Trainspotting star Ewan McGregor raises £135,000 for charity after selling rare whisky

The award-winning actor raised £135,000 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) after auctioning 150 exclusive bottles from his personal 1998 cask of Arran Single Malt Whisky from Lochranza Distillery. 

The charitable event saw 543 bidders from 28 countries place over 7,000 bids on ‘Ewan’s Cut’. The hammer price reached £119,893 which was further boosted by £15,107 after Whisky Auctioneer, which oversaw the bidding, waived its seller’s commission to ensure the maximum possible funds reached the charity.

Ewan McGregor raised £135,000 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) after auctioning 150 exclusive bottles from his personal 1998 cask of Arran Single Malt Whisky | Gemma Wilson PR

Ewan McGregor said: “I just want to thank each and every one of our partners for putting the time, effort and work into this endeavour.

“CHAS has always been very close to my heart and I am so proud that we were all able to raise such a sum for them. I know it's the children they help and their families who will benefit a lot from this - so thank you very much to everyone involved and to those that placed generous bids in the auction."

Bottle 1 of Ewan’s Cut sold for £4,350, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a bottle of Arran single malt at auction.

The rare 26-year-old Arran Single Malt, matured in an ex-Sherry Hogshead cask, is one of the oldest whiskies ever produced by the Lochranza Distillery. The cask was gifted to McGregor by the distillery in 1998, with the team also having generously donated their time and expertise to bottle and prepare the whisky for auction.

The Leith Agency worked in partnership with Ewan and his brother Colin McGregor to bring ‘Ewan’s Cut’ to life on a pro-bono basis. The bottle design and name was inspired by Ewan’s illustrious career, featuring references to his iconic roles in films like Trainspotting and Star Wars, as well as his memorable Long Way Round adventure. Each of the 150 bottle labels reads like a mini film script with no two labels alike | Gemma Wilson PR

Rami Okasha, CHAS chief executive, said: “We are very grateful to Ewan McGregor, a long-standing supporter and friend of CHAS, for kindly choosing to donate all the proceeds from this special auction to CHAS so we can continue to support children with life-shortening conditions and their families, bringing us closer to our founding mission of reaching every child and family that needs our help.

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in this exciting auction that enabled so much to be raised for CHAS. I would also like to express our sincere thanks to Isle of Arran Distillers, to Whisky Auctioneer and to the Leith Agency.

“Three children die each week in Scotland from an incurable condition. We can only be there for families with the support of kind donations like this. CHAS provides unwavering care to children who may die young and their families, at every step on this hardest of journeys.

“Proceeds received from this auction make a huge difference to children and families helping us to reach every family across Scotland who needs our help and to keep the joy alive even in the face of death.”

Euan Mitchell, managing director at Isle of Arran Distillers, added: "We are absolutely delighted that the auction of 'Ewan’s Cut' has successfully raised an incredible £135,000 for CHAS.

“This project has been a journey close to our hearts since Ewan first joined us at Lochranza Distillery back in 1998. To see his private cask of Arran Single Malt contribute to such a worthy cause is truly special.”