This autumn, Sotheby’s and The Macallan will present the first auction ever to take place at The Macallan Estate in Speyside, Scotland – Live from The Macallan Estate.
Scheduled for 9 October 2026 and expected to attract the world’s most dedicated whisky collectors, the sale will comprise whiskies from The Macallan drawn almost exclusively from private collections. Conceived to mark the centenary of the distillation of The Macallan 1926, the auction will bring together a selection of the brand’s finest and most sought-after single malts, spanning decades.
Leading the sale is a bottle of The Macallan 1926 – an expression that has come to define whisky at its most rarefied. Bottled in 1986 at 60 Years Old, it has become the benchmark for collectible whisky, its extraordinary value driven as much by its rarity as by its enduring place in the history of Scotch whisky collecting.
After maturing for six decades, just 40 bottles of The Macallan 1926 were drawn from a single sherry seasoned oak cask (cask number 263) in 1986, representing the oldest vintage ever bottled by The Macallan. A maximum of 14 were decorated with the Fine and Rare label, 12 were designed by Sir Peter Blake, and a further 12 by Italian artist Valerio Adami. Two bottles were left unlabelled – one was later hand-painted by Irish artist Michael Dillon; the other is the last unlabelled Macallan 1926 in existence.
Jonny Fowle, Global Head of Whisky & Spirits, Sotheby’s, said, “The Macallan 1926 stands as one of the most iconic and coveted spirits ever produced, revered not simply for its rarity, but for the extraordinary story it represents. To celebrate its centenary with the first-ever auction held at a Scotch whisky distillery is a landmark moment for the world of whisky collecting. Bringing exceptional examples of The Macallan together at the Estate where their story began offers collectors a truly unique opportunity to engage with one of the most legendary names in spirits.”
Carrying an estimate of £1.7-2.2 million, The Macallan Fine and Rare 60 Years Old 1926 is poised to become one of the most valuable bottles of whisky ever sold.
