HONG KONG -- A 72-year-old bottle of Glen Grant single malt whisky from Scotland is expected to fetch more than $38,000 in an auction in Hong Kong on Friday.

It's the first time that the 1948 Glen Grant whisky, by independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, is being offered in an auction.

It is number 88 of 290 decanters bottled by the company, and will be auctioned off by Bonhams with a book estimate of $38,000 to $49,000.

Despite the economic uncertainty brought by the pandemic, interest in rare whiskies remains high.

Compared to other investment commodities, collectable whisky has done well in the past 10 years with a four-fold increase in prices.

Christopher Pong, wine and whisky specialist at Bonhams, says they've seen huge interest from all over the world, especially from young collectors.

He says the Glen Grant whisky being auctioned is the oldest from the distillery.

It comes in a Dartington crystal decanter with an American black walnut presentation box.

Other whiskies featured in Friday's auction include a 50-year-old Macallan Lalique, which is expected to sell for as much as $122,500, and a 35-year-old Hibiki whisky from Japan in a Kutani ceramic decanter that is estimated to bring as much as $33,500.

Bonhams expects to fetch about $1.3 million in the auction.