A bottle of The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare whisky sold for £2.125 million (£2,125,000) at auction on October 9, 2026, reaffirming the exceptional value of rare and collectible Scotch whisky. The sale took place at Sotheby’s first auction at The Macallan Estate in Speyside, Scotland, during the centenary year associated with the historic whisky’s distillation. The bottle is among the most valuable whiskies ever sold at auction, highlighting the growing significance of rarity, provenance and heritage in the global luxury spirits market.
The whisky originated from sherry-seasoned oak cask number 263, which was filled with spirit at The Macallan distillery in 1926. After 60 years of maturation, the cask was emptied in 1986, producing just 40 bottles. According to the distillery’s historical account, the whisky reached its desired maturity under the stewardship of Janet Harbinson, with the bottling overseen by the Whisky Mastery Team led by her great-nephew, Allan Shiach.
The 40 bottles were distinguished by their individual label designs, adding to their appeal among collectors. Twelve bottles featured artwork by British artist Sir Peter Blake, while another 12 carried labels designed by Italian painter Valerio Adami. Sotheby’s has identified up to 14 bottles as Fine & Rare editions, while two bottles were initially left unlabelled. One of these was later hand-painted by Irish artist Michael Dillon, depicting Easter Elchies House, the historic home of The Macallan. The bottle was commissioned by Fortnum & Mason in 1999.
The October 2026 auction established a new record for the Fine & Rare version of The Macallan 1926. However, the overall auction record in sterling remained with the Adami-labelled bottle, which sold for £2,187,500 in 2023. An earlier milestone came in 2018, when another bottle from the same historic cask achieved approximately £1.2 million at auction.
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