The Dalmore Oculus beat its estimated price of between £15,000 and £20,000 with a hammer price of £23,000. With the buyer’s premium the lot cost £27,600.
It was part of 3000 lots which went for £211,518, including buyer’s premium, at the whisky sale at Bonhams in Edinburgh.
Bonhams said the price paid for the Dalmore Oculus was the highest price ever paid for a bottle of Dalmore at auction and the buyer wished to remain anonymous.
Speaking after the sale, Martin Green, whisky specialist at Bonhams, said: “There was a fantastic atmosphere in the sale room today and the auction has far exceeded our expectations.
“The Dalmore Oculus reached a fantastic sale price, especially in view of the current economic climate.”
The Dalmore Oculus was created by Whyte & Mackay’s master distiller Richard Paterson, who combined a rich, spicy orange zest core from cask 1781, distilled in 1951, and trace elements of the taste and smell of dried fruits, ripe bananas, toffee and almonds from an original fifty-year-old.
Rare malts were also selected from vintages distilled in 1868, 1878, 1922, 1926 and 1939.
An “incredibly intense oak, spice and bitter dark chocolate” long matured distillate from cask 1782 was added to the mix alongside the whisky’s “capstone” - a “judicious amount of the revered 64-year-old” with aromatic spices and citrus zest.
Mr Paterson said: “The Dalmore Oculus is a truly exceptional expression and we knew demand would be incredibly high today.
“The sale price reflects the quality and uniqueness of the whisky and the bidder has most certainly invested in something truly magnificent that they can treasure.”
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