Bonhams Hong Kong’s first sale of exceptional Japanese Single Malt Whisky during the Fine and Rare Wines, Cognac & Single Malt Whisky Auction held on 23 May at the Island Shangri-La Hotel was a roaring success with all 30 bottles sold at a few times their pre-sale estimates.
Bottled 2012. Distilled at Karuizawa Distillery
cask Sherry butt. Bottle number 88 of 168. Good label. 700ml. Single Malt, 63.6% volume
The Karuizawa Distillery was established in 1955 in the foothills of Mount Asama, an active volcano. The area is a popular mountain resort to the north-west of Tokyo and the distillery is the highest in Japan at 850 meters above sea level. The environment is ideal for whisky production, enjoying low temperature and high humidity. However, production of single malt whisky at the distillery ceased in 2000.
The Hanyu story started in the 17th century. The business was founded by the Akuto family, sake-makers from the town of Chichibu. The Hanyu distillery plant was built during the Second World War and the family began making Scotch style whisky in about 1980. Unfortunately Hanyu went bankrupt and stopped distilling in 2000.
Among the blue-chip Scottish whisky, Macallan single malts remain the favorite tipple among connoisseurs with a bottle of Macallan Lalique-50 year old selling for HK$261,800. A rare magnum of Macallan Silver Jubilee-25 year old achieved HK$65,450.
The sale of vintage Cognac, which Bonhams introduced at auction in May 2012, continues to go from strength to strength. A Courvoisier Erte Collection achieved HK$92,820, while the A. Hardy Perfection Cognac sold for HK$130,900.
In the Fine and Rare Wines section, Romanée-Conti led with five of the top ten lots coming from this iconic Burgundy domaine. A six-bottle case of the 1999 vintage made HK$571,200 and an assortment case of the 2001 vintage achieved HK$190,400. These exceptional Romanée-Conti all came from a private European collector.
