‘Forgotten’ cask of Scottish whisky bought of £5,000 in 1988 sells for more than £1m

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‘Forgotten’ Cask Of Scottish Whisky Bought Of £5,000 In 1988 Sells For More Than £1M
Undated handout photo issued by Whisky Hammer of a glass of Macallan 1988 Single Malt Scotch Whisky. A rare "forgotten" cask of whisky, bought for £5,000 more than 30 years ago, is expected to set a world record when it is sold in an online auction. Issue date: Wednesday April 20, 2022.
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Lucinda Cameron, PA Scotland

Whisky enthusiasts from around the world placed bids on the 374-litre cask, distilled at The Macallan in 1988, in the online auction which ended on Sunday evening.

It sold for $1,295,500 (€1,212,645) in the online auction on the Whisky Hammer site, breaking the record set in 2021 by Bonhams for the sale of a 30-year-old, re-racked, Sherry hogshead from Macallan, which fetched $574,000.

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The cask, originally filled on May 5th 1988, had been held in bond at the Macallan Distillery in Moray for almost 34 years.

It was bought on a whim by an expat who then forgot about it for more than three decades until they were reminded by Macallan that it was still maturing in the warehouse.

Co-founder and managing director of Whisky Hammer, Daniel Milne. When this cask was listed in our auction, we knew it had the potential to make history. 

History

Daniel Milne, co-founder and managing director of Whisky Hammer, said: “When this cask was listed in our auction, we knew it had the potential to make history.

“To come across a cask of this age, quality and size is extraordinary in itself, enhanced by the fact the liquid was distilled at The Macallan which is reflected in the global attention the cask has attracted.

“It’s been incredibly exciting for everyone at Whisky Hammer to have represented what has become the most expensive cask ever to be sold at auction.”

The cask was bought by a private individual based in the US.

If bottled today, it would yield 534 x 70cl bottles of single malt whisky, distilled at The Macallan.

Whisky Hammer is a family-run auction service founded by brothers Daniel and Craig Milne.

The sale price included buyer’s premium. - PA

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