The Glenlivet has added a second whisky to its Eternal Collection, and is once again sending a one-of-one edition to auction.
The whisky is a passion project of master blender Kevin Balmforth, who collaborated with sherry suppliers in Spain to craft a bespoke seasoning blend that combined Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez and Palo Cortado. That seasoned a new Spanish oak cask, where the whisky spent its final four years. Before that, the whisky aged in a sherry butt and an American oak barrel.
Bottled at 42.7% ABV, it is said to offer notes of poached plums, sticky dates and dark chocolate ganache on the nose, and blackberries, ripe banana and cherry compote on the palate.
By donating this unique liquid, Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard company behind The Glenlivet, continues a philanthropic fall. In October, it led the Distillers One of One auction with the £650,000 ($850,000) sale of its 60-year-old Spira.
Now, another significant whisky from the Speyside distillery heads to auction in the name of a good cause. The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, Second Edition, 56 Years Old, 1 of 1 is being sold solely through Sotheby’s. The auction runs from 6-20 November 2025, and the whisky carries an estimate of £35,000-£70,000 ($46,000-$92,000).
Adding to the value is a 24-carat gold-plated spherical glass decanter, adorned with gold engravings of heather branches. Acclaimed artist Fredrikson Stallard designed the bottle’s sculptural plinth, which features 3D-printed heather branches plated in 24-carat gold that rise from a base of Guatemalan green marble.
It follows on from last year’s 55 Year Old release, which sold for an impressive £52,500 ($69,000) at auction. While that liquid was also a one of one, The Glenlivet also revealed a wider release of the same age statement.
Jonny Fowle, global head of spirits at Sotheby’s, said: “It’s a real honour to continue our partnership with Chivas Brothers, offering collectors exclusive access to some of the rarest Scotch whiskies in existence. Even as the auction market steadies for fine and rare whisky, demand for truly exceptional liquid remains unwavering — and Chivas Brothers is uniquely positioned to meet that appetite with whiskies that are defined by scarcity, provenance and artistry.
“With The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, Second Edition 56 Year Old, 1 of 1, we are once again bringing an extraordinary expression of luxury Scotch to the global stage.”
Proceeds will support the National Trust for Scotland’s excavation work within the Cairngorms.
