Christie’s London Breaks Record With £4.25 Million Sale of Last Karuizawa Casks From Elixir Distillers' Sukhinder Singh

Christie’s London has sold two Karuizawa Casks for a whopping £2,125,000 (US$2,852,000) each - including the hammer price and buyer’s premium. With a combined total of £4.25 million (US$5.7 million), the two lots have now set a record for the highest value lots sold at auction by Christie’s Wine & Spirits.

Sold on 10th March 2026, the two casks, No. 6195 and No. 888, were offered from the private collection of whisky expert and collector Sukhinder Singh, widely known as the founder of Elixir Distillers.

“Having owned, bottled and enjoyed so many of the sister casks has been a privilege and an amazing experience that I will never forget.”

Distilled in 1999 during one of the distillery’s final years of operation, these casks are the 'last' known ones to exist in the public eye. After the distillery ceased production in 2000, remaining stock is highly sought after, and represent a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire Karuizawa whisky in its most authentic form.

Each cask is expected to yield approximately 420 bottles, offering owners the unique ability to oversee the final stages of the whisky's journey. 

The winning bidders were invited to collaborate with avant-garde, ultra-luxury whisky brand Kandoblanc to create bespoke pieces inspired by Japanese aesthetics and heritage craftsmanship.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team