Stories

Whisky is a passion to explore. From the history of the spirit to the evolution of the industry, the story of whisky helps fuel that passion. Often, it’s easy to forget that whisky is also a global multibillion dollar industry. The stories of whisky — from news and new releases to in-depth inquires and what goes on behind the label — blend together to help us appreciate the spirit of whisky.

Status

Vintage Macallans Lead Latest McTear’s Auction

March 13, 2013 – A 1938 Macallan single malt bottled by Gordon & MacPhail sold for £4,000 ($6,033) at McTear’s on March 13, leading the list of hammer prices for more than 450 lots on the block. The McTear’s pre-auction estimate for the bottle was in the £1,000-1,200 range, but the winning bidder has not been identified.

Several other rare Macallans recieved high bids, including £1,800 for a bottle of the Royal Marriage 1981 edition that fetched nearly double the pre-auction estimate and  £1,200 for a 25-year-old Macallan distilled in 1962 and bottled for British Aerospace PLC.

The most unusual bottle on the block was one salvaged from the 1895 shipwreck of the SS Wallachia in Scotland’s Firth of Clyde. Divers discovered the shipwreck and were able to recover several bottles of Robert Brown’s Four Crowns blended Scotch whisky. The bottle sold for a hammer price of £900, right within the pre-auction estimate of between £700-1,000.

Links: McTear’s Auction Results