Japanese whisky passed yet another milestone recently when a single bottle of Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Aged 50 Years NV went for a whopping US$ 298,879 at a recent Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction. Sold for twice its pre-sale estimate, the auction house confirmed that it was the highest price ever commanded by a single bottle of Japanese whisky.
Commenting on this highly positive outcome, Adam Bilbey, Head of Sotheby’s Wine Asia, said: “With the hammer dropping way above the already high estimate, this was an incredible way to kick off our 2018 sales season in Hong Kong. Once again, we saw active bidding from across Asia, all underpinned by the discerning buyers here in Hong Kong.”
Indeed, Japanese whisky is getting something of a reputation for shattering world auction records. Only last year, the world’s largest-known collection of Karuizawa, a premium out-of-production single malt, set a new world record when it went for almost US$1 million, making it the most expensive Japanese whisky collection of all time.
Other impressive performers at the Sotheby’s event included the Macallan Millennium Decanter 50 Year Old 1949, which sold for US$62,922, and the Karuizawa Single Malt Whisky Aged 50 Years 1965, which fetched US$55,057.