In October 2023, the Distillers One of One Auction raised £2.25 million and broke 19 records. Brimming with ultra-rare, aged Scotch whiskies and breathtaking sculptural decanters, you’d be forgiven for thinking it would be difficult to surpass. You would, however, be wrong.
The third in this prestigious series took place on 10 October 2025, once again held in the majestic setting of Hopetoun House near Edinburgh. Conducted in collaboration with Sotheby’s, all proceeds raised benefit The Distillers’ Charity and the Youth Action Fund.
This year’s auction comprised 39 lots and broke a staggering 30 whisky auction records, raising £2.9 million (including buyer’s premium) — or £2.3 million hammer price — far exceeding pre-sale expectations of £1.4 million.
Whilst the primary focus of the event is to raise funds for a worthy cause, the distillers’ donations remain a spectacle for whisky enthusiasts: a fusion of exceptional Scotch craftsmanship and boundary-pushing artistry. For the successful bidder, each lot represents pure, unadulterated luxury — a one-of-a-kind piece never to be replicated.
Top Five Record-Breaking Sales
With whiskies, casks, and experiences on offer, buyers were truly spoilt for choice. Below, we highlight the top five record-breaking lots.
(Sale prices include buyer’s premium as declared by Sotheby’s.)
Port Ellen Prism 1978
At 46 years old, this is the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery. Its appeal was heightened by an extraordinary presentation — a cylindrical crystal decanter housed within a sculptural work by Wilfried Grootens, the award-winning glass artist.
Forty-five individually painted glass sheets were bonded together to create a “prism” effect. Viewed from different angles, the image refracts and shifts, mirroring the complex layers within the whisky itself.
Such was the enthusiasm in the room that the winning bidder clinched the lot with a single, decisive $200,000 bid.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Amber gold.
Nose: Layers of smouldering embers and luscious fruit, woven with subtle spice and butterscotch sweetness.
Palate: Crushed orchard fruits with berries, cocoa, and vanilla pods over a smoky core.
Finish: Lingering embers and spiced berries — a distinctive and refined Port Ellen.
Estimate: £150,000–£300,000
Sold for: £375,000
Laphroaig Capsule – 40 Year Old
Distilled in 1980 and 1981, this is the joint oldest age-statement whisky ever released by Laphroaig.
The magnum is encased in a sleek, capsule-shaped vessel mounted upon a tall white pillar — minimalist yet striking. At one point, an undecided bidder prompted Sotheby’s Global Head of Spirits, Jonny Fowle, to offer them a taste to help seal their decision. It clearly worked — the lot soared past its estimate.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Soft peach, baked apple, manuka honey, and charred citrus, layered with fig, chocolate orange, star anise, and creamy vanilla.
Palate: Sweet, voluptuous, and spiced; notes of aniseed, blackcurrant, honeycomb, and marmalade.
Finish: Sweet and peppery, leading to Laphroaig’s signature smoky finale with a nod to Lapsang Souchong tea.
Estimate: £40,000–£80,000
Sold for: £125,000
Ladyburn One of One 2025 — Marilyn Monroe by Sam Shaw
An exceptionally rare whisky from the now-silent Ladyburn Distillery, celebrating both a lost distillery and a Hollywood legend.
Drawn from Cask #102092, one of Ladyburn’s final foundation casks, this 58-year-old expression was bottled exclusively for the auction. The 70cl bottle features an intimate photograph of Marilyn Monroe, captured by her close friend Sam Shaw — a moment of joy far removed from her public persona.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Dark mahogany.
Nose: Linseed, liquorice, antique leather, and vanilla toffee.
Palate: Rich and silky, revealing stewed fruits, tobacco leaf, and aged leather.
Finish: Slightly dry, velvety smooth, and mellow.
Estimate: £30,000–£50,000
Sold for: £225,000
The Glen Grant Eternal – 77 Year Old (1948)
Following the success of Glen Grant’s “The Visionary” from 2023, this year’s creation — “The Eternal” — retained its tribute to Major James Grant’s legacy of conservation.
The 1.5-litre hand-blown glass decanter, designed to resemble a developing seed pod, contains an astonishing 77-year-old Scotch whisky — the oldest ever released by Glen Grant.
Bidding was fierce, with two determined phone bidders pushing the price well beyond expectations.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep autumnal amber.
Nose: Ripe berries, sticky sweetness, cardamom, and oak.
Palate: Aromatic oranges, syrupy apricots, wood spice, and warm earthy smoke.
Finish: Long, with lingering citrus, oak, and dried fruit.
Estimate: £80,000–£120,000
Sold for: £400,000
The Glenlivet Spira – 60 Year Old
The top lot of the auction.
Distilled on 1 October 1965, this single-cask expression is the oldest ever released by The Glenlivet — a testament to six decades of patient maturation and craftsmanship.
Spira (Latin for “spiral”) takes inspiration from the River Livet and the elegant spiralling vapours inside the distillery’s copper stills. The 1.5-litre blown-glass decanter, created by Brody Nairn at Glasstorm, features a verdigris copper lid and rests on a hand-carved oak plinth by NEJ Stevenson, cabinetmakers to the Royal Family.
After ten minutes of spirited bidding, the hammer fell at £520,000, setting a new record for The Glenlivet.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Orange marmalade, apple cake, salted caramel, and Earl Grey tea with nutmeg and clove.
Palate: Juicy pear, kiwi, vanilla nougat, honey, and roasted pistachios with orange peel and spice.
Finish: Long, layered, and complex.
Estimate: £60,000–£110,000
Sold for: £650,000
Beyond the Bottles
Not all lots were bottled whiskies. Several casks and experiences also achieved impressive results.
Bruichladdich auctioned Cask #760 (2013 Biodynamic Single Malt), reflecting the distillery’s focus on sustainable distilling and biodiversity.
Tasting Notes: Toasted oak, orange citrus, and vanilla custard on the nose, followed by caramel, marzipan, and barley sugar on the palate. The finish reveals milk chocolate and pineapple.
Estimate: £10,000–£20,000 | Sold for: £50,000
Tomatin Distillery offered Cask #2263, a first-fill bourbon barrel filled in April 2014 and selected by retiring Master Distiller Graham Eunson.
Estimate: £10,000–£20,000 | Sold for: £37,500
Finally, Lindores Abbey Distillery presented a “Fill Your Own Cask” experience — including a private distillery tour, three-course lunch with wine, and a personalised cask-filling session, capped by a tasting from the owners’ private collection.
Estimate: £5,000–£10,000 | Sold for: £21,250
So, we raise a glass of our chosen Scotch whisky and toast all those involved in yet another remarkable Distillers One of One Auction — a celebration of artistry, generosity, and enduring Scottish craftsmanship.
May today’s record-breaking spirits inspire tomorrow’s distillers, nurtured by the very funds raised in their name.
Slàinte.
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