Bonhams to Auction ‘World’s Rarest’ Japanese Whiskies
In November, Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Paris will sell one of the world’s rarest collections of Japanese whisky online. The auction is projected possibly fetching up to €1.2 million.
Each bottle in Hanyu’s Malt Full Card Series has been signed by master distiller Ichiro Akuto, who selected the liquid for the collection. There are only a few sets of Hanyu’s Malt Full Card Series in the world.
A complete set of 54 bottles, each representing one playing card in a full pack, was bottled from a cask of whisky produced between 1985 and 2000 – the year Hanyu distillery closed its doors.
The Bonhams global head of wine and spirits, Amayès Aouli, said: “Bonhams holds multiple world records for the Hanyu Ichiro Malt Full Card set series and we are honored to offer this exceptionally rare collection once more.”
Bonhams to Auction ‘World’s Rarest’ Japanese Whiskies
“This is an incredible opportunity to acquire the most collectible of Japanese whiskies, with excellent provenance. For each bottle to be personally signed by the master distiller, Ichiro Akuto, makes this set truly unique.”
As the first auction house to sell the Full Card series, Bonhams set the world record for the most valuable Japanese whisky collection at HK$3.8m in 2015. The set then broke two new records at Bonhams in 2019 and again a year later for HK$11.9m.
Clément Gaillard, Bonhams spirits specialist, added: “With only a finite number produced, it is one of the most sought-after whisky collections across the globe. To own this series is to own an extraordinary piece of whisky history.”
Isouji Akuto, a 19th-generation descendant of sake brewers, founded Hanyu with the purpose of producing Scotch-style malt whisky. When the distillery closed, Ichiro, grandson of Isouji, secured approximately 400 casks of whisky, which he used for the Full Card series.
Bonhams was founded in 1793 on Tavistock Street by Thomas Dodd (1771-1850), one of the most famous print dealers of his time. The new auction rooms opened in 1806. By 1817, Dodd is facing bankruptcy and handed over to his former apprentice, George Jones.
