Amayès Aouli, Global Head of Wine & Spirits, Bonhams, comments: "Breaking the world record for a Japanese whisky at auction is an important milestone. I would like to thank our passionate bidders, the consignor and all the Bonhams teams involved. It is also another powerful signal of Bonhams' commitment to shaping the future of fine wine and spirits auctions. We are not simply responding to market demand; we are redefining it through expertise, authenticity and a truly international platform. This record underscores our ambition: to be the trusted global reference in our field and to keep elevating the category to new heights."

Among the rarest Japanese whiskies in existence, the Yamazaki 50 Year Old is the distillery's second oldest expression, released only in 2005, 2007 and 2011. This singular example stands apart for its exceptional provenance: created exclusively for Club Natsume in Nagoya to commemorate the club's 50th anniversary, distinguished by a washi label and signed by Suntory's Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo.

The Legendary Japanese Whisky sale followed the "white-glove sale" of Masterpiece Cellar of a Prescient Collector - Finest & Rarest Wines earlier today. In a packed saleroom, all 350 lots were sold for a total of over HK$23 million (approx. US$2,930,000), surpassing the pre-sale high estimate.

Building on these two successful live auctions, three online sales are also underway. Icons of Elegance: The Private Wine Collection of Marie France Van Damme (closing on 3 June), Wine Icons from Distinguished Private Collections (closing on 4 June), together with A Dialogue of Time: Finest and Rarest Spirits (closing on 4 June), offer collectors further opportunities to acquire exceptional bottles.

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