A 64-year-old Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937 whisky has sold for £46,000 at an auction in London.
Distilled in 1937 and bottled in 2001, it is the rarest Glenfiddich ever produced, with just 61 specimens released - a key factor in propelling it to its considerable price. It is unknown how many bottles remain.
 The rarest Glenfiddich ever produced |
At the time of release it was the world's oldest single malt whisky.
"It was discovered to be an unusually slow-maturing whisky and over its life 10 consecutive warehouse masters patiently watched over cask 843 and frequently nosed and tasted the whisky, noting its development," said Christie's, the auction house behind the June 7 sale.
The lot was close on the heels of the whisky bottle world record of $94,000 (£59,350), set by a Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve in March. That price represented a rise of 26.6% for the record in three months.
The sale is further evidence of the strong market for whisky among serious investors, with the Dufftown-based Glenfiddich distillery leading the way. Chris Munro, the head of wine at Christie's London, remarked: "The already global collecting base within the whisky market continues to grow, with a great deal of crossover from our established wine buyers".
Recent research by valuation experts Whisky Highland found that the top 10 performing whiskies grew by more than 400% in value between 2008 and 2011.
The auction also featured The Bowmore Trilogy 1964, which made £13,800.
A Glenfiddich Private Vintage 1955 sold for £8,625, while a Macallan Select Reserve 52-year-old made £8,050.
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