New Year’s Eve 1999 was celebrated in hundreds of different ways worldwide as billions rang in a new millennium. From fireworks and parties to light shows, the year 2000 was welcomed in style. Launched to mark the event, the Springbank Millennium Collection was one of Springbank’s most ambitious series. Despite comprising whiskies aged 25 to 50 years old, the Millennium Collection has remained a hidden gem of the secondary market for more than 25 years.
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The History of the Springbank Millennium Collection
The Springbank Millennium Collection was released between September 1998 and March 2001 in celebration of the new millennium. The series contains 6 high-age statement whiskies ranging from 25 to 50 years old. They are presented in clear glass bottles with cream labels bearing the Springbank gothic ‘S’ and the age statement of the bottle. The bottles also come with wooden presentation cases.
Whilst there are not any records of the original prices of the Springbank Millennium bottles, the entire collection could be bought at auction for £3,500 as recently as 2012. (If you happen to know the original release prices, please let us know).
The collection contains the following bottles:
Springbank Millennium 25 Year Old 46.7%
Springbank Millennium 30 Year Old 46.7%
Springbank Millennium 35 Year Old 46.7%
Springbank Millennium 40 Year Old 40%
Springbank Millennium 45 Year Old 40.1%
Springbank Millennium 50 Year Old 40.5%
The Springbank Millennium Collection, Image via Whisky Auctioneer
Bonus Bottles – The 20cl Collection
Upon the release of the Springbank Millenniums, Springbank ran a marketing campaign with a twist. Any purchaser of the entire collection also received 6 limited edition Springbank Millennium miniatures. The miniatures themselves have become something of a legend on the secondary market. This is because the bottles have notoriously bad capsules, meaning that finding miniatures with decent fill levels is extremely rare.
In addition, Springbank also released 50 sets of 200ml Springbank Millennium miniatures to 50 people who sent in photographs of their Millennium vertical. As such, there is every chance that one lucky connoisseur is out there sitting on a Springbank Millennium vertical complete with 200ml bottles and miniatures.
How Have The Springbank Millenniums Performed At Auction?
As previously stated, in 2012 a vertical of Springbank Millenniums was purchased via Scotch Whisky Auctions for £3,500. This result is somewhat anomalous considering that there is a distinct lack of results for the entire vertical. It is much more common to see individual bottles sold. However, the results for individual bottles are also incredibly scarce in 2012, with only the 25 year old and the 30 year old being sold in that year.
Since online auctions started gaining popularity in the early 2010s, there have been only 365 results for the Springbank Millenniums, including miniatures and full verticals, of which only 580 were released. Since then, the prices of the Springbank Millenniums have risen dramatically. In March 2023 there were 10 results for the Springbank Millennium bottles. They are as follows (prices ex. buyer’s fees):
- Springbank Millennium 35 Year Old – £4,900 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 25 Year Old – £2,300 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 30 Year Old – £4,000 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 40 Year Old – £4,400 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 35 Year Old – £5,200 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 45 Year Old – £5,800 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 50 Year Old – £12,000 – March 2023
- Springbank Millennium 30 Year Old – £2,700 – March 2023
Taking the cheapest March 2023 prices, a vertical would have set you back £32,100 (~£37,000 after commission). That is an 817.143% increase on the purchase price of a vertical just 11 years ago.
By comparison if you were to put together the Millennium Collection in 2025 you could pick up at auction for around £27,000 (including buyers premium). Most of this change is down to a drop in the price of the fifty year old, which in January 2025 hammered at just £6,000 (£7,440 including buyer premium).
Comparable Bottlings
Of course, £27,000 remains a sizeable purchase. But for six bottles of single malt whisky aged between 25 and 50 years old, from what is one of Scotland’s most collectible distilleries, we’d argue it’s incredible value for money. Especially in comparison to other high-age statement bottlings on the market.
For example, the Macallan 1928 50 Year Old Anniversary Malt was released in 1983 and was the oldest whisky released by Macallan at that time. It has a label reminiscent of the Macallan 25 YO Anniversary Malts, except that the ‘50’ on the label is in blue rather than red. It is, like the Millenniums, presented in fairly understated packaging. The difference lies in the price. In 2025 you could add a bottle of this iconic whisky to your collection for £42,000 (£49,560 with buyer’s fees).
Another comparable release would be the Balvenie 1937 50 Year Old. The Balvenie was bottled by the Milroy brothers, John and Wallace, after they discovered four forgotten casks in the corner of Balvenie’s warehouse upon a visit to the distillery in 1988. It has since become one of the most sought-after bottles of whisky on the market for collectors. A recent result for the Balvenie 1937 50 Year Old at auction in 2025 was £15,500 (£17,825 including fees).
Which is to put into perspective that an entire, six bottle Springbank Millennium vertical can be bought for less than the price of a single bottle of Macallan 1928 50 Year Old Anniversary Malt (£42,000 + hammer February 2025). Similarly a Balvenie 1937 50 Year Old will cost you just over half the price of an entire Millennium vertical.
There are 225 years worth of maturation contained in the Springbank Millennium bottles and only 580 sets available. When you consider the 50 year old alone you can see that these bottles offer incredible value for money. From our perspective the Springbank Millenniums, and the 50 year old release in particular, are extremely undervalued on the market. But will that ever change?
Springbank’s Pricing Strategy
Springbank has a long history of releasing bottles at a price lower than what would be expected for an established and respected distillery. For example, in 2022 Springbank released a 30 year old bottling, limited to just 1,800 bottles, for £850. This was an incredibly low price for a 30 year old whisky, let alone a Springbank. The price immediately jumped to over £3,000 at auction. Even in 2025 the value remained at £1,500 to £1,800 (including buyers premium and auction dependent).
There was speculation that their low-pricing model could be changing when the Springbank Countdown collection was announced in 2023. However, it appears that the more premium price point for the Countdown Collection remains an exception based on other more standard releases that have come out in between.
If Springbank can increase the prices of bottles on the secondary market then there is potentially a lot of upward mobility for those existing bottlings, including the Millennium Collection. If you are interested in reading more about Springbank’s pricing strategies and the new Countdown Collection, click here.
The Springbank Millennium Miniatures, image via Whisky Auctioneer
Conclusion
Considering the age statements, the potential, and the marketing of the Springbank Millenniums on release, it is incredible that they have managed to stay relatively quiet on the secondary market. This vertical is incredibly rare and contains high-age statement whisky from one of the most infamous (and one of the only family-run) distilleries in Scotland.
Springbank has a long and fascinating history of which this collection is very much a part. There is also the potential for the market to recognise the quality of the series, making this vertical a fantastic collecting opportunity for any Springbank connoisseur or investor.
What Is Your Whisky Worth
Do you want to know what your whisky is worth but don’t know where to start?
Use these guides to help you.
What Is Your Whisky Worth? – An in-depth look at the factors affecting your bottle’s value.
A Beginner’s Guide To Selling Whisky – Everything you need to get started selling your whisky including all the online selling options.
How To Sell Whisky Online – A guide to getting a valuations and selling your whisky.
Sell Your Whisky Today – A simple way to sell your whisky fast.
Macallan Specific Guides
The Complete Guide To Valuing Macallan Whisky – Selling Macallan? This is your starting point.
What Is Macallan Whisky Worth? – Unsure of your Macallan’s value? Begin here
