The largest collection of Johnnie Walker whiskies and collectibles ever assembled is up for auction next month, and this century-spanning accumulation of liquids and artifacts could be yours if you’re the high bidder when the gavel falls on September 21. It took collector Frans Op den Kamp more than two decades to assemble the thousands of items in the auction lot, including more than 1,600 full-sized bottles, 600 miniatures, and a thousand-plus pieces of vintage memorabilia and ads.
The bottles date back to the early 20th century, including releases labeled “Old Highland Whisky.” Highlights of the auction are plentiful, but there are standouts of the lot which were technically never even available for sale. The first is the 1805 Celebration Blend, which was “crafted to mark the 200th anniversary of John Walker’s birth.” Only 200 bottles were ever gifted and went to individuals recognized for “significant contributions to modern life.”
Bottle number two of the standouts is the “ultra-exclusive Signature Blend by Jenson Button, created by the Formula One world champion and limited to just 25 bottles sold by private invitation in Shanghai.”
You might be assuming the worst about why this collection is hitting the auction block, but Op den Kamp is thankfully still with us. He made the decision to sell this collection in part because there’s not much left to collect. “Parting with the collection is certainly not easy,” Op den Kamp explained in a statement, “but I feel I have achieved what I set out to do.”
Op den Kamp’s collection began the way many whiskey collections do: with a singular, special bottle. He purchased his first bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label in New York in 1999, on his way home from business. The bottle cost $130. “What began with a bottle of Blue Label … grew into more than two decades of learning and traveling,” explains Op den Kamp, “from discovering rare market-specific bottlings to bringing together the full story of Johnnie Walker across a century.”
Op den Kamp, by the way, has become much more than a collector in the 25 years since he picked up that first bottle. He’s described as having an “encyclopedic” knowledge, which he has shared with industry experts over the years, including the legendary Dr. Nick Morgan, author of the Johnnie Walker bicentennial history.
Op den Kamp won’t have the final say on who takes his collection home, of course, but he does have an image in mind of who the winner should be. “I hope these bottles find their way to collectors who discover something that resonates with them, whether that’s a particular whisky, a moment in Johnnie Walker’s history, or simply the thrill of the hunt. Most of all, I hope it inspires a renewed appreciation for the art of blending and the story of Scotch whisky.”
Whisky Auctioneer’s sale opens September 11 and closes on September 21. To see a full list of the bottles and memorabilia in the lot and register to bid when the lot opens, visit the Whisky Auctioneer listing.
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for whiskey reviews and trends, perspectives on drinks, and stuff.