On Saturday, a highly coveted bottle of Scotch whisky achieved a record-breaking sale, fetching nearly 2.2 million pounds ($2.7 million) at a Sotheby's auction in London.

This sale sets a new record for the auction price of a single bottle of wine or spirits.The "most valuable whisky in the world", the Macallan Adami1926, sparked a competitive bidding war among potential buyers both on the phone and present in the auction room.This rare whisky, with only 40 bottles produced in 1986 after maturing for 60 years in sherry casks, is renowned for its exclusivity.

The bottle sold on Saturday is distinguished by a label designed by Italian artistValerio Adami, one of only twelve such bottles.Another bottle from the same cask was sold by Sotheby’s in 2019 for almost 1.5 million pounds, which was a record for wine or spirits until Saturday.Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of spirits, expressed his enthusiasm about the sale, saying, “The Macallan 1926 is the one whisky that every auctioneer wants to sell and every collector wants to own.” He described the record-breaking sale as “nothing short of momentous for the whisky industry as a whole.”"It's not a whisky to take lightly.

It's a rich, rich dram, but it is incredible," Jonny Fowle told AFP.Unique to this auction, the bottle sold on Saturday underwent a reconditioning process at the distillery, which included replacing the cork and reapplying glue to the label corners.The final sale price of 2,187,500 pounds ($2,714,250) includes the buyer's premium on top of the hammer price of 1.75 million pounds, significantly exceeding the pre-sale estimates of 750,000 to 1.2 million pounds.Kirsteen Campbell, Macallan's Master Whisky Maker, shared her experience of sampling the whisky during its reconditioning.

She described it as having a complex profile with notes of “rich dark fruits, black cherry compote alongside sticky dates, followed by intense sweet antique oak.” Campbell further noted the presence of “Dark chocolate, treacle, ginger … the notes go on and on.” Reflecting on the experience, she said, "It was a very special moment to experience the opening of this iconic 60 Years Old single malt, first bottled 37 years ago, and I hope the new custodian will enjoy the same privilege.”(With inputs from agencies)