Whisky history was made on Monday 22 February 2021 as the curtain came down on the auction of the ‘Perfect Collection’ of whisky.

With a total final hammer price* of $9,100,000 (£6,675,000), the collection of 3,900 bottles has become the highest value private collection ever to sell on the secondary market at an auction dedicated to one single collector’s whisky. The auction has been hosted in two parts by market leaders Whisky Auctioneer due to the sheer scale of Mr Gooding’s whisky library - a man who dedicated two decades of his life in pursuit of the perfect collection.

Monday night marked the end of Part Two of the sale, which saw 1,557 distinct bidders in total from 54 countries battling it out for over 1,900 lots of some of the most exciting whiskies in existence. The most expensive bottle in the collection, The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare 60 Year Old, sold for a hammer price of $1.4m (£1m) - the first time a single bottle of whisky has sold at an online only auction for one million pounds. Part one of the auction saw The Macallan 1926 Valerio Adami 60 Year Old sell for $1m (£825,000) at hammer price - the first bottle in an online auction to achieve $1m.

With multiple high value results and world records achieved during the sale, Whisky Auctioneer has firmly established a fresh approach that challenges the mould of the traditional auction model with its accessible online platform, original content, price transparency and unparalleled expertise.

By bringing the value and the stories of the incredible expressions in Mr. Gooding’s Collection to life, the Perth-based online auction house has connected whisky lovers and investors worldwide to one-of-a-kind bottles, resulting in some of the highest value whisky sales ever seen on the secondary market.

Iain McClune, Founder of Whisky Auctioneer said: “This auction was solely dedicated to one collector's magnificent library of whisky - a man who was dedicated to building The Perfect Collection. As enthusiasts of whisky ourselves, we knew that this collection deserved its own spotlight to allow us to truly convey the rarity and sheer scale of something so historic. In total, Mr. Gooding’s collection has sold for over $9m at hammer price, with two bottles breaking $1m each.

“The results from The Perfect Collection clearly show that our auction model is significantly shaking up the traditional secondary market. By bringing transparency, true expertise and engaging content to our customers we are offering something fresh, yet accessible to those across the globe interested in whisky.

“It has been a privilege for us to share Mr Gooding’s legacy with the world and we would like to thank everyone who participated in making whisky history. With so many incredible bottles attracting the attention of high value investors and passionate collectors across the world, the sale is one for the record books - not just for Whisky Auctioneer but for the whisky industry as a whole.”




Other significant results include record prices for historic malts from Scotland’s ‘lost’ distilleries such as Dallas Dhu, showcasing the surge in interest when it comes to the history and provenance of rare bottlings from distilleries of the past.

Specific auction result highlights from The Perfect Collection: Part Two include:

• The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare 60 Year Old 75cl / US Import - hammer price: $1,410,000 (£1,000,000)

• The Macallan 1972 Fine & Rare 29 Year Old - hammer price: $42,300 (£30,000) - (highest recorded sale to date £17.5K)

• The Macallan 1940 Fine & Rare 37 Year Old - hammer price: $39,480 (£28,000) - (highest recorded sale to date £26K)

• Bowmore 1967 Largiemeanoch 12 Year Old - hammer price: $32,430 (£23,000) - (highest recorded sale to date £15K)

• Balvenie 1961 Vintage Cask #4194 1 of 1 - hammer price: $23,265 (£16,500)

• Dallas Dhu 1921 Private Cask 64 Year Old #296 - hammer price: $21,855 (£15,500)

Described as 'The Perfect Collection', Mr. Gooding’s whisky library has generated extensive global interest due to its coveted and rare bottles, as well as its sheer size; in total, Mr. Gooding amassed 3,900 bottles of primarily single malt whisky.

In testimony to the global demand for whisky, last year was a record year for Whisky Auctioneer as it experienced huge growth in its online customer base and announced its expansion into Europe with a new base in Germany. The business currently sees over 100,000 bids per month and has conducted deliveries to 74 countries across the globe.