A bottle of the world’s most valuable whisky has been transformed into a unique artwork after its owner commissioned an Italian master painter to create an original painting directly on the glass, rejecting a $10 million offer for the finished piece.
Vietnamese collector Nguyễn Đình Tuấn Việt unveiled The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old Masterpiece Edition in an exclusive interview with The Whiskey Wash owner Mark Littler for Forbes.
The bottle features an original work by acclaimed neo-classical artist Roberto Ferri painted directly onto one of only 40 bottles ever produced of the legendary spirit.
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READ THE STORYThe commission marks the first time in decades that a new artistic work has been created on a Macallan 1926 bottle.
The Macallan 1926 Breaks New Ground as Fine Art
Ferri’s allegorical painting depicts two nymphs representing barley and oak — the fundamental ingredients of single malt whisky. The figures are connected by flowing water and crowned with red hair, symbolizing Scotland and the distillation process.
“To paint directly onto a bottle valued in the millions was an immense responsibility; there was no room for error,” Ferri said. “I chose to depict barley, oak, water and flame as allegorical figures—the elemental forces that give birth to whisky. My aim was to elevate this bottle into a work of art in the classical tradition.”
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The artist, known for his Caravaggio-inspired style and Vatican commissions, including portraits of Pope Francis, faced the unique challenge of creating a permanent artwork on curved glass without margin for error.
Record-Breaking Values for The Macallan 1926
The Macallan 1926 has consistently shattered auction records in recent years. A bottle featuring the Valerio Adami label sold for $2.7 million (£2.18 million) at Sotheby’s London in 2023, setting the current world record for any bottle of spirits at auction.
Other notable sales include the Michael Dillon hand-painted edition, which became the first whisky to exceed $1.24 million (£1 million) in 2018, and the Fine & Rare label edition that fetched $1.86 million (£1.5 million) in 2019.
Rare whisky specialist Mark Littler, who advised on the project, believes this bottle has transcended traditional market valuations. “On paper, a Macallan 1926 might guide around £2–£3 million, but this bottle has moved beyond the market,” Littler said. “Mr. Việt turning down a $10 million offer tells you everything. What he has created isn’t just another record-breaking whisky, it’s a cultural object.”
The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old Masterpiece Edition Fulfills Original Vision
The creation of the Masterpiece Edition realizes an intention dating back to the 1980s. When The Macallan released the 40 bottles in 1986, several were deliberately left unlabeled for future artistic collaborations.
“This commission perfectly fulfills the original vision Macallan had in the 1980s,” Littler explained. “Nearly 40 years later, that vision has been realised in spectacular fashion.”
Viet, who holds 20 Guinness World Records for his rare spirits collection valued at over $150 million, owns five bottles of The Macallan 1926. He views his role as extending beyond ownership.
“The Macallan 1926 is already a symbol of rarity, but I wanted to give it a new chapter where art and heritage are intertwined,” Viet said. “I see myself not merely as an owner, but as a guardian of this piece of history.”
The Masterpiece Edition represents a convergence of ultra-rare spirits and high art, a category that blurs the boundaries between collectible whisky and museum-worthy artwork.
