Macallan V Macallan
A question we have been asked over and over; why do Macallan Indy bottler bottles sell less than Macallan Distillery bottles? After all, it is the same liquid.
“Rare Macallan sells for £1.2 million at auction” A bottle of the Macallan 1926 60-Year-Old presented in a unique bottle painted by the Irish artist Michael Dillon sold for £1,200,000 at auction. Tim Triptree MW, of Christie’s: “The sale represents a landmark moment in the whisky market with The Macallan 1926 60-Year-Old achieving £1,200,000 and establishing a world auction record for a bottle of whisky”. The Macallan 50-Year-Old (realised: £72,000) and a selection of The Macallan Exceptional Single Cask including a VIP visit to The Macallan (realised: £66,000). Then … The 1926 Macallan, one of 12 with labels designed by British pop artist Sir Peter Blake, fell short of the world record when a bottle of the same whisky – but with a label designed by Italian artist Valerio Adami – was auctioned for £848,750 (US$1.1m). Now anyone reading my wee stories/blogs will know, I think the price for Macallan has been crazy for years and shows no sign of abating. Too many numpty people out there with far too much money are spoiling this for everyone else – who can afford a few hundred quid maybe. Now, if like me, you can do some internet browsing, you will find what I found; 35 year old Macallan 1967 from friends of ours, Duncan Taylor, a Macallan distilled in September 1967 and bottled in November 2002 by Duncan Taylor, bottle number 127 of 129. Winning Bid at auction £1,050. And there’s more; Macallan 42 Year Old Rarest 1969 Decanter from Duncan Taylor, with a price of £12,000! Get this one … Macallan 1950 Speymalt (Gordon & MacPhail bottle) £7,200 by shop Nickolls and Perks Limited. Why is there so much of a gap – a bloody huge gap – in distillery bottled as against an Indy bottler FOR THE SAME LIQUID? And from our friends along the road, Macallan – Signatory Vintage Single Cask #1059-1965 35 year old Whisky by Macallan Price: £5,249.95
In 2010, Gordon & MacPhail released the world’s oldest single malt bottled, a 70 Year Old Mortlach at a price of £15,000. A hefty price for a non-original bottling, but thanks to the title of “World’s oldest single malt” the bottles sold very well and I know someone who bought 3, and it was followed by another 70 Year Old whisky, a 1940 Glenlivet. Gordon & MacPhail is the oldest continuously operating indy bottler stocking rarer casks than the distilleries themselves. Gordon & MacPhail bottlings are single cask bottles that remained above the minimal legal strength of 40% and all distilled before the end of the Second World War. Can anyone explain this madness to me?
Back to Macallan, I went to the new distillery shortly after it opened (https://whiskytours.scot/1521-2 this is a Macallan visit blog by Paul), there isa cathedral like wall of whisky as you go in, on the left, huge with many old and rare bottles on show from their own collection. Go in today and you will find holes in this display, even aged Macallans from their own collection have been found to be fake and moved. Mind the guy who bought a dram for $10k in a Switzerland hotel? It was later found to be fake, blended some reckon in the 70’s. Just how do you know if it’s real or fake? Where is the provenance and can you trust that? This price disease doesn’t just happen with MacLellan, oh no, Dalmore, Port Ellen and some Japanese whiskies are also for the privileged few. Others are out there and whilst I am on a good moan, why do certain distillers insist of bottling their whiskies in special hand blown glass, in rare wood from some jungle location they shouldnee be even taking wood from?
These things, and many others are sent to this world to annoy me, costs will only come back down (fat chance) when people stop paying stupid money for liquid that can otherwise be bought at less costs elsewhere. Here endith my whisky rant for today. Paul McLean, Perth, Scotland. March 2019.
Paul,
I sent you an email with a copy of the WU tracking number receipt. Hope this is OK.
#042-534-5991
I will try yo go bank to bank next time.
Thanks John P. Egan