Of all specialty collections in the world, the most intoxicating, almost literally, is the collection of ‘liquid gold’ or rare whisky bottles. Throughout history, some for historic occasions, some for rarity, and some or famous ownership have managed to command premium prices during their sale events. One such brand is Macallan, which has sold some famous bottles like the 1962 James Bond Skyfall, 1926 Macallan bottled in 1986, and also a 50-year old Fine Oak bottle which exchanged hands in the biggest whisky sale a few years back. Now a 1951 edition bottle, for which the whisky was distilled in 1926, has found itself a new collector for a price tag of $40,460 including the the buyer’s premium. At the Bonham’s Whisky, Cognac & Rare Spirits Auction, some other significant labels fetched premium prices, which took the premium up to 91% above the pre-auction estimate.

1951 Macallan Whisky bottle which commanded over $40,000 at the auction

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James Bond franchise has not been the top grossing at the box office alone; everything from James Bond watches to Bond cars and luxury items seen in the 007 movies had, and continues to have, a strong cult following. And, the movie, ‘Skyfall’ is one of the most prominent with regards to the luxury items enjoyed by Daniel Craig aka Bond 007, including the Regina superyacht which was a part of the movie, had recently went on sale for $14.2 million. Following on from The Macallan’s appearance in Skyfall, a 1962 Macallan bottle of whisky has been put up for auction by Sotheby’s together with Macallan. The British whisky maker, which in the past has been known to produce the top brass of drinking experiences in the form of the most expensive whisky shot at the Macallan lounge, and the Macallan 1824 single malt, will now be a part of the James Bond 50th anniversary celebrations. This special edition bottle will have the autographs of their entire cast of ‘Skyfall’, and will go under the hammer on April 17 in London.

1962 Macallan whisky bottle signed by Skyfall cast

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Known for their unique collaborations, the acclaimed luxury whisky brand The Macallan which recently collaborated with Sir Peter Blake who’s known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles’ Grammy award-winning album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, to come up with a limited edition whisky box, has now partnered with sport and lifestyle brand Oakley, Inc. to bring you ‘The Flask’. Defying convention, The Flask which has been described as the purveyor of pleasure for whisky aficionados across the globe, boasts an edgy and adventurous feel, and has been especially designed to bring to life the whisky brand’s credentials in innovation whilst staying true to our inherent commitment to precision and craftsmanship. The Flask that protects your most expensive whisky in any situation, impressively features a laser welded food-grade steel inner center wrapped in carbon fiber composite, before being housed in black anodized 5-axis machined aerospace grade Aluminium exterior.

Oakley and The Macallan Team Up to create the portable purveyor of pleasure for whisky aficionados “The Flask”

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Known for their unique collaborations, the acclaimed luxury whisky brand The Macallan which recently collaborated with Sir Peter Blake who’s known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles’ Grammy award-winning album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, to come up with a limited edition whisky box, has now partnered with sport and lifestyle brand Oakley, Inc. to bring you ‘The Flask’. Defying convention, The Flask which has been described as the purveyor of pleasure for whisky aficionados across the globe, boasts an edgy and adventurous feel, and has been especially designed to bring to life the whisky brand’s credentials in innovation whilst staying true to our inherent commitment to precision and craftsmanship. The Flask that protects your most expensive whisky in any situation, impressively features a laser welded food-grade steel inner center wrapped in carbon fiber composite, before being housed in black anodized 5-axis machined aerospace grade Aluminium exterior.

Oakley and The Macallan Team Up to create the portable purveyor of pleasure for whisky aficionados “The Flask”

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In response to the demand from ultra-affluent consumers from China, the country poised to become the world’s most powerful market for luxury goods, for in-depth knowledge, not only of the specific luxury brands they indulge in, but also of the broader categories the brands fall under, Johnnie Walker has now opened its second luxurious property in China, the Johnnie Walker House Beijing. Following the success of the 1st whisky embassy ‘Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai’ where the brand’s $48,500 McLaren Mercedes Edition Whisky inspired by F1 driver Jenson Button was exclusively sold by invitation only, and continuing the brand’s mantra of ‘Keep Walking’, the world’s number one Blended Scotch Whisky opened this luxurious four level House described as the world’s largest and luxurious embassy for luxury whisky outside of Scotland.

