Whisky auction site toasts 'phenomenally successful' year thanks to global demand for rare Scotch

Whisky Auctioneer has cheered a “phenomenally successful” year after the total hammer price of lots sold through its auctions reached more than £50 million.

Bosses at the whisky auction site said new world records were set in 2022 for distilleries across the industry including Port Ellen, after a 12-year-old whisky bottled for the Queen’s Visit in 1980 reached a record-breaking £100,000. A 1974 vintage Ardbeg became the most expensive bottle of Ardbeg ever sold, attaining a hammer price of £35,000. Those bottles were won by bidders in Hong Kong and Switzerland respectively, highlighting the increasing interest across the globe for rare whiskies.

The firm, headquartered in Perth, welcomed 21 new staff members this year across the UK and Germany, bringing its total headcount to 74. Company founder Iain McClune said: “2022 was another year of progress at Whisky Auctioneer, with the opening of our London office, record-breaking results and the development of new and continued partnerships across the whisky industry. As we reflect on 2022, it is amazing to look back on everything Whisky Auctioneer has achieved. 2023 will be our tenth anniversary which we are excited to celebrate, and I can’t wait to see how the next decade unfolds.”

The firm welcomed some 10,500 new registered users and so far this year has seen 2.2 million bids across 115,000 lots which were shipped to buyers in 67 countries. During the year, Whisky Auctioneer also partnered with brands across the industry to deliver a number of charity initiatives, including with Chivas Brothers and William Grant & Sons.