Glen Grant 72-Year-Old Scotch Whisky Will Be Auctioned In The US For The First Time

You may think you've seen some expensive Scotch on the shelf before, but if you find yourself at the upcoming auction for Glen Grant's 72-year-old Scotch whisky, you'll probably have your mind blown. The Scotch world is filled with exalted names like Macallan and Lagavulin, which are synonyms for high quality and high prices. And limited releases, where distilleries release just a few hundred bottles, can be even more mind-boggling, with one six-bottle set from Dalmore fetching over a million dollars. 

Now, auction house Bonhams Skinner has gotten their hands on one of the rarest Scotches ever, made by the Glen Grant distillery. And while it may not hit the seven-figure mark, there is sure to be quite the bidding war over this sought-after single malt. 

In a press release sent to Tasting Table, Bonhams Skinner said they will be auctioning off the 72-year-old Glen Grant during their rare spirits sale, which runs from June 19th to June 29th. The Scotch was distilled in 1948, first bottled in 2020, and according to the auction house, is "considered to be one of the oldest and greatest Scotch single malts of all time." There were only 290 bottles of the Glen Grant's 72-year-old ever produced, and it has recently won multiple awards, including World's Finest Single Cask. It will join other rare bottles from distilleries like Brora and Michter's in the bidding, but at an estimated price of up to $100,000 dollars, it's clearly the prize item.

Glen Grant Distillery was originally founded in 1840 and is located in the heart of Scotch country in Scotland's Speyside region. The distillery's Scotch is known for its light and surprisingly crisp flavor, which is owed to the unique shape of its copper stills. While most of Glen Grant's more recent offerings are aged in former Bourbon barrels, older styles, including the 72-year-old bottle up for auction, are aged in American oak sherry casks. The demand for the older cask styles has even led Glen Grant to go back to using them for some of its newer Scotch, releasing a line of 21-year-old bottles this year. The sherry casks add a distinctly fruity and tropical flavor profile to the brand's whiskeys, which mixes with the floral and nutty notes of their standard offerings.

This auction is the first time Glen Grant's 72-year-old will be offered in the United States. Other bottles have been auctioned off by Bonhams Skinner previously, with a recent sale in Hong Kong fetching £95,000, close to the $100,000 they are expecting from this round. And the presentation may be nearly as beautiful as the Scotch itself, being housed in a hand-cut crystal decanter and boxed in a handsome wooden case. It's a fitting vessel for a truly extraordinary spirit that is sure to be the target of heated bidding when the auction kicks off.