The Met Gala of Whisky Auctions Just Concluded With an Eye-Watering $2.7 Million of Incredibly Rare Scotches Selling

The Distillers One of One took place Thursday in Scotland, and the lavish whisky auction lived up to the hype that has surrounded it in recent months with millions of dollars in sales.

The auction featured one-of-a-kind offerings from some of the most sought-after distilleries in the world. Thirty-nine lots were listed in total, according to Sotheby’s, which hosted the auction. The estimated total from all lots amounted to about $2.7 million.

All of the proceeds for what was shaping up to be the equivalent of the Met Gala for the scotch whisky world were donated to Scotland’s Youth Action Fund, an organization that helps disadvantaged teens and young adults.

Below is a sampling of some of the most exciting whiskies sold and the prices they fetched after going under the hammer.

Note: All prices have been converted from GBP to USD.

Distillers One of One Whisky Auction Results

Lot 11. Old Pulteney Bow Wave 45 Year Old

Estimated Price: $24,378 – $36,4601

Closing Bid: $88,772

One of the first offerings for the Distillers One of One to make headlines, Old Pulteney’s “Bow Wave” was the oldest whisky in the distillery’s 197-year history. The expression was aged in American oak casks and finished in a first-fill Spanish oak butt. It was housed in a distinctive decanter meant to mimic a morning sunrise on the Caithness Coast. The offering was regarded as “the jewel in Old Pulteney’s collection” according to some of the artists who sculpted the beautiful decanter.

Lot 22. Bowmore STAC 55 Year Old 1962

Estimated Price: $365, 633 – $609,388

Closing Bid: $685,516

Bowmore’s offering was positioned straight out the gate to fetch one of the highest prices at the Distillers One of One. The Islay distillery’s offering was distilled in 1962 and filled in a refilled American oak hogshead, according to Scottish Field. The 1.5-liter, handblown glass sculpture was filled with the oldest whisky in the distillery’s stocks.

Lot 5. Brora Iris 50 Year Old 1972

Estimated Price: $243,805 – $487,642

Closing Bid: $487,642

One of the more stunning offerings in the auction, this limestone whisky sculpture from the resurrected Brora distillery was crafted by Scotland-based sculptor Michelle de Bruin. The decanter is capped off with a unique wildcat-shaped key made by one of the U.K.’s leading animal sculptors, Jonathan Knight. Brora’s offering is meant to depict the eye of a Scottish wildcat, and the glass decanter holds “ghost stock” whisky that was distilled in 1972. Brora was famously mothballed in 1983 and resurrected by Diageo in 2017.

Lot 32. The Glen Grant The Visionary 68 Year Old 1955

Estimated Price: $60,956 – $109,720

Closing Bid: $259,061

This offering from The Glen Grant was the oldest whisky to be offered at The Distillers One of One this year. The closing bid exceeded two times the highest projected price range for the offering, and the lot included a distillery experience. The Glen Grant’s “The Visionary” was inspired by James “The Major” Grant’s travels. The decanter is meant to mimic an apothecary jar, and it houses whisky that was drawn in 1955. The stopper was made of Malachite, a semi-precious stone.

Lot 33. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society The Only Drop

Estimated Price: $6,097 – $12,193

Closing Bid: $22,862

Everyone loves a maverick, and this year’s maverick at The Distillers One of One was the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. This organization chose to keep it simple and focus on the whisky instead of crafting an incredibly ritzy decanter. The 33-year-old scotch came from The Macallan. It was aged in an Oloroso sherry butt and divided into a first-fill Oloroso hogshead and a first-fill Pedro Ximénez hogshead. The scotches were reunited three years later. The whisky is housed in a sustainably-focused paper case that was crafted by James Cropper and STCKMAN.

Lot 27. Glen Scotia 49 Year Old Alice Angus 1973

Estimated Price: $12,194 – $18,291

Closing Bid: $41,155

This “artistic masterpiece” was drawn from the oldest cask at Glen Scotia. Glen Scotia refers to itself as one of Campbeltown’s “last surviving distilleries,” making the liquid inside even more significant. The packaging was hand-painted by the artist Alice Angus. An additional piece of artwork from Angus, created during her residence at the distillery, was also provided alongside the liquid offering.

Lot 20. Littlemill Decennia Collection

Estimated Price: $24,389 – $36,578

Closing Bid:  $48,771

These are the last three remaining scotches from Littlemill, a distillery that was mothballed before being reduced to ashes in 2004. The Decennia Collection consists of three vintages from 1977, 1984 and 1990, which is described as an “homage to time,” by Master Blender Michael Henry. The decanters are housed in a handmade cabinet made from the staves of one of Littlemills barrels.

Lot 29. Christmas at Hazlewood 51 Year Old

Estimated Price: $17,069 – $29,261

Closing Bid: $57,905

This unique offering from the House of Hazlewood is an advent calendar, offering rare whiskies behind each door. The calendar is inspired by the Gordan family’s ancestral home, according to Sotheby’s, and was made from sycamore, walnut and brass. The offering additionally includes a full bottle of a 51-year-old sherry cask matured blend, that is meant to be opened on Christmas day.

Lot 13. The Glenturret Enduring Spirit

Estimated Price: $48,770 – $97,547

Closing Bid: $152,417

The Glenturret’s Master Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgano, created four unique liquids to honor each of the four centuries of the brand’s history. The whiskies are housed in custom glass decanters made by the artisan glass house, Lalique, according to Sotheby’s.  The winning bidder was additionally awarded a trip to the distillery that included a “sensational gastronomic experience,” led by the Michelin star Head Chef Mark Donald at the distillery’s Michelin-starred Glenturret Lalique restaurant.

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