By Isabella Olivares
Photos by Jo Ivan Llaneta
Luxury single malt Scotch whisky distiller Dalmore made history this December at Christie’s. The British auction house said that Dalmore’s The Kildermorie whisky sold for a record-breaking £114,000 (P7,643,690), the highest price ever realized for a bottle of whisky at Christie’s.
The Dalmore distillery, located in the Scottish highlands of Alness, was originally founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson. According to ScotchWhisky.com, The Kildermorie, aged 62 Years, is one of 12 bottles created by master blender Richard Paterson from casks dating back to 1868, 1878, 1926 and 1939. This bottle is named after the loch from which the distillery sources its water.
Christopher Munro of Christie’s London described the sale as “astonishing,” as it was around double the pre-sale estimate price of £40,000-£60,000 (P2,682,000-P4,022,990).
The £114,000 is the second highest sale for a bottle in this collection, the first being £125,000 (P8,381,240) at the Changi Airport in Singapore in 2011.
The Dalmore was sold to Andrew and Charles MacKenzie, descendants of 13th century Clan MacKenzie chief Colin of Kintail, 28 years after its original founding. The MacKenzie brothers bestowed its clan crest of a 12-pointed royal stag unto the brand. It is now being operated by Whyte and MacKay Ltd.
Aside from the Kildermorie, Dalmore also houses a plethora of fine whiskies in their stores.
In The Philippines, The Dalmore flagship store is located at the Uptown Parade Bridgelink, Uptown Bonifacio, The Fort, Taguig City. An interlude of glass, hard wood and steel, the Dalmore store is a masculine, elegant repository of these fine liquors. It even has a storage and drinking area for those who’d like to store their Dalmore, and occasionally enjoy it in a private lounge within the Dalmore flagship store. Here’s a peek inside.
