The last of Speyside distillery The Glenrothes’ 50-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky has gone under the hammer at an exclusive auction.

The rare and unique bottling sold for £39,000 during the virtual event delivered by auction house Bonhams on Friday (19 February) which was streamed live from the home of Royal Warrant holders Hamilton & Inches in Edinburgh.

Decanter #50 – the very last of a release of 50 – was handcrafted in collaboration with Royal Warrant holders Hamilton & Inches and is decorated with 22carat Scottish Gold from Scotland’s only gold mine.

An engraved Scottish Gold collar with “The 50^TH of 50” encircles the neck with the stopper featuring hand-cut letters and numerals proudly declaring “Bottle No. 50”. The extraordinary decanter, truly befitting of the liquid within, also features astunning gold frame plaque bearing the legend “50 years old”.

The decanter was bought by an anonymous individual with The Glenrothes set to donate proceeds to a charity of the winning bidder’s choice.

Delivered by Charles Graham-Campbell of Bonhams and hosted by Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers, the auction featured an interview with Laura Rampling, The Glenrothes’ Master Whisky Maker, who discussed the unique taste profile of The Glenrothes 50-year-old.

Laura Rampling, Master Whisky Maker at The Glenrothes, said: “Today really is an historic day for The Glenrothes and marks the culmination of 50 years of passion and skilled craftsmanship.

“We’re incredibly proud to have worked with Hamilton & Inches to create this stunning decanter and celebrate this milestone in our history.

“While this is the last of our 50-year-old, we have more exciting releases coming later this year and during 2022. These include exclusive Single Casks, a new 40-year-old collection and some very special limited bottlings.”

Jonathan Payne, Managing Director at Hamilton & Inches, said: “We are thrilled to have partnered with The Glenrothes for this project which is a true testament of craftsmanship.

Scottish Gold is a rare and extremely special material and has been a fitting way to honour The Glenrothes 50-Year-Old.”

In addition to taking home the treasured Decanter #50, the successful bidder will receive an exclusive invite to The Glenrothes Highland Estate to meet the distillery team.