Sotheby’s
THE MACALLAN IN LALIQUE
LEGACY COLLECTION ACHIEVES EXCEPTIONAL AUCTION PRICE OF US$993,000 AT SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG
Sunday 2 April saw the sale of the extraordinary The Macallan in Lalique Legacy Collection – a set of six stunning crystal decanters containing the rarest of The Macallan’s single malts aged from 50 to 65 years old – for US$993,000 at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong.
Following more than a decade of collaboration, the highly coveted collection marks the grand finale in the prestigious Six Pillars odyssey – an exclusive series of limited edition decanters by The Macallan and master French crystal maker, Lalique, inspired by the foundation stones upon which The Macallan creates its exceptional whiskies.
As the world’s only complete collection, official and direct from The Macallan, The Legacy Collection was listed in the Sotheby’s ‘Finest & Rarest Wines and The Macallan’ auction in Hong Kong on Sunday 2 April 2017, with all net proceeds to be donated to Hong Kong based and other Asian charities.
Housed in a one and only, bespoke natural ebony cabinet created by Lalique Maison, The Legacy Collection also holds six Macallan Fine and Rare miniatures; two from each of the 1937, 1938 and 1939 vintages (signifying the zenith of Lalique’s contribution in the French Art Deco period), and six pairs of Lalique Macallan glasses, each serial numbered to commemorate the unique partnership. Autographs of the masters behind the collection are included inside the cabinet, which also allows space for the buyer to have their own name engraved within it as well.
Ken Grier, Creative Director for The Macallan, said: “This remarkable conclusion to The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars series is a symbol of the strength behind our long-standing partnership and our unwavering commitment to going beyond the ordinary. To achieve this outstanding price at auction is testament to the quality, detail and absolute skill and mastery of the Lalique craftsmen and our expert whisky makers, and we are proud that this work of art has secured a wonderful contribution to Asian charities.”
Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique, said: “The unprecedented price achieved for The Macallan in Lalique Legacy Collection reflects the exceptional nature of the piece – a complete one off and highly collectable work of art which marries the two houses. Masters in their respective fields, Lalique and The Macallan are joined by mutual respect and an unwavering commitment to craft, artistry and beauty. Since our partnership first began in 2005, it has achieved a number of world record prices at auction and we are delighted to provide both The Macallan and Lalique connoisseurs the opportunity to own something truly remarkable whilst contributing to Asian charities.”
Robert Sleigh, Senior Director at Sotheby’s Asia, said, “It has been an honour for Sotheby’s to work with The Macallan and Lalique once again in offering this unique Macallan Collection that combines the exemplary artisanal skills of both Macallan and Lalique, to produce this once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire such a rare collectable item. The enthusiasm of over ten bidders in the room, online and over the phone demonstrates the importance with which global collectors regard The Macallan in Lalique Legacy Collection and the significance of its direct from the distillery provenance. It is fitting that it achieved a new world record for any lot of whisky ever sold at auction.”
The six exceptional whiskies contained in the cabinet are:
The Macallan in Lalique – Exceptional Oak Cask, 50 Years Old
The Macallan in Lalique – Natural Colour, 55 Years Old
The Macallan in Lalique – Finest Cut, 57 Years Old
The Macallan in Lalique – Curiously Small Stills, 60 Years Old
The Macallan in Lalique – Spiritual Home, 62 Years Old
The Macallan in Lalique – Peerless Spirit, 65 Years Old
Since its inception in 2005, The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars series has captured the imagination of collectors around the world. In 2014, The Macallan accounted for the top ten priced bottles sold at auction; eight out of ten sales being decanters from The Macallan in Lalique series (Whisky Magazine). In 2015, The Macallan was the most valuable whisky brand at auction, accounting for over 25% of the total value traded at auction (Rare Whisky 101).
The Macallan has a strong relationship with Sotheby’s, having previously worked together on both its world record auctions including, The Macallan 64 Years old in Lalique Cire Perdue Decanter in November 2010, selling at auction in New York for US$460,000, and the Imperial M Decanter in January 2014, selling at auction in Hong Kong for US$628,000.
The charities set to receive funding from the proceeds of the auction include those which benefit disadvantaged people in Hong Kong and throughout Asia by supporting them with food needs, skills to help them back into employment, and medical requirements.
For further information about The Macallan visit www.themacallan.com
THE MACALLAN 1962 FINE AND RARE IS AUCTIONED FOR CHARITY
SIGNED BOTTLE OF THE MACALLAN 1962 IS AUCTIONED FOR CHARITY
Sotheby’s has auctioned a bottle of The Macallan 1962 from its fine and Rare collection, distilled the same year as the first Bond film was released, achieving an impressive £9,635.
Since this prestigious single malt whisky featured in key scenes in SKYFALL, the highest-grossing Bond film ever, The Macallan is thrilled to be part of its celebration and achievement by donating the rare bottle of whisky to the auction that commenced at this morning. The bottle auctioned featured a unique signed label that included signatures from Bond himself, Daniel Craig, along with Javier Bardem and Bérénice Marlohe.
All proceeds of the auction will be donated to charities that support members of the British security and intelligence services, selected by Prince Charles to benefit from the SKYFALL world premiere held in October 2012.
David Cox, Director of Fine and Rare Whiskies, Edrington, owners of The Macallan, said “We are delighted with the result of today’s auction. Following on from The Macallan’s ‘cameo’ in SKYFA
LL we were honoured to be able to take part in this prestigious, Finest & Rarest Wines sale and are ecstatic with the amount raised. The charities that will receive the monies raised are very fitting and will help support members of the British security and intelligence services.”
Today The Macallan is one of the world’s most collectable whiskies, sitting at the top of the auction table and the owner of the current Guinness World Record™ for the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction.
“The Macallan is a First Growth Malt, the tops, with all that this means in terms of excellence and excitement” comments Serena Sutcliffe MW, Sotheby’s International Head of Wine.
For further information please contact either:
Sarah McDonald or Sarah Bailey at The BIG Partnership via email at firstname.lastname@bigpartnership.co.uk or telephone 0131 557 5252
About Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s Wine auctions in 2012 brought an overall global total of $64,462,965. Sotheby’s overall total of $88.27 million for global wine auctions in 2010 is the highest in the company’s forty-two years of wine auctions. 2011 brought an overall global total of US$85,467,096. The Lafite Ex Cellars sale – of First Growth Bordeaux directly from Château Lafite-Rothschild – held by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in October 2010 set a new record for a single standard sized bottle at auction when a bottle of Château Lafite 1869 sold for $232,692. This means that Sotheby’s now holds the world records for a standard bottle, a bottle in any format – the Jeroboam of Château Mouton Rothschild 1945 which fetched $310,700 in February 2007 in New York – and any wine lot at auction – 50 cases of Château Mouton Rothschild 1982 which sold for US$1,051,600 at Sotheby’s New York in 2006.
Sotheby’s has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby’s became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby’s presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby’s BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sotheby’s offers collectors the resources of Sotheby’s Financial Services, the world’s only full-service art financing company, as well as private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art department, and two retail businesses, Sotheby’s Diamonds and Sotheby’s Wine. Sotheby’s has a global network of 90 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).
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