2026 (YTD) · data-driven
1,105 collectable bottles with credible auction data in both 2025 and 2026. Market average: -2.6%. Methodology: median hammer price year vs prior year, minimum 3 observations each.
Bottles with the highest year-over-year median price gains in 2026 (YTD).
Affordable bottles that gained in 2026 (YTD). Lower commitment, faster portfolio diversification.
Laphroaig
Laphroaig 10 Year Old
Glenrothes
Glenrothes 1982
Hibiki Japanese Harmony
Hibiki Japanese Harmony
Mortlach
Mortlach 15 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail
Cadenhead’s Oloroso Cask
Cadenhead’s Oloroso Cask Blended Malt
Midleton Method
Midleton Method And Madness French Chestnut Finish
Holyrood Arrival
Holyrood Arrival
Chivas Royal Salute
Chivas Royal Salute 21 Year Old Sapphire Flagon
Glenkinchie
Glenkinchie 10 Year Old
Chivas Royal Salute
Chivas Royal Salute 21 Year Old Rio De Janeiro Polo Edition
Distilleries with the highest average bottle-level appreciation in 2026 (YTD) (≥3 bottles each).
| Distillery | Bottles in sample | Win rate | Avg change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortlach | 3 | 100% | +36.1% |
| Hibiki Japanese Harmony | 4 | 75% | +24.3% |
| Chivas Royal Salute | 16 | 69% | +16.8% |
| Glenkinchie | 3 | 33% | +12.1% |
| Deanston | 3 | 100% | +12.1% |
| Port Charlotte PC | 5 | 80% | +11.2% |
| Famous Grouse | 3 | 67% | +7.9% |
| Rosebank | 3 | 33% | +6.0% |
| Cadenhead’s | 7 | 43% | +3.7% |
| Hazelburn | 22 | 64% | +3.4% |
Bottles that softened — could be fair-value entry points, or warnings about over-bought corners of the market.
| Kininvie 17 Year Old Batch #2 35cl | Kininvie | £28 | -56.4% |
| Ardbeg Eureka! Committee Release Mini 5cl | Ardbeg | £61 | -54.6% |
| Compass Box Circus | Compass Box Circus | £160 | -52.9% |
| Essence Of Suntory Blended Whisky Clean Type 50cl | Essence Of Suntory | £73 | -46.3% |
| Vat 69 | Vat | £20 | -42.9% |
| Nc’nean Ainnir Inaugural Release | Nc’nean Ainnir Inaugural | £130 | -38.1% |
| Isle Of Harris The Hearach First Release Batch #2 | Isle Of Harris | £45 | -37.9% |
| Ichiro’s Malt & Grain World Blend Limited Edition | Ichiro’s Malt & | £40 | -36.0% |
| Wolfburn King Charles III Coronation | Wolfburn King Charles | £45 | -35.7% |
| Filey Bay First Release | Filey Bay First | £65 | -35.0% |
Each bottle's median hammer price in 2025 is compared to its median in 2026 (YTD). Only bottles with ≥3 observations in both years are eligible — this filters out one-off curiosities and produces a credible signal of actual market movement.
Source: live hammer-price feeds from Scotch Whisky Auctions, Whisky Auctioneer, Whisky Hammer, Bonhams, Whisky Bull, and whisky.auction. All figures are hammer (excluding 12–28% buyer's premium).