Glen Grant Bottle No 88 sells for $80k

The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60^th Anniversary Edition (Bottle No. 88) has sold at auction for just under AUD$80k.

It is the highest vintage official bottling ever for the 181-year-old brand and is the highest price ever paid for a bottle in the region for the Campari Group portfolio.

The auction was held at Glen Grant's launch of The Dennis Malcolm 60^th Anniversary Edition - a tribute to the legendary 60-year career of the distillery's master distiller - at Shanghai's St Regis Hotel earlier this month.

The spirit has been aged for 60 years, selected from the rare Oloroso Sherry barrel No. 5040 filled on October 24, 1960; bottled at 52.8% ABV and non-chill filtered to retain optimal flavour and aroma.

This edition is limited to 360 bottles worldwide, each marked with a bespoke number. Every one of the 360 decanters have been made from hand-blown crystal glass, designed by world renowned Glencairn Studio, and are based on the design of the distillery’s unique tall slender pot stills.

Nestled in an elegant presentation case crafted from sustainable walnut, the decanter itself requires over 15 hours of expert craftsmanship for each creation, encompassing intricate details which symbolise the unique aromas of The Glen Grant. Each presentation case has the Master Distiller’s signature engraved within it and includes a Certificate of Authenticity, signed personally by Dennis Malcolm. 

“The Glen Grant The Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition is a 60 years old single malt scotch whisky that pays tribute to one of the longest standing master distillers in Scotland and a globally recognized Scotch Whisky craftsman, Dennis Malcolm. This extremely rare and unique liquid is the hallmark of Dennis Malcolm’s career and a once-in-a-lifetime experience available to just 360 discerning whisky connoisseurs globally, many of them residing here in the Asia Pacific region,” says Matteo Fantacchiotti, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Campari Group.

Few in the worldwide spirits industry share the whisky-industry lineage of Dennis Malcolm. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather before him, he got his start at age 15 as apprentice cooper and later, as a manager supervising the growing company’s nine distilleries. In his current role as Master Distiller, Mr Malcolm has been an integral part of the brand and its history, maintaining the malt’s distinctive character, all the while innovating and growing the range of award-winning expressions.

Mr Malcolm’s careful craftsmanship and attention to detail in crafting The Glen Grant’s single malt scotch whiskies has received worldwide acclaim, including recognition for his service by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2016, when he was named as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

He was inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame in 2014 and in 2015, he received the first-ever Spirit of Speyside award for his achievements in the industry and in 2015 received the Whisky Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and the International Wine and Spirits Competition’s Outstanding Achievement in the Scotch Whisky Industry Award.

On his diamond anniversary, Mr Malcolm said, “It’s never been a job to me, it’s been a way of life. I don’t like my actual birthday - that makes me a year older. But I like my milestones with Glen Grant because it’s a year longer than I’m here. I can keep doing what I was destined to do.”

“The Glen Grant 60 year old Edition is the pinnacle of Campari Group Rare portfolio, which comprises the Company's super-premium and above offering,” adds Fantacchiotti, “And it is the first of many exciting initiatives and experiences we will be delivering across a beautiful collection of brands that includes Single Malt Scotch, Cognac, Rum, Bourbon and Champagne.” Following the auction launch event, The Glen Grant Dennis Malcolm 60th Anniversary Edition will be available in Australia at Dan Murphy's from November 2021, retailing for AUD $39,970.