In April, a collection of Macallan single malt whiskies set a new world record price for any lot of whisky sold at auction, selling for more than $993,000.

The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Series – The Legacy Collection, a set of six stunning crystal decanters containing the rarest of The Macallan’s single malts aged from 50 to 65 years old, complete with an ebony cabinet from Lalique – was auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. The winning bid by an unnamed buyer almost doubled the pre-auction estimate for the lot, which was predicted to sell between $260,000 to $500,000. The lot was sourced direct from the distillery.

Housed in a bespoke natural ebony cabinet created by Lalique Maison, the Legacy Collection also holds six Macallan Fine and Rare miniatures; two from each of the 1937, 1938 and 1939 vintages (signifying the zenith of Lalique’s contribution in the French Art Deco period), and six pairs of Lalique Macallan glasses, each serial numbered to commemorate the unique partnership. Autographs of the masters behind the collection are also included inside the cabinet and allow for the buyer to have their own name engraved within it as well. 

Since its inception in 2005, The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars series has captured the imagination of collectors around the world. In 2014, The Macallan accounted for the top 10 priced bottles sold at auction; eight out of 10 sales being decanters from The Macallan in Lalique series. In 2015, The Macallan was the most valuable whisky brand at auction, accounting for more than 25% of the total value traded at auction.