A Bottle of Yamazaki 50 Whisky Set a New Auction Record
The global whiskey market might have hit a rough patch, but sales of rare whiskies are auction don’t seem to be slowing down. That point was driven home last week when a bottle of ultra-rare Yamazaki 50 set a new record when it sold for more than $1 million dollars at a Bonhams auction last week, making this one of the most valuable bottles of Japanese whisky in the world.
“We are honored to be entrusted with two whiskies of such rarity and significance,” said Terrence Tang, Bonhams’ head of wine & spirits, Asia, before the auction. “It is not often that two whiskies of this caliber come to auction together; each marks an important moment in the development of Japanese whisky.” The auction took place in Hong Kong last week, and according to reports there were three collectors who were furiously bidding on the Yamazaki 50.
This particular Yamazaki 50, which was distilled at Suntory’s flagship distillery in Kyoto, was one of three editions that were released in 2005, 2007, and 2011. This was a custom bottling which Suntory produced for Club Natsume in Nagoya, Japan, a members-only program for business people and politicians that was founded by Fumie Kase. There is an older version of Yamazaki aged for 55 years, but the 50-year-old version continues to be very popular amongst collectors. The hammer dropped at HK$8,250,000, or about $1,050,000, rivaling other whisky sales from names like the Macallan, and beat the previous Bonhams record when a bottle of Yamazaki 55 sold for nearly $800,000 in 2020.
The other bottle of note that sold for a staggering amount at this auction was the oldest release ever from Japanese ghost distillery Karuizawa. This 52-year-old whisky, Cask #5627, 1960 – Treasure Ship, was one of just 41 bottles produced. Treasure Ship comes in a package created by Scottish design agency Contagious and includes intricate calligraphy on a handmade label. This bottle of Karuizawa sold for HK$6,250,000, or just under $800,000, which wasn’t very far behind the Yamazaki 50.
“Breaking the world record for a Japanese whisky at auction is an important milestone,” said Amayès Aouli, global head of wine & spirits for Bonhams in a statement. “It is also another powerful signal of Bonhams’ commitment to shaping the future of fine wine and spirits auctions. We are not simply responding to market demand; we are redefining it through expertise, authenticity and a truly international platform.” There are some other significant whiskey auctions that will take place over the rest of the year, so we will report back if any other records are broken as they occur.
