World record: two bottles of The Macallan sell for $1.5 million

Two extremely rare bottles of The Macallan 1926 have set the world record for the most expensive whisky bottles ever sold after they changed hands for $US1.2m.

The pair are labelled with original artworks by renowned artists Sir Peter Blake and Valerio Adami. The bottles were sold by Le Clos, the Dubai-Airport based luxury spirits retailer, to an international businessman for his private collection. Each bottle was sold for US$600,000.

The bottles are two of the most unique bottles of whisky ever produced. The whisky itself is The Macallan 1926, which was distilled in 1926 then aged 60 years in sherry-seasoned oak barrels before being bottled and released in 1986.

Of the 40 bottles produced, just 12 were given to British artist Sir Peter Blake, famed for co-creating the Beatles' album cover for Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and 12 were given to the Italian artist Valerio Adami, (released in 1993) one of the most acclaimed pop artists of the 21st century.

Each artist created a bespoke label for the bottles, making them highly sought after by art-lovers and whisky collectors alike. The rare bottles are presented in cabinets, or tantaluses, and are based on the 'brass and glass' distillery spirit safe designs.

Each bottle originally retailed at £20k, and the last known individual bottle sold in 2007 at Christie's for US$75,000.

The sale at Le Clos sets a new benchmark for private sales and completes another chapter in The Macallan's history as a collector's whisky - the distillery also currently holds the record for most expensive whisky bottle sold at auction with The Macallan M Imperiale achieving US$628,000 at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2014.

Iain Delaney, Managing Director Le Clos, said: "Le Clos has built a long-standing relationship with both The Macallan and Dubai Airports and we are thrilled to be able to celebrate our 10-year anniversary with another world-record sale. This success is testament to the commitment of our partners who have supported the vision of Le Clos in becoming one of the world's leading luxury retailers, not just in Dubai Airport but globally."

Geoff Kirk, Director of Prestige, The Macallan, said: "These represent some of the most exclusive bottles ever produced making this an iconic sale that will be remembered worldwide for years to come. It is incredibly rare for The Macallan 1926 to be made available for purchase, and the sale offers whisky connoisseurs the chance to secure historic bottles emblematic of 20th century pop culture. The Macallan is renowned for its outstanding quality and this sale demonstrates the brand standing as a leading figure in the whisky industry worldwide."