Sotheby’s and The Distillers’ Charity recently put forward the first of the rare lots that will go up for bid in the second The Distillers One of One auction of ultra-rare and unique Scotch whiskies and experiences.
This event is set to take place on Oct. 5th at Hopetoun House near Edinburgh, Scotland.
A statement from auction organizers noted that the proceeds from this auction will be donated to The Distillers’ Charity, principally to the Youth Action Fund, an organization dedicated to transforming the lives of young people in Scotland.
The inaugural One of One auction in 2021 raised £2.4 million and assisted nearly 500 disadvantaged young people from across Scotland. To date, with the help from The Distillers’ Charity, more than half those young people have secured employment, apprenticeships, further education, training, or work as volunteers.
This year’s Distillers One of One auction will see 35 companies from across the Scotch whisky industry participate with 40 lots. Among them, 13 “Founder” Donor brands, several having donated in 2021 and will return this year.
Auction organizers noted that each brand will donate a one-off, never-to-be-repeated lot, with estimates ranging from £5,000 up to £500,000.
An example of the lots anticipated at the auction includes the Bowmore “STAC,” with an estimated price of £300,000-£500,000.
At 55 years old, Bowmore STAC is the oldest whisky ever released by the Islay distillery, showcasing over half a century of skilled maturation. Distilled in 1962 and filled into a refill American oak hogshead, this rare single malt captures over five decades of expressive character.
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Other lots include the reawakened Brora Distillery donating a one-off, handcrafted sculpture.
And the Glenturret “Enduring Spirit,” a set of four bespoke Lalique decanters, filled with four unique whiskies made by Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno, and representing key moments in The Glenturret’s 260-year-old history.
To house these unique whiskies, Lalique has provided four crystal decanters using archived molds from the 1980s, which are no longer for sale, each featuring an image depicting a key moment in The Glenturret’s history. The images will be sandblasted onto the crystal bottles. The lot, estimated at £40,000-£80,000, also includes an invite to visit The Glenturret distillery and to enjoy a gastronomic experience, led by Head Chef Mark Donald at the Michelin-starred Glenturret Lalique Restaurant.
“The Visionary” by The Glen Grant is a rare single malt Scotch whisky aged 68 years, among the oldest whiskies to be released by the distillery and one of the oldest in the auction. It’s estimated at £50,000-£90,000, and is presented in a hand-blown battuto-cut magnum decanter inspired by the vessels ‘The Major’ used to house plants and fruits he discovered on his worldly travels.
As this second auction is less than four months away, Beanie Geraedts-Espey, managing director of Distillers Ventures, said, “The remarkable results of the inaugural One of One auction were a testament to what can be achieved when an industry truly comes together both to celebrate and forge positive impact.”
Jonny Fowle, global head of spirits at Sotheby’s, said that this second Distillers One of One auction is already generating a buzz among collectors who have been eagerly awaiting news of this year’s lots.
“It’s exciting to finally unveil a selection of highlights, featuring the oldest whisky ever released from Bowmore, Glenglassaugh, Old Pulteney, MacDuff and Kilchoman,” Fowle said. “The highly anticipated event will further cement the significance of what has established itself as the biggest charity spirits auction of its kind. This is clearly an occasion for which the creativity and generosity of the Scotch whisky industry comes to the fore.”
The Distillers One of One auction will see several sponsors from the 2021 auction once again confirming their auction support for 2023. This includes Simpson’s Malt, makers of high-quality malt; McLaren Packaging, specialist supplier of paper-based packaging to the Scotch whisky industry; and Glencairn Crystal.
In addition, Beamish International, a global private client business specializing in rare whisky, has committed to becoming the Headline Programme Sponsor for 2023/2024. Bentley Motors Edinburgh and Forsyths will both be Auction Event Sponsors for the 2023 Auction.
For more information, check out the website here.
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