January’s whisky auctions started with a bang, with most of the highest hammer prices landing in the first two weeks. The combined value of the top 20 hammer prices totalled $822,357, up 29% compared to the combined value of the 20-highest hammer prices for January 2024.

While fewer high-value bottles sold in the second half of the month, it took Whisky Hammer’s sale of Karuizawa 1965 50 year old to edge out the bottles of Michter’s 25 year old single barrel rye that had been on the 20-highest hammer price list for much of the month.

Single malts made up 85% of the 20 highest hammer prices for January, with nine brands taking up early positions in Whisky Advocate’s 2025 table. Here’s the full story.