but as a guardian of this piece of history. My duty is to preserve it so that future generations may experience its timeless beauty.”