$6OOK FOR A BOTTLE OF SCOTCH

THERE SEEMS to be no limit to the amount of money collectors are willing to spend on single malt.  A rare bottle of Macallan whisky recently set a world record for the most expensive single malt whisky soldatan auction.  The six-liter bottle of the highly sought-after Macallan M in a crystal decanter fetched $628,2O5 at Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong, above the expected range of $258,OOO to $516,OOO.  The previous record was achieved at a Sotheby’s auction in New York in 2O1O, when a bottle of 64-year-old Macallan whisky was sold for $46O,OOO.  Proceeds of the sale were to go to various Hong Kong charities.  Only four Imperiale M Decanters were ever made by the Scottish distillery.

As the Asian market matures, high-end whisky is increasingly being viewed as a viable alternative investment to fine wine.  When investing in whisky, the main drivers of price are quality and rarity, similar to wine.  In the case of the Macallan M, it was a combination of the quality and rarity of the whisky as well as the decanter designed by French crystal maker Lalique. And in case you were wondering, a 2-ounce shot averages $6282.