The world of Japanese whisky is set for a historic auction as Bonhams prepares to offer the complete Hanyu Ichiro's Malt Full "Card" Series in Paris next month. This rare collection of 54 bottles is estimated to fetch up to €1,200,000 (about $1.3 million).
The Hanyu distillery, founded in 1941 and closed in 2000, produced single cask whiskies that have become highly sought after. The series, released between 2005 and 2014, features bottles representing a deck of playing cards, each signed by Ichiro Akuto, the distillery's founder's grandson. The whiskies themselves were distilled between 1985 and 2000.
Bonhams has a history with this collection, having set records for Japanese whisky sales in previous auctions. In 2015, it became the first auction house to sell a complete "Card" set, achieving approximately $484,000. Subsequent sales in 2019 and 2020 reached around $1.5 million.
Amayès Aouli, Bonhams' global head of wine and spirits, emphasized the significance of this auction, stating, "This is an incredible opportunity to acquire the most collectible of Japanese whiskies, with excellent provenance." The auction will run from November 12 to November 29, with online bids accepted at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Paris.