Compass Box auction exceeds expectations
Whisky maker Compass Box’s 25th-anniversary charity auction, held in partnership with Boston’s Bonhams Auction House, raised US$54,000 for the Wolfsonian, with each lot exceeding expectations.
The ‘Art & Alchemy of Spirits: Presenting Compass Box to Benefit the Wolfsonian’ charity auction ran online from 26 November to 10 December.
Following the opening of its exhibition ‘Imaginarium: The Fantastical World of Compass Box and Stranger & Stranger’ at Art Basel in Miami Beach, the auction raised a total of US$54,000, almost doubling its US$25,100 goal.
The highlight of the online auction was a Scotch-Swedish blend, Confluence, crafted by the brand’s new creative director of whiskymaking, Angela D’Orazio.
Featuring component whiskies from Mackmyra, Macallan, Glen Moray, Miltonduff and Teaninich distilleries, the one-off blend sold for US$22,500, more than double its US$10,000 estimate.
All net proceeds from the auction will benefit educational programming and future exhibitions at The Wolfsonian-Florida International University.
Racheal Vaughan Jones, chief marketing officer of Compass Box, commented: “This remarkable achievement reflects the voracious appetite for whisky that stands out from the crowd, bringing together exceptional whiskymaking skill with imagination and creativity – the foundation that Compass Box is built on.
“We’re always seeking to make the world of whisky more interesting, and nothing embodies that more than Confluence, created by our new creative director of whiskymaking, as well as our archives of distinctive whiskies created over the past 25 years.”
Alongside Confluence, the auction included seven other lots from the brand’s archives, such as classic expressions, new releases, and rare limited editions, all offered without reserve and sold for more than their estimated value.
The Roaring Twenties, which was estimated to sell for US$4,400-US$5,500, ultimately secured US$9,375, while Compass Box ‘The General’ raised US$4,750 (estimated at US$3,000-US$4,000).
The First Decade lot sold for US$4,000, while its estimate was US$2,200-US$2,800. The Second Decade fetched US$7,500, exceeding its estimated range of US$2,400-US$3,200.
Compass Box’s limited edition ranges also exceeded set expectations. Its Hedonism Collection secured US$3,500 (estimated at $2,200-$2,800) at the podium, The Last Vatted Collection secured US$1,875 against an estimated US$500-US$650, and Compass Box No Name Collection sold for US$1,875 (estimated at US$400-US$500).
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