The previously anonymous buyer of the world’s largest bottle of whisky, which at 5ft 11in is taller than the average human, has been revealed as a Vietnamese businessman who already owns a spirits collection valued at more than £150m.
Viet Nguyen Dinh Tuan bought the 311-litre bottle filled with 32-year-old Macallan single malt for £1.1m at auction in Edinburgh last year.
Viet added the bottle whisky, called the Intrepid, to his collection in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday alongside a certificate from Guinness World Records authenticating it as the world’s largest. The final purchase price worked out at almost £92 a dram (25ml).
A longtime investor in rare spirits, Viet owns many of the world’s rarest and oldest cognac and whisky bottles.
He said: “I’ve been spending my spare time collecting these bottles for decades. The history and traditions of whisky-making give each one its rarity, and that’s the value I see in each bottle. I was enticed to acquire the Intrepid for three main reasons: the fact it’s the world’s biggest bottle, it contains Macallan and because I was inspired by the record-breaking achievements of the 11 explorers depicted on the bottle’s label.”
Daniel Monk, of Cask World and the drinks wholesaler Rosewin Holdings, came up with the concept and arranged the auction. He said it was named the Intrepid in honour of the achievements of 11 pioneering British explorers, the images of whom are featured on the bottle’s label and include Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Dr Geoff Wilson, Karen Darke, Olly Hicks and Jamie Ramsay.
He added: “This is a passion project to celebrate the life of my late father, Capt Stanley Monk, who was himself an explorer and achieved many amazing things during his life.”
The bottle is the latest addition to Viet’s collection that already includes the world’s only complete Macallan fine and rare collections, including the 1926 “Fine and Rare”. Only 40 bottles of the Macallan 1926 were ever released, and Viet owns three. A bottle sold for almost £1.5m in 2019.
He also owns the world’s largest bottle of cognac, and the oldest bottle of whisky – believed to be almost 150 years old.
Monk said: “Going into Mr Viet’s hallowed whisky collection was an unforgettable experience, it’s truly a whisky and cognac enthusiast’s paradise. It was a dream come true to see the Intrepid proudly displayed and added to the whisky war chest of such a knowledgable and passionate collector. He is preserving whisky history. We were honoured to be Mr Viet’s guests and to see his remarkable collection at first-hand.”
