Distillers One of One sales reach £2.9m
The third biennial Distillers One of One auction smashed all expectations on Friday (10 October), with 30 lots breaking records and hammer proceeds of £2.3 million (US$3.1m) going to charity.
Held at Hopetoun House near Edinburgh, the auction saw 39 ultra-rare Scotch whiskies from 35 companies and distilleries across Scotland go under the hammer.
The auction, which was held in partnership with Sotheby’s, was attended by 200 guests from across the globe.
All hammer proceeds from the event will be donated to The Distillers’ Charity, which will primarily go to the Youth Action Fund to support disadvantaged young people in Scotland.
Experts had expected the lots to fetch a total of approximately £1.4m (US$1.87m). However, around 90% of the bottles and experiences exceeded their estimated value, leading to a total of £2.9m (US$3.87m) in sales (including buyer’s premium).
Jonny Fowle, global head of spirits, Sotheby’s, said: “The third Distillers One of One charity whisky sale has once again surpassed all expectations, delivering an exceptional result that truly reflects the passion and innovation at the heart of the Scotch whisky community. Our deepest thanks to every bidder who participated and to the distillers who contributed their rare and imaginative creations to this unique auction.”
Notable record-breaking price tags were achieved for The Glenlivet, Port Ellen, Ladyburn, Glenfarclas, The Glendronach, Laphroaig, Kandoblanc, and The Glen Grant releases.
The Glenlivet Spira 60 Year Old, the oldest expression to be released from the distillery to date, was presented in a 1.5 litre spiral decanter, hand-blown and shaped by Brodie Nairn at Glasstorm. It had a top estimate of £110,000 (US$146,676), and sold for £650,000 (US$866,724) – an auction record for the brand.
Another oldest whisky to be released from its distillery, The Port Ellen Prism 46 Year Old 1978 achieved a sale price of £375,000 (US$500,033), compared with its top estimate of £300,000 (US$400,026). This also set a new auction record for Port Ellen.
The Ladyburn Marilyn Monroe by Sam Shaw 58 Year Old 1966 – the oldest release ever from Ladyburn Distillery, with a bottle label featuring an intimate, rarely seen photograph of Marilyn Monroe – more than quadrupled its top estimate of £50,000 (US$66,671), reaching a sale price of £225,000 (US$300,020).
Glenfarclas came close to doubling its top estimate offering of £45,000 (US$60,000) for its 58 Year Old, achieving a hammer price of £81,250 (US$108,340). Meanwhile, four bottles of The Glendronach Arias in Time came just short of its top £100,000 (US$133,342) estimate, selling for £93,750 (US$125,000) – though this was still a record-breaking achievement for the brand.
The oldest release from Islay’s Laphroaig Distillery, presented in a striking 1.5 litre glass structure, achieved a sale price of £125,000 (US$166,677), while Kandoblanc’s Dragon in Clouds 60 Year Old sold for £106,250 (US$141,724).
The Glen Grant’s Eternal 77-Year-Old sold for £400,000 (US$536,220) – significantly exceeding its high estimate of £120,000 (US$141,636).
Other notable sales from the auction include The Livingstone William Shakespeare 63 Year Old, which was distilled at Mortlach Distillery and is the only whisky in The Macbeth Collection to feature the playwright, which sold for £67,500 (US$90,000).
Three 500ml bottles comprising Gordon & MacPhail’s 130th anniversary collection achieved a price of £68,750 (US$91,672) as the gavel was lowered.
Unique experiences were also offered for sale on Friday. The opportunity for a buyer to fill their own oloroso Sherry cask at the Isle of Raasay Distillery was sold for £15,000 (US$20,000). Meanwhile, Lindores Abbey Distillery also offered the chance to fill a cask alongside a distillery experience, which achieved a sale price of £21,250 (US$28,225).
A traditional dining experience for a party of eight in the Director’s Dining Room at Berry Bros & Rudd was sold alongside the merchant’s exclusive release of two 30-year-old single malt bottlings from its esteemed family reserve for £17,500 (US$23,334). Meanwhile, a one-of-a-kind opportunity to create a bespoke blended Scotch whisky with The Last Drop’s master blender Colin Scott achieved a sale price of £25,000 (US$33,335).
Finally, The Distillers One of One 2025 Founders’ Reserve – a specially created assemblage of Scotch malt whiskies donated by 10 of The Distillers One of One 2025 founder donors, aged for up to 55 years – rounded off the evening, beating its highest estimate of £10,000 (US$13,334) with a price of £17,500 (US$23,334).
The full list of lots and auction results can be found at www.distillersoneofone.com/2025-auction/lots.
In the past three years, 66 price records have been broken at the annual auction.
Grant Gordon OBE, chairman of The Distillers’ Charity, said: “What pride for me to see that the Scotch whisky industry continues to come together to raise incredible amounts in support of young people, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping them achieve their ambitions and strengthen our communities.
“Over nearly four years, between January 2022 and the end of September 2025, the Youth Action fund has helped 2,619 young people secure employability, meaning a job apprenticeship, training, or education leading to work.
“We sincerely thank all those involved for their time and talent, whether they are in the industry, sponsors or craftspeople and the buyers for their support and generosity, whose contribution together helps transform the lives of young people in Scotland.”
Beanie Espey-Geraedts, managing director of Distillers One of One, added: “We’re so humbled to see such generosity in action for this third Distillers One of One Auction.
“The resounding success is the result of an incredible collective endeavour across the Scotch whisky industry to create meaningful and lasting change, with much work behind the scenes from passionate individuals who care deeply about their communities. It is very special to us to know that this exceptional sum that has been raised will have a direct impact on Scotland’s disadvantaged youth. We are very much looking forward to the next Distillers One of One Auction in 2027.”
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