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Autumn Auction Line-Up So Far...
18 October 12:00 - 28 October 20:00 BST
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Here's a sneak preview of the cask line-up for our upcoming Autumn Auction...
1989 The Macallan Hogshead
We are delighted to announce the addition of a prized Old & Rare 1989 Macallan cask to our Autumn Auction Line-Up.
The Macallan has become the pinnacle of ultra-premium single malt scotch whisky over the past decade, from the revitalisation of its core image -part of a £500 million project over the past 12 years- to the single most expensive and architecturally striking distillery in Scotland coming in at £149 million.
The brand has gone on to break dozens or world records, resetting the bar year after year with both casks and individual bottles growing in rarity and popularity, like the 1926 60yo bottle that sold in 2019 for £1.5million.
Therein lies the opportunity of a lifetime to purchase not a bottle, but a cask of the rarest and most highly prised spirit on the planet. We have a 1989, 32-year-old Hogshead going onto our auction on October 18th. The last Macallan cask of this calibre, sold recently, was a 1991 Sherry Butt in Hong Kong for £421,789.56.
1995 Springbank
There are few distilleries more revered than Springbank, with the whiskies they produce being regarded as some of the most distinct and complex in the industry; oily, full-bodied, and powerful, yet still fragrant and fruity style they’re fiercely nuanced in character. Springbank is one of the last remaining distilleries from the Campbeltown region (once known as “the whisky capital of the world” with over 30 Distilleries operating there). It was founded way back in 1828, and incredibly, has remained family-owned to this day, adding to its legendary status within the trade.
The whisky is still made the traditional way, using direct fire heating and worm tub condensers. All the barley comes from local farmers and each year production is limited to just a few hundred thousand litres, which is a fraction of what some of the larger Speyside distilleries can produce. A 26-year-old Springbank doesn’t come up for auction very often and we expect the bidding will be rather heated for this exceptional cask. This spirit is famed for aging well, thus offering the right bidder an opportunity to own a cask from one of Scotland’s most treasured distilleries.
2009 Glenallachie Sherry Hogshead
Glenallachie is finally being discovered as a Single Malt brand after spending most of its life making fillings for Chivas Brothers blends. In 2017, the distillery was sold to Billy Walker and he immediately went to work transforming its fortunes. In 2019, an extensive core range was released with a number of innovative limited-edition cask finishes.
This Speyside distillery has a very long fermentation of up to 160 hours, producing a big fruity style of whisky that ages very well in sherry casks. A 12-year cask will give any investor the maximum flexibility in their exit strategy and whilst this whisky could be bottled now, there is certainly a lot more life left in the cask.
We think this is a distillery that is going to quickly rise up the ranks, as the new owners have a great reputation in whisky making and promotion.
2016 Tullibardine Red Wine Barrique
Since coming under new ownership in 2003 there has been a shift in focus to promoting Tullibardine as a Single Malt brand, rather than making fillings for blends. This investment has seen some impressive repackaging and some very well-received new expressions released.
The whisky itself, is quite sweet, fragrant, floral, and more reminiscent of the Speyside style of whisky, rather than the Highlands, where the distillery is located.
We think Tullibardine is still excellent value for money and a five-year-old cask gives plenty of medium and long-term investment options.
2012 Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis distillery is located in the dramatic landscape of the Western Highlands. Founded in 1828, they have been under Japanese ownership for the last 30 years. Ever since the Nikka Whisky company took over, the fortunes, and thus reputation of this distillery have been on the rise. The distillation is very slow and steady, which contributes to a rich full-bodied spirit. Today, 75% of all production is shipped to Japan and finding casks at auction is not that common.
Ownership of a nine-year Ben Nevis cask will give an investor plenty of options for a short, medium, or long-term exit strategy. The key milestone ages for Scotch whisky, which are 12, 15, 18 or 21 are all coming up to give maximum flexibility. This makes this particular cask very investible and a great addition to any portfolio.
2014 Glenrothes
The sister distillery of The Macallan and Highland Park is now starting to emerge from the shadows to become an established top-tier distillery in its own right. Bought by the Edrington Group in 2017 the Glenrothes has seen the entire range revamped and repackaged with many new expressions released, including a 50-year-old (priced at £25k!).
Situated in the heart of Speyside, Glenrothes was founded in the late Victorian era in 1878. For many years the whisky was there to provide the heart of the famous Cutty Sark blend, but since the turn of the century it has been rising up the ranks of the Single Malt brands. The style of the whisky is medium-bodied and quite complex. In classic Speyside style, it is quite rich and fruity, with spicy and nutty notes. The exit strategy with this cask at seven years is very flexible, and will certainly be in demand from other investors and our Independent Bottler customers when you decide to sell.
2009 Macduff Hogshead
Macduff distillery was opened in 1960, and is situated on the North Highlands coast. For most of its history, the whisky was an important component of the highly successful William Lawson’s Blend. However, today, the new owners (John Dewar & Sons) have started a big investment in the Single Malt brand, which they have named The Deveron. We think this will certainly increase the standing and equity of this particular distillery, therefore the casks could currently be undervalued.
The style of Macduff, is medium-bodied, nutty, and fruity, with a real depth of flavour. The whisky’s character, is said to come from a short mashing, a short fermentation time, and extra cold condensers, which gives a little more texture and weight to the Malt.
At 12 years of age, this gives any investor maximum flexibility for their exit strategy. The key milestone ages of 15 and 18 are not too far away, or you could even keep this cask safely until it was 21 years for a longer-term investment. Macduff is definitely on the rise.
Are there samples?
We go through a verification process with each seller (re-gauge), checking the health of the cask and requesting a sample. At this moment, only a limited number of samples is available to the buyers as the lockdown put hold on operations at warehouses and distilleries all over Scotland. If you would like to try some of the available samples, do not hesitate to contact Lee - Lee@auctionyourcask.com.
Check out our YouTube channel for sample tastings and general whisky know-how from the Masters themselves!
Keep your eyes peeled for hammer time on 18th October and if you have any questions we are here to answer them for you!