World’s largest whisky collection expected to fetch £8m at auction
Auctioneers have unveiled what is believed to be the world’s largest private collection of whisky to ever go under the hammer.
The collection, which is expected to fetch between £7m and £8m at auction, includes over 3,900 bottles.
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It was built up by American PepsiCo bottling magnate Richard Gooding over 20 years before his death in 2014.
Perthshire-based Whisky Auctioneer will sell the collection over two online auctions in February and April next year.
The company described the collection as “the most extensive private collection we have seen in terms of the completeness of representation of 20th Century Scottish distilleries”.
Gooding would regularly travel to Scotland in his private jet to source bottles for the collection, which includes a 1926 Fine and Rare Macallan – a bottle of which recently sold for £1.5m, making it the most expensive whisky in the world.
The collection was housed in a dedicated room in Gooding’s Colorado home specifically designed to showcase the whiskeys, which he referred to as his “pub”.
His family said Gooding had sought to create “the perfect collection” of whisky.
“It was clear to us as a family that collecting Scotch was one of Richard’s greatest passions – an endeavour that spanned over two decades,” said his widow, Nancy.
“He loved every aspect of it, from researching the many single malt distilleries to visiting them and tasting their whiskies.”
“He was always so pleased to acquire the bottles that he was searching for over the years – his mission was to collect a bottle that represented every single distillery but his favourite was always Bowmore, with his preferred whisky being Black Bowmore,” she added.
Iain McClune, the founder of Whisky Auctioneer, said the collection coming to auction is “unprecedented”.
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“It’s the largest collection by value, by volume as well, and it’s very exciting to be part of that,” he continued.
“Over several decades, Mr Gooding spent his time really putting together what was considered the perfect collection of whisky in his eyes and it really does show.”