A Rare Yamazaki 55 Single Malt Could Fetch $250,000 at Auction
In 2020, Suntory released the oldest whisky to date from its storied Yamazaki distillery, a rare 55-year-old single malt aged in mizunara and white oak casks that was originally only available in Japan. A year later it became a global release, but one with a hefty price tag of $60,000 per bottle. Since then, its value and scarcity have skyrocketed, and Yamazaki 55 has become a true collector’s item. And interested buyers will have a chance to bid on a bottle at the upcoming Bonhams auction called Whisky Immortal: The World’s Most Coveted Spirits.
Yamazaki, along with Hakushu, make up Suntory‘s malt-whisky production operations. (Chita handles grain whisky, which is a key component of the Hibiki blend.) Both distilleries utilize a variety of stills to produce different types of whisky that is aged in various types of casks, including ex-bourbon, mizunara, and sherry, for 12, 18, and 25 years. Yamazaki 55 is a blend of just two whiskies. The first was distilled in 1960 under the supervision of Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii, according to the brand (which alone makes this whisky stand out), and aged in Japanese mizunara oak barrels. The second was distilled in 1964 under Suntory’s second master blender, Keizo Saji, and aged in America white oak barrels. Fifth-generation chief blender Shinji Fukuyo worked with third-generation master blender Shingo Torii to marry the barrels together for this 55-year-old expression.
“Throughout the process of blending Yamazaki 55, I used as inspiration the passage of time and ‘Wabi-sabi’—the Japanese belief that imperfections can help to ultimately contribute to perfection,” said Fukuyo at the time. “While I often view other extra aged whiskies as art, I consider Yamazaki 55 to be more like a Buddhist statue—calm and mysterious, requiring time to truly enjoy the inner beauty.”
The bottle of Yamazaki 55 that is going up for auction is just one of the 200 that were released. It comes in its original presentation case with features like handmade Echizen Washi paper around the opening, and Bonhams estimates that it will sell for at least $250,000. Of course, that’s not the only rare bottle that will be up for auction. Other highlights include a bottle of Michter’s 25, an entire six-bottle collection of Pappy Van Winkle, the Millenium Collection from scotch distillery Springbank, and a bottle of Black Bowmore from 1964—but the Yamazaki is the most valuable of these by a long shot. The Whisky Immortal auction runs from May 31 to June 12 (online only), and you can find more information and register to bid here.
