Wines & Spirits

The collectability of wine and spirits is often down to vintage and rarity. When buying investment wines, the ideal vintages are those that are known to hold their taste over a long period of time.

Bordeaux and Burgundy wines are two of the most frequently collected wines but bottles are sometimes purchased because of their links to historic events or previous owners. Famous wine collectors include Thomas Jefferson, Alex Ferguson and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Since the 1990’s the market for fine and rare wine has grown due in part to increasing demand from Asia.

Auction record for a £1.2m bottle of Scotch whisky

25 October 2019

The £7.6m sale of ‘The Ultimate Whisky Collection’ at Sotheby’s in London on October 24 included a single bottle sold for £1.2m (plus 21% premium).

Salvaged ‘Whisky Galore’ bottles from the 1940s go under the hammer at Bonhams in Edinburgh

24 May 2019

When the 8000-ton cargo ship SS Politician left Liverpool for Jamaica and New Orleans in 1941 it was carrying 28,000 cases of malt whisky. Two days later it sank in the Outer Hebrides.

Liquid gold ‘the smartest place to put your money’

25 March 2019

In the wake of record auction prices – the first £1m bottle of whisky and a $500,000 bottle of wine – four auction specialists discuss the lively market for fine and rare wines and whisky. Here, two whisky specialists outline the market trends: Graeme Maxwell of McTear's and Mark Littler, independent antiques and whisky broker.

Drinking the profits – a brief history of wine antiques

25 March 2019

Pouring wine at the table from a standardised machine-made bottle is a relatively new custom. For centuries before the Victorian era, wine was typically bought and stored in the barrel and decanted into bottles or jugs only before use at the table.

WINE AND WHISKY: Raise a glass to a buoyant market

25 March 2019

In the wake of record auction prices – the first £1m bottle of whisky and a $500,000 bottle of wine – four auction specialists discuss the lively market for fine and rare wines and whisky. A potted history of wine-related antiques follows. First up: Richard Brierley of Forum Auctions and Sam Hellyer of Chiswick Auctions on the wine market.

Third of rare Scotch vintage whisky tested found to be fake

20 December 2018

A sample of vintage bottles of Scotch whisky tested in a Scottish laboratory has been found to be fake.

Auction record for £1m bottle of Macallan whisky at £48,000 a glass

30 November 2018

A hand painted bottle of 1926 60-year-old Macallan whisky sold for a hammer price of £1m at auction, equating to around £48,000 per single shot.

Auction house Lyon & Turnbull launches whisky department to tap into growing sector

07 November 2018

Lyon & Turnbull is to launch regular, dedicated whisky sales at its Edinburgh saleroom as the sector reaches an “all-time high”.

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Where to be: Five places to find luxury items this month

12 October 2018

From wine and whisky to handbags and Hermés scarves, luxury auctions can be a chance to indulge in something extra special – sometimes at affordable prices. A series of sales across the UK this month look likely to have buyers bidding on choice pieces, with a few a little out of the ordinary.

Pop artist designs help whisky bottle to auction record at Bonhams Hong Kong

25 May 2018

Whisky bottles decorated with illustrations by pop artists Valerio Adami and Sir Peter Blake set records at Bonhams’ Fine and Rare Wine and Whisky auction in Hong Kong.

Forum now serving the drinks after Stanley Gibbons purchase

12 February 2018

Forum Auctions is expanding into the wine and spirits market with the purchase of the assets of Bid for Wine from Stanley Gibbons.

The science of selling whisky

08 January 2018

The season, the spirit in question and the location of the sale put this bottle of Lagavulin whisky, below, into the spotlight.

Auction house Duke’s feels festive with wine tasting and cellar auction

04 December 2017

The festive season is upon us and many will be sampling their favourite tipples. Auction houses typically take advantage of this time of year to offer special sales of wines and spirits; and Duke’s in Dorchester is doing just that later this week.

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Welsh whisky bottles sell for over £14,000 at Carmarthen auction

20 December 2016

English wines are steadily gaining a reputation for decent quality, with sparkling styles in particular starting to challenge Champagne as an alternative patriotic option. Back in 1889, it was Welsh whisky throwing the gauntlet down to Scotland in the hope of supping long-running success.

Christie’s France turns hand to retail with Christmas pop-up shop

12 December 2016

If a Chanel snow globe, a Fabergé bracelet or a blue table by Yves Klein are on the list for Father Christmas this year then head to Christie’s Paris showroom this weekend.

The Presidential Selection: Thomas Jefferson

02 November 2016

In the run-up to the US election on November 8, Frances Allitt takes a look at the objects previous presidents borrowed, bought – and sometimes broke.

The Koch wine collection under the hammer at Sotheby's

Tasty result for the William I Koch wine cellar sale at Sotheby's New York

06 June 2016

The Cellar of William I Koch 'White Glove' auction fetches a record-breaking £14.9m at Sotheby’s New York

Auctioneers selling alcohol told to register with HMRC by March 31 or face fines

17 March 2016

Auction houses selling wine, whisky and other alcoholic drinks to other businesses face criminal convictions and fines up to £10,000 if they fail to register for a new HMRC scheme that aims to police the sale of alcohol to retailers and capture an estimated £1.2bn in unpaid tax.