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World’s biggest Scotch heads for auction

The world’s largest Scotch whisky bottle, containing 311 litres of a 32-year-old Macallan single malt, will go under the hammer at the end of May.

World's largest Scotch
The Intrepid is the world’s biggest whisky bottle at 180.3cm

Edinburgh-based auction house Lyon & Turnball will offer the bottle, named The Intrepid, during a live online sale at 12pm GMT on 25 May.

The Intrepid was officially certified by Guinness World Records in September 2021. The 5ft11 vessel contains the equivalent of 444 standard 700ml bottles.

The record was previously set by a 228-litre bottle of The Famous Grouse whisky in 2012.

After maturing in two sister casks at The Macallan’s Speyside warehouse for 32 years, the 43% ABV liquid was bottled last year by independent bottler Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky.

The auctioneer said The Intrepid could break the world record for the most expensive bottle of whisky sold at auction, which is currently documented at US$1.9 million for a Macallan 1926 bottle.

Colin Fraser of Lyon & Turnbull, who will lead the auction, said: “I’m sure there will be significant global interest in the auction of The Intrepid, a unique collection spearheaded by the record-breaking bottling standing at an incredible 5ft 11 inches tall.

“Bidders will have the chance to buy a piece of Scotch whisky history. They will become the owners of an exclusive 32-year-old single malt Scotch from what is widely regarded as one of the world’s best distilleries, The Macallan.”

For any amount the sale achieves above £1.3m (US$1.6m), a quarter will be donated to the Marie Curie charity.

The Intrepid is named in honour of the record-breaking achievements of 11 of the world’s most pioneering explorers who are featured on the bottle.

The bottle design includes Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Dr Geoff Wilson, Karen Darke MBE, Olly Hicks, Sarah Outen MBE, Dwayne Fields, Levison Wood, Felicity Aston MBE and past Scottish Adventurers of the Year Jamie Ramsay and Will Copestake.

To commemorate this significant event, a small number of exclusive bottle sets were also produced. These comprise a collection of 12 bottles, each filled with the remaining 32-year-old Macallan whisky from the same casks used to fill the 311-litre bottle.

Each set includes a replica of the main bottle design, along with individual versions dedicated to each explorer.

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