Whisky cask sold at auction for nearly $1.5 million after being forgotten for 34 years

A forgotten cask of whisky sold at an auction on Sunday night for a record-breaking £915,500, equivalent to C$1.48 million.

The whisky was distilled back in 1988 at The Macallan distillery, one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries. The 374-litre cask contains enough scotch to fill 534 bottles of Old Macallan Whisky and was sold to a private individual based in the U.S.

U.K. media reported that the original owner was an expat who bought the cask at the distillery for £5,000 (C$8,100) but forgot to pick his whisky up until more than 30 years later, after the distillery sent a reminder.

The online auctioning platform Whisky Hammer says it the most expensive cask of whisky ever sold at an auction, breaking the record set in 2021 after another Macallan whisky cask fetched £439,000 (C$711,336).

Tasting notes describe the scotch as having a medium body with a slightly nutty mouthfeel and “waves of sweetness” as well as hints of oak, leather and spices on the palate.

“This breaks into a regal spice mix of nutmeg, ginger and ground coriander, over a wash of ginger perkin biscuits, soft buttery dates and freshly baked apricot Danish pastries. This is a masterclass in sophistication,” the whisky’s tasting notes say.