Whisky Auction Trends in September丨Macallan Maintains Its Splendor, Japanese Whisky Shines! (2026 Market Watch)

Whenever whisky auctions are mentioned, Macallan whisky inevitably comes to mind. In the September auction at Whisky.Auction, a large number of Macallan whiskies were successfully sold.

Among them, the Macallan 1946 52 Year Old Select Reserve sold for £11,600, becoming the highest-priced bottle sold this month. This whisky was distilled in 1946, aged for 52 years in a sherry cask, with an ABV of 40%. The bottle number is 1615, and it came in a handcrafted wooden box, accompanied by a certificate signed by the distillery manager at the time, dated May 1, 1998. Incidentally, the key to the wooden box has been lost, which may have been one of the factors affecting the final price.

Closely following was the Macallan 2008 Distil Your World London Edition, which sold for £11,000. This single cask was exclusively sold in specific hotels, bars, and restaurants, and was not directly released to the public. It was distilled on November 27, 2008, and bottled at cask strength (62.9% ABV) on February 20, 2020, after maturing in a single European oak sherry cask.

The Macallan 1937 (40% ABV, 750ml), bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, secured the third-highest price for the brand in this auction, selling for £7,800. This price is well-deserved for an old whisky distilled in 1937 and bottled in the 1970s.

Next was a less common Macallan 30 Year Old – the Macallan 30 Year Old Sherry Oak (43% ABV, 700ml). This sherry cask whisky was the last 30-year-old release before the introduction of the Fine Oak series, and it sold for £7,200.

Other notable sales included the Macallan Royal Marriage Kate & William (46.8% ABV, 700ml), bottled to celebrate the royal wedding, which sold for £5,400. The Macallan 30 Year Old (2021 Edition) fetched £4,300, Macallan Archival Series Folio 4 went for £3,900, and Macallan 1976 18 Year Old for £3,000, among others.

Many high-age statement whiskies appeared in this month's auction, led by the Gordon & MacPhail-bottled Mortlach 1951 Private Collection (42.5% ABV, 700ml). Distilled in 1951 and bottled in 2014, this whisky is 63 years old. Bottle No. 20 of 61 sold for £6,400.

The famous Black Bowmore certainly didn't miss out, with the Black Bowmore 1964 2nd Edition (50% ABV, 700ml) selling for £8,000. This exquisite whisky, distilled in late 1963 to 1964 after the distillery's first conversion to steam distillation, was aged for 30 years in Oloroso sherry butts in Bowmore's No. 1 Vaults. A total of 4,000 bottles were released in 1994.

Two bottles of the Bowmore Timeless Series 1988 31 Year Old, released early last year, were sold for £2,300 and £2,000 respectively.

Springbank also had a remarkable performer, with the Springbank 1969 27 Year Old Cask 2383 (54% ABV, 700ml), bottled by Signatory Vintage, ultimately selling for £2,100. This 27-year-old independent bottling of Springbank was distilled on December 19, 1969, matured in sherry cask No. 2383, and bottled at cask strength on September 17, 1997, with a total of 580 bottles released.

In addition, two independent bottlings performed well: the Secret Stills Talisker 1955 50 Year Old 1.1 (Gordon & MacPhail) sold for £3,400, and the Highland Park 1967 42 Years Old Cask 6282 (John Scott's) sold for £1,950.

Japanese whiskies bloomed in September, with brands like Yamazaki, Karuizawa, Hibiki, and Chichibu achieving good results.

First, the renowned Yamazaki 25 Year Old (43% ABV, 700ml) sold for a high price of £8,600. The much-anticipated Yamazaki 2022 Cask Series Tsukuriwake Selection also reached £4,900. There was a significant price difference for Yamazaki Sherry Cask editions, with the 2013 edition fetching £4,500, while the 2012 edition only reached £2,900. The Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 2012 edition sold for £3,100.

If you don't want to buy the entire 2022 annual series, here are some references: the Mizunara Cask sold for £2,600, and the Spanish Oak for £1,250. There are also price references for other annual series whiskies and 18-year-old editions.

Chichibu, always a rare find, garnered significant attention upon its appearance. This Chichibu 2011 Red Wine Cask 5253 (60.2% ABV, 700ml), bottled by Specialty Drinks for the Sexy Fish restaurant in 2018, ultimately sold for £3,500.

Karuizawa's main focus was on the "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" series and the "Zekkyou" (絶響) series, with these bottles selling between £3,400 and £4,100.

Other notable sales included Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak (2018 edition) for £2,100, Laphroaig 30 Year Old for £1,650, Macallan "The Macallan in Lalique" series Folio 5 for £1,650, and Folio 6 for £1,500, etc.

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(Text and images from the internet)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the recycling price for Japanese whiskies like Macallan, Yamazaki, and Hibiki?

A: The effect of discontinued Japanese whiskies continues to spread. The recycling prices for rare bottles like Yamazaki 25 Year Old, Hibiki 30 Year Old, and Karuizawa have exceeded six figures. Macallan Sherry Oak 18/25/30 Year Old also maintains high liquidity in the secondary market. Send photos of your bottles via WhatsApp to 945307784 for an instant quote.

Q: If a whisky bottle has been opened and some liquid has evaporated, does it still have recycling value?

A: Opened whisky bottles will significantly affect the recycling price, but extremely rare bottles (such as Karuizawa, discontinued Japanese whiskies) still hold collection value even if opened. We recommend WhatsApping us photos of the bottle, label, and remaining liquid for a professional evaluation.

Q: How do you authenticate whisky?

A: Hong K Recycling has professional appraisers who will cross-verify from multiple dimensions, including label printing, capsule seal, liquid color, bottle batch number, and anti-counterfeit codes. They will conduct on-site inspections with UV lights and magnifiers, and the entire process is transparent for clients to witness.

Q: What is the price difference between old and new label whiskies for recycling?

A: The difference can be substantial. For example, the Yamazaki 12 Year Old "Gold Flower" label from before 2010 can be several times more expensive than the current label version. Brands like Macallan and Hibiki also have similar "new vs. old label premium" phenomena. Feel free to WhatsApp 94530784 with photos of your labels for inquiries.

Q: Are limited edition whiskies always more valuable than regular editions?

A: In most cases, yes, but the key lies in "which brand's limited edition." Limited bottlings from renowned distilleries usually have stable appreciation potential; however, limited editions from niche brands may have low market recognition and therefore less ideal recycling prices.

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Further Reading - You might be interested

• 【Whisky Insight】Is the Macallan Sherry Oak series' growth slowing? A professional recycler's guide to maintaining liquidity in the secondary market.
• 【Japanese Whisky Report】Why are connoisseurs reluctantly parting with Yamazaki 25 Year Old? Analyzing the monetization window for "liquid treasures" in 2026.
• The "discontinued effect" of Japanese whisky is fermenting: Have Yamazaki 25 Year Old and Hibiki 30 Year Old entered their optimal monetization window for 2026?

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