Bonhams will auction one of 12 Dalmore 62-Year-Old bottles in Asia for the first time

Bonhams plans to offer one of the rarest modern collectible Scotch whiskies in Hong Kong on Nov. 21, when a bottle of The Dalmore 62-Year-Old known as The Ardross Estate makes its first appearance at auction in Asia.

The bottle will lead the auction house’s Whisky Masterpieces: The Curation of Rarity sale at Bonhams Hong Kong in Wan Chai. Bonhams has set the estimate at HK$2.8 million to HK$3.8 million, or about US$360,000 to US$480,000.

Bonhams said only 12 bottles of The Dalmore 62-Year-Old were ever produced. The release was created in 2002 by master distiller Richard Paterson and combined whiskies from four vintages dating from 1868 to 1939. According to the auction house, the youngest component had matured for 62 years before the whiskies were married in a Matusalem Oloroso sherry cask and bottled.

Each of the 12 bottles was given its own name tied to a person, place or milestone in the distillery’s history and was signed by Paterson, Bonhams said. The Ardross Estate bottle takes its name from the estate linked to the distillery’s historic home overlooking the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands.

The appearance of the bottle in Hong Kong reflects the continued importance of Asia in the top end of the whisky auction market, where rare Scotch and Japanese releases have drawn strong bidding from private collectors. Bonhams said the sale will also feature several high-value Japanese whiskies, including a Yamazaki 50 Year Old 2007 Release estimated at HK$1.8 million to HK$2.8 million, a Karuizawa 47 Year Old Cask #5627 from 1960 estimated at HK$600,000 to HK$900,000, and a Yamazaki 35 Year Old estimated at HK$400,000 to HK$550,000.

Amayès Aouli, Bonhams’ global head of wine and spirits, said the house was building on momentum from its May sales, when it said it set two world records for Japanese whisky with the Yamazaki 50-Year-Old Club Natsume and the Karuizawa 52 Year Old Cask #5627, 1960, Treasure Ship. He described The Dalmore 62-Year-Old as one of the most sought-after Scotch releases to come to market.

Terrence Tang, Bonhams’ head of wine and spirits for Asia, said demand in the region for high-end Scotch remains strong and that bringing the bottle to Hong Kong gives local buyers a rare chance to compete for a release that is seldom seen in public sales.

The Nov. 21 live auction is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Bonhams Hong Kong, Six Pacific Place, 50 Queen’s Road East. In addition to the live sale, Bonhams will run an online auction, Spirits Rarity: Featuring the Extravagant Collection of a Hedonist, from Nov. 18 to Dec. 3.

That online sale will include more rare whisky lots, among them a Black Bowmore 50 Year Old The Last Cask, 1964, estimated at HK$240,000 to HK$340,000, a Hibiki 35 Year Old Kokutani Utsushi Ceramic Decanter estimated at HK$180,000 to HK$260,000, and a Karuizawa 50 Year Old Cask #5132, 1963, estimated at HK$160,000 to HK$220,000.

Rare whisky has become a regular feature of major auction calendars over the past decade, with Scotch and Japanese bottlings often competing for the highest prices. Bottles with extreme age statements, very limited production runs and clear provenance tend to command the strongest interest, especially when they are tied to closed distilleries, historic casks or landmark releases from well-known producers.

The Dalmore 62-Year-Old fits that profile closely. Its small production, the age of the whiskies used in the blend and its status as an individually named bottle have made it a notable release in the secondary market. By bringing one of the 12 bottles to Hong Kong, Bonhams is testing whether demand from Asian collectors will match the attention the expression has received in Western auction rooms.