HISTORIC AND RARE WHISKY FROM 1883 MAKES £18,750 AT BONHAMS, EDINBURGH

An exceptionally rare bottle of The Glenlivet, distilled in 1883 and bottled in 1931 by George & John Gordon Smith was sold for £18,750 by Bonhams at their whisky sale in Edinburgh on 12 October. It had a pre-sale estimate of £15,000-20,000.

The bottle had an impeccