World’s biggest bottle of Scotch sells for £1.1m

The world’s largest Scotch whisky bottle, containing 311 litres of a 32-year-old Macallan single malt, sold for £1.1 million (US$1.3m) at auction.

Edinburgh-based auction house Lyon & Turnball offered the bottle, named The Intrepid, during a live online sale yesterday (25 May).

Bidding took place both live online and by telephone, with the bottle eventually being sold to an unnamed international collector.

The Intrepid was officially certified by Guinness World Records in September 2021. The 5-foot-11-inches vessel contains the equivalent of 444 standard 700ml bottles.

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 Intrepid was named in honour of the record-breaking achievements of 11 pioneering explorers, who feature on the bottle.

Daniel Monk, founder of The Intrepid Project, said: “For me and the whole team, The Intrepid project has always been about more than money. This is a passion project to celebrate the life of my late father, captain Stanley Monk, who was himself an explorer and achieved many amazing things during his life. “

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.

Gavin Strang, managing director of Lyon & Turnbull, added: “The Intrepid Collection, led by the world’s largest bottle of Scotch whisky, has attracted so much global interest. It has been an incredibly exciting project to be involved in and we at Lyon & Turnbull are delighted the auction has been such a success.”