The Mysterious Buyer Who Spent $1.4 Million on a 5-Foot-11 Whisky Bottle Has Remained Anonymous for More Than a Year — Until Now
The World’s Largest Whisky Bottle, The Intrepid, fetched over $1 million at auction, and its buyer remained anonymous — until now. (Photo: Lyon & Turnbull)
The buyer who purchased the world’s largest whisky bottle, a 5-foot-11 vessel filled with scotch from The Macallan, paid the equivalent of a whopping $1.4 million for it at auction. The individual chose to remain anonymous — until The Guardian revealed his identity this week.
The owner of the world’s largest bottle of whisky is a Vietnamese businessman named Viet Nguyen Dinh Tuan. He purchased the bottle of whiskey at an auction in Edinburgh, Scotland, in May 2022.
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Viet is a veteran collector of rare spirits. His collection is valued at nearly $200 million, according to The Guardian.
“I’ve been spending my time collecting these bottles for decades. The history and traditions of whisky-making give each one its rarity, and that’s the value I see in each bottle,” Viet said, according to The Guardian.
Viet added the bottle to his collection in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday alongside a certificate from the Guinness World Records authenticating it as the largest bottle in the world.
The bottle, named The Intrepid, is the brainchild of Daniel Monk of Caskworld and Rosewin Holdings. The bottle was named to honor 11 British explorers such as Dr Geoff Wilson, Olly Hicks and Jamie Ramsay who are depicted on the bottle’s label.
The Intrepid is described by Monk as a passion project meant in honor of his late father who was also an explorer and “achieved many great things in life.”
When asked why he felt compelled to bid on The Intrepid, Viet made the following statement:
“I was enticed to acquire The Intrepid for three reasons: the fact that it’s the world’s biggest bottle, it contains Macallan and because I was inspired by the record-breaking achievements of the 11 explorers depicted on the bottle’s label.”
Viet also holds in his possession the largest bottle of cognac, and what is believed to be the oldest bottle of whisky.
More About The Intrepid, The World’s Largest Whisky Bottle
The Intrepid is a bottle that measures 5 feet and 11 inches tall and contains 311 liters of 1989 Macallan single malt.
Proceeds from the sale of the bottle went to the Marie Curie Charity, an organization devoted to end-of-life care.
The project was described by Monk as being about “more than money.”
Monk was invited to visit Viet’s whisky collection, and with it, see The Intrepid again.
“Going to Mr. Viet’s hallowed whisky collection was an unforgettable experience, it’s truly a whisky and cognac enthusiast’s paradise. It was a dream come true to see The Intrepid proudly displayed and added to the whisky war chest of such a knowledgable and passionate collector.”
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