A bottle of whisky bought for £80 has sold at auction for £57,500.
The Macallan 50-year-old Anniversary Malt was one of a 500-bottle release distilled in 1928 and bottled in 1983.
Most have been drunk, so the bottle attracted bids from Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia and Hong Kong as well as the UK.
The seller’s son bought it for him for his 50th birthday in 1983 and he planned to open it when he turned 80.
But he changed his plans and contacted auctioneers Brightwells after learning what it might be worth.
Paddy Shave of the auction house said: “This release has acquired mythic status as the best-tasting Macallan ever produced.
“It’s described as the Holy Grail for malt whisky lovers, so we knew there would be worldwide interest.”
The most expensive whisky ever auctioned was a bottle of the Macallan Fine and Rare 1926 60-year-old, which sold for £1,452,000 at Sotheby’s last year.
The previous record holder was also a Macallan.
