This past weekend saw the sale of a 6 liter “Imperiale” version of the highly sought after Macallan M sell for a world record $628,000 at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong.
M represents a collaboration between three masters of their crafts; Fabien Baron, Founder and Creative Director of Baron & Baron, Silvio Denz, President and CEO of LALIQUE and Bob Dalgarno, Whisky Maker at The Macallan.
The Macallan boasts that M is the most sophisticated single malt whisky in the world.
To celebrate the conception of M and its global launch in Hong Kong, four 6-liter Imperiale decanters were specially crafted by LALIQUE for The Macallan. These are the largest decanters ever made by LALIQUE. Each decanter required the work of 17 craftsmen, including two with the prestigious title, “Meilleur Ouvrier de France”, with each taking over 50 hours to complete.
Of the four, two will be archived by The Macallan and one has been committed to a private collector in Asia. The fourth, Constantine (named, as are the other three, after Roman emperors), uniquely features the engraved autographs of the three principal creators – LALIQUE/Silvio Denz, Fabien Baron and Bob Dalgarno. This creation was made available as part of the Finest and Rarest Wines and The Macallan auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on Saturday, 18 January 2014.
David Cox of The Macallan commented: “We are absolutely delighted at the generosity of the successful bidder of the ‘M’ 6L decanter Constantine in securing such a wonderful contribution to a number of Hong Kong charities and at the same time setting a new world record for The Macallan. It is testimony to the craft, quality and passion underpinning the creation of this great decanter. It is a very proud moment for us.”
The sale makes the M the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction, topping a Macallan 64 years old in LALIQUE Cire Perdue sold in New York in 2010 for $460,000.
Silvio Denz of LALIQUE said, “This new world record at US $628,000 highlights the uniqueness of the decanter and the remarkable quality of The Macallan single malt. Its creation is a tremendous achievement due to the unprecedented size, weight and completely new shape. After the Guinness World Record achieved by The Macallan in LALIQUE Cire Perdue in 2010 at Sotheby’s New York, this exceptional figure underscores the interest and value of such extraordinary decanters.”
Robert Sleigh of Sotheby’s Hong Kong, “The Macallan M decanter 6 liter Imperiale brought global interest from bidders who were attracted by the combination of the unique opportunity and exceptional quality bringing a new world record for single malt whisky as well as benefiting Hong Kong charities.”
All net sale proceeds were donated to a host of local charities in Hong Kong.