Zachys rings in new year with HK sale

Nearly 700 lots with a combined high estimate of HK$27.3m (US$3.5m) will be on offer at Zachys Hong Kong first 2016 auction.

A rare offering of 1990 DRC on offer from HK$1.2m

Held at the Renaissance Harbour View on 16 January, Zachys upcoming sale highlights the ‘Part III of Immaculate Bordeaux from the Chairman’s Collection’ – the final installment of a private collection that has been offered by Zachys previously over 2015 to 2016.

Encompassing numerous original wooden cases and varying formats of First Growths, the Chairman’s Collection boasts “the best vintages of the past decades” with a particular focus on the 1980s, including Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild in bottles and large formats, a number of original wooden cases of Margaux from the 1980s, a double magnum of Pétrus 1985 as well as assorted cases of Yquem and Duclot.

A secondary private collection, ‘The Cellar of a Hong Kong Gentleman’ also offers the “legendary” vintage of 1982 Latour and Mouton Rothschild, 1989 Haut Brion, 1986 Lafite Rothschild and 1990 Margaux.

Elsewhere, Zachys presents highly sought-after Burgundy with an original wooden case of 1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, estimated between HK$1.2m-HK$1.9m (US$155,000-US$245,000) bought in 1992 from and offered by the original owner as well as back vintages of 1999, 2002 and 2005 of Leroy, Rousseau, Roumier, Mugnier and Dujac.

Rare whiskies also make an appearance, numbering over 150 lots and including Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 Year Old Bourbon, rare expressions from closed-down Scottish distilleries of Port Ellen, Ladyburn and Rosebank with a highlight of the Port Ellen 1st Release 22 Year Old Single Malt 1979.

No Asia auction would be complete without a complement of Japanese whisky and for this sale there is a mixed five-bottle lot of extremely rare Hanyu Ichiro’s Malt Card Series: Four of Clubs, Five of Clubs, Seven of Clubs, Ten of Clubs and King of Clubs which is estimated between HK$90,000-HK$130,000 (US$12,000-US$17,000).

A rare bottle of Karuizawa Noh 41 Year Old Cask #1842 Single Cask 1971, estimated between HK$80,000-HK$120,000 (US$10,000-US$15,000) is also up for sale – one of the smallest productions that Karuizawa ever bottled. Furthermore, according to Ichiro Akuto, there are fewer than 10 people in the world who own every bottle of the renowned Hanyu Card Series.

Excitingly, the sale also marks the first time that Zachys will offer saké, in the form of Daishinshu Kozuki Kokon Daiginjo saké – showing a potentially high demand for premium saké across Asia.