Pioneering Journey of the Single Malt Category to be Celebrated in Rare Glenfiddich Auction

Collectors and connoisseurs on the lookout for rare whiskies will have the chance to bid on some of the most collectible Glenfiddich in existence this week in an exclusive auction.

From 12-16 November, more than 100 expressions documenting a bottled timeline of Glenfiddich’s amber nectar will feature in the auction. With each bottle epitomising the distillery’s pioneering heritage, the sale will include an unprecedented selection of Rare Collection, Private Vintage and Vintage Reserve whiskies, alongside early examples of Glenfiddich’s Pure Malt and more recent Experimental Series range.

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

• Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection 64 Year Old - the oldest expression ever to be released by the distillery and only 61 bottles produced.

• Glenfiddich 50 Year Old 1st Edition - bottled in 1991, this 50 Year Old Glenfiddich became famous in the early 1990s when it achieved ₺99,999,999 Lira in an Italian charity auction, making it the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold at auction at that time.

• Glenfiddich 1976 Private Vintage #2433 / Concorde - one of approximately 198 bottles from cask #2433 distilled in the year of Concorde’s commercial launch.  This single malt could only be purchased by passengers on the supersonic jet.

• Bottle #3 of the Glenfiddich 1959 Vintage Reserve 40 Year Old #3935 - laid down in 1959, this is a limited edition bottling of just six bottles produced to celebrate William Grant & Sons’ accolade for International Wine and Spirit Competition Distiller of the Year 1999.

• Glenfiddich Special Pure Malt circa 1930s-40s, an incredibly rare example of a single malt dating back to a period where blended whiskies dominated the market, dressed in a label typical of Glenfiddich’s style used from 1910 until the 1950s. 

The Speyside distillery has been an important trailblazer in the whisky industry and helped to create the Single Malt Scotch category as we know it today. This prescience is reflected by its status as the World’s Most Awarded Single Malt Scotch brand as well as one of the most sought after and collectible whiskies on the secondary market.

In addition to these extremely old and rare expressions that appear so infrequently at auction, the exclusive sale will offer whisky lovers the chance to explore more recent bottlings from the distillery that exemplify Glenfiddich’s progressive approach to whisky making.

Joe Wilson, Head of Auction Content at Whisky Auctioneer, commented:

“So many of these bottles have a story to tell, and taken together, provide a fascinating insight into this distillery’s pioneering journey. Glenfiddich expressions have long been an important and prominent feature of our regular auctions so it’s fantastic to now bring these exceptionally collectible bottles into one exclusive auction.

“After the incredible results of our Glenfiddich charity auction earlier this year, we are extremely excited to be able to share this collection with our international online community."

Struan Grant Ralph, Global Brand Ambassador at Glenfiddich, said:

“I’m hugely excited to see this incredible collection of Glenfiddich go under the hammer, as a collection such as this represents significant milestones not just for Glenfiddich but for the Single Malt category.  

“This includes Special Pure Malt Glenfiddich bottled in the 1930s and our early partnerships with institutions such as La Grande Épicerie Paris and Concorde. It’s also exciting to see some of the oldest Glenfiddich bottlings ever brought to the market from as far back as the 1930s - these are life changing whiskies to drink and some of the most collectable bottles in existence. I wish everyone the best of luck bidding on this collection, I’ll certainly be keeping a keen eye on it too!”