Hanyu Ichiro Malt Card set could make $309,500 at Bonhams

A full set of the Hanyu Ichiro 54-bottle Malt Card whisky series will appear for the first time at auction on August 28.

It's expected to sell for around $232,108-309,477.

Malt Card Ichiro
Hanyu was one of Japan's most esteemed distilleries

The series was produced after the Hanyu distillery, one of Japan's most acclaimed whisky producers, closed down in the early 2000s.

Around 400 casks of varying vintages were rescued and bottled. While individual and small sets of bottles appear at auction fairly regularly, it's thought only three collectors worldwide own the full set.

Each of the bottles corresponds to a playing card in the standard deck.

Other lots at the Bonhams Hong Kong sale include a 1960 Kairuzawa 53 year old valued at $51,579-64,474.  

Daniel Lam, wine and whisky specialist at Bonhams Hong Kong, comments: "In just a few years, whisky has become the choice of spirit for many buyers in the region - a development that we hadn't anticipated.

"As the number of whisky collectors in the region increase, we believe that whiskies of tip-top quality, or those which have long ceased production, are in shortage.

"Under such circumstances, auction houses are reliable source for collectors to get their hands on precious drams at reasonable prices.

"I hope that whisky lovers and collectors wouldn't miss the range of rare and precious whiskies on offer at our upcoming auction."

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