whisky & the Guinness world of records
- Emma Gibbs
- Jan 30, 2024
- 2 min read
Whisky has set plenty of Guinness World Records: the oldest, the largest, the most valuable. Here’s some of them. Many are surprising, even controversial. 🥇
Most Valuable Bottle of Whisky
The world’s most valuable bottle of whisky is a Laphroaig 40 YO, signed by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, and belongs to The Grande Whisky Museum in Suntec City, Singapore. It is valued at £2,208,980and was verified in October 2022.
Most Expensive Whisky Sold at Auction
The world’s most expensive bottle of whisky sold at auction is a bottle of The Macallan Valerio Adami which sold to an anonymous bidder for £2,187,500 at Sotheby’s in London on 18 November 2023 and was verified the same day.
Most Participants in an Online Whisky Tasting Event
To commemorate their 40th Anniversary, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society set a new world record for the most participants in an online whisky tasting event in September 2023. Drams were shared in more than 15 countries between 447 participants.
Largest Bottle of Whisky
The largest bottle of whisky is The Intrepid containing 311 litres of Macallan 32 YO, distilled in 1989. It was created by Fah Mai Holdings Group and Rosewin Holdings and presented at Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky in Scotland, on 9 September 2021. It was sold at auction in 2022 for £1.1m.
Oldest Bottle of Whiskey
This title belongs to Baker’s Pure Rye Whiskey which was distilled in 1847 and is owned by screenwriter Adam Herz. It was carbon dated by the University of Glasgow and verified by Guinness in November 2018.
In November 2023, 40 bottles of whisky were discovered behind a cellar door at Blair Castle, Stirlingshire and are believed to have been distilled in the 1830s. Although authenticated by the SUERC as having a 19thcentury origin, these bottles have not been verified by Guinness as there is no evidence to support an exact distillation date.
Oldest Operating Scotch Whisky Distillery
This title belongs to Strathisla Distillery in Keith, Banffshire which was founded in 1786. The distillery has a long and rich backstory in which it survived a fire, several name changes and many owners including scandalous London financier, George Pomeroy.
It is a common misconception that Glenturret Distillery holds this title; although founded decades earlier, it had a period where it was not operational.
Most Prolific Mouser
The most prolific mouser was a tortoiseshell cat named Towser owned by Glenturret. It is estimated that she caught 28,899 mice, averaging three per day until she died on 20th March 1987. She has been honoured by the distillery with a statue in her memory and her legacy continues to this day with two resident mousers named Glen and Turret.
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