Global Demand for Rare Whisky Pushes Auctions to Record Height

by Francis Moses

Tuesday, 17 March 2026 at 09:35

Sotheby's has recorded a projected sales of wine and spirits of 127.5 million US dollars in the year 2025 and has exhibited a great growth in the collection of drinks in the world market. The figure is a 12% growth over the last year and over two times the amount that the auction house registered a decade ago, which was 47 million.

This year, Sotheby hosted 69 auctions in eight cities where they sold 26,509 lots to 63 countries, bringing in bidders.

What drove Sotheby’s strong wine and spirits auction results?

The results of Sotheby's are an indication that global buyers in terms of rare wine and collectible whisky are still present. Global Head of Sotheby Wine and Spirits Nick Pegna attributed the good performance to the increased number of international collectors and the capacity of the auction house to display major personal collections.

The biggest category of auction was wine. Sales in Burgundy were also 39% of total sales, with 28% in Bordeaux, with virtually double its share than last year. The spirits accounted for 20% of the entire auction price, with steady demand for rare and old liquor.

What were the top-performing brands of whisky and spirits at Sotheby's?

The Macallan was the most sold brand among the spirits producers. The whisky brand was at 18% of the overall spirits sales in its fifth consecutive year.

Kweichow Moutai, a Chinese baijiu brand, accounted for 16% of sales. The American bourbon also took a step forward as Van Winkle was placed in the top three spirits brands of Sotheby's, the first in a long time.

Old Fitzgerald is another brand of American whiskey that ranked in the top ten lists of the auction house.

Whisky shattering records

The Glenlivet SPIRA 60 Year Old 1965 sold in the spirits category, and made 864,825 dollars in the auction of Distillers One of One charity.

The event drew in 39 rare Scotch whiskies, totaling 3.9 million. The 165th Hospices de Beaune auction held at Sotheby's also raised $23.5 million on 552 lots.

Growing interest from new collectors

Almost fifty percent of all Sotheby wine buyers in 2025 were aged below 50, and approximately every third buyer was a new client.

The auction house had a reported even international buyer base, with Asian, American (31 and 32% respectively), and European, Middle East, and African (37%) participants. Japan also made its first entry in the top ten buying markets of wine at Sotheby's.

FAQ

How much did Sotheby Wine and Spirits auctions raise in 2025?
The reported 127.5 million in total sales of wine and spirits at Sotheby's in the year 2025.
Which Sotheby's spirits auction brand got the highest price?
Macallan was the highest-selling spirits brand at Sotheby's in the fifth year.
Which USA whiskey climbed the rankings of the best spirits?
In 2025, Van Winkle bourbon made it into the top three spirits brands in Sotheby's, the first time in its history.

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