Johnnie Walker House Beijing is the world’s largest luxury whisky club outside of Scotland

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Masterminded by the Johnnie Walker’ Master Blender Jim Beveridge using the formula based on 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button’s choice of whiskies to create a unique new variant of the famous spirit, here’s a unique collectable for enthusiasts, the Johnnie Walker Vodafone McLarem Mercedes Edition which is an exclusive and rare blend made from Johnnie Walker’s unrivaled stocks of maturing malt and grain whiskies. This special-edition blended whisky limited to just 25 bottles is actually an impressive tribute by Johnnie Walker, the sponsor of the McLaren-Mercedes F1 team from the last 8-years, to its world-class racing and drivers. Also a part of the ‘Step Inside the Circuit’ global campaign for the Johnnie Walker sponsorship of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 Team, this limited-edition winning formula from Johnnie Walker & Jenson Button priced at $48,500, will be sold by an exclusive invitation only at Shanghai’s Johnnie Walker House, the very 1st whisky embassy and Johnnie Walker boutique outside of Scotland. And, the owners of these exclusive bottles will be entitled to a bespoke Johnnie Walker Step Inside the Circuit experience with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, enjoying hospitality and behind-the-scenes access to an exhilarating F1 experience at a race city of their choice.

Johnie Walker’s McLaren Mercedes edition £30,000 whisky inspired by Formula One driver Jenson Button

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Not just the oldest Bowmore whisky, but also the rarest and oldest Islay Single Malt ever released, the bottle No. 1 of the exceptionally rare Bowmore 1957, 54 Year Old, which earlier failed to sell at auction for two times, after no bidder managed to meet the reserve price, has now been sold for $160,000 at the Bowmore Distillery on Islay. Matured in the finest oak from 1957 to 2011 in Bowmore’s legendary No. 1 Vaults, the oldest maturation warehouse in Scotland, the Bowmore 1957, 54 Years Old is the oldest expression ever released by the distillery. Distilled in 1957, and bottled in 2011, this whisky comes from the cask that was held back among a collection of 1957 casks bottled in 1995. And since then, that cask was being examined every 6-months to check the quality, and taste of the spirit on its aging voyage. Only 12 bottles exists, out of which the No. 1 bottle that comes in a hand-blown platinum encrusted decanter has now been auctioned to an anonymous American, and the net-proceeds from the sales will go to 5 Scottish charities that encompass a variety of worthy causes.

A Rare 1957 Bowmore Scotch is the world’s oldest Islay Single Malt whisky that has fetched $160,000

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Back in 1962, two substantial happenings took place at the award-winning independent, family-owned Scottish distillery firm William Grant & Sons Ltd., founded by William Grant in 1886. Firstly, the master blender of that time Hamish Robertson selected special barrel ‘cask #5576’, a large European oak sherry hogshead which is rarely used today in whisky-making, and filled it with new-made distillate from the Balvenie Distillery. Secondly, the present Malt Master David Stewart was hired as apprentice. And over the following 50 years, while Mr. Stewart perfected and practiced his craft, the spirit in that special European oak sherry hogshead continued to age, mellow, and evaporates to get slowly matured into a truly exceptional outstanding single malt Scotch whisky that gives velvety smooth finish with a delicious citrus sweetness. Now in year 2012 that marks the Stewart’s 50th year with The Balvenie, that cask has been bottled to launch The Balvenie Fifty whisky. Notably, due to evaporation (known as the angel’s share) after 50-years of aging, there’s only enough of this single malt to fill 88 bottles of The Balvenie Fifty.

The Balvenie Fifty single malt Scotch whisky

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Sitting proudly on the northern shore of Islay for over 130 years, Bunnahabhain distillery founded in 1881 is renowned for its flagship malt whisky which embodies ‘the gentle taste of Islay’, as it’s the only non-peated Islay malt. Now for the likes of international collectors and connoisseurs of rare malts, Bunnahabhain has announced the release of one-off rare single malt, which has impressively lain undiscovered for over 40 years at the Islay distillery. Hidden for four decades, the whisky ‘40 Yo Islay’ quietly matured until the casks listed in the distillery ledgers were discovered by Master Distiller, Ian MacMillan.

Bunnahabhain Distillery Discovers Rare 40 YO Islay Single Malt

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