Sotheby’s auction sales top $127.5m in 2025
In Sotheby’s 2025 Wine & Spirits Market Report released today (13 March), the auction house revealed it has achieved US$1.9 billion in sales since 1995, having reached US$127.5 million in total sales in 2025.
The 2025 sales figure demonstrates a 12% year-on-year growth for the London and New York-based auction house, with 171.3% growth achieved in the past decade.
The business continued to expand globally, with auctions held in eight cities worldwide and a new record number of bidders, reflecting broad collector engagement across every major region.
Sotheby’s also strengthened its wine and spirits division with dedicated, full-time specialists in Tokyo and Zurich.
Global demand for rare spirits
Sotheby’s noted it delivered ‘exceptional’ results across every major category in 2025.
Demand for ultra-rare and one-of-one bottles remained strong, with collectors competing for the finest Scotch, American Bourbon and rye, and the world’s most prestigious Chinese spirits, including Moutai and aged baijiu.
Sotheby’s highlights from the year include hosting the first single-owner live sale for baijiu, and the auction of the most valuable bottle of spirits sold globally – The Glenlivet Spira 60 Year Old 1965, which sold for US$864,825.
Seven of the top 10 spirits sold globally were at Sotheby’s, four of which were in the top five.
For the sixth consecutive year, the top lot globally within Sotheby’s Wine & Spirits division was a spirit.
Other highlights include The Distillers One of One, which hosted its third biennial charity auction in partnership with Sotheby’s last year, comprising a selection of 39 ultra-rare Scotch whiskies from 35 companies and distilleries across the country.
The auction brought a total of US$3.9 million, smashing its pre-sale estimate.
The success of the event has led to the renewal of the partnership with Sotheby’s for the next four auctions until 2033.
In terms of top-performing spirits producers, The Macallan held its position as the world’s leader for the fifth consecutive year, with Moutai in close second. Together, the two accounted for more than one-third (34%) of total spirits sales.
Van Winkle entered the top three for the first time, which is said to reflect the brand’s growing prestige and strong collector demand, while Old Fitzgerald broke into the top 10, marking a notable development for American whiskey.
The report reveals that Scotch distilleries led in 2025, driven by demand for ultra-rare releases.
Bottles from closed or limited-production distilleries, notably Ladyburn, which operated from 1966 to 1975, underscored collectors’ appetite for scarcity and distinctive provenance.
Buyers came from Europe (21%), the Americas (39%) and Asia (40%), with the US representing the country with the largest proportion of spirits buyers at 38%.
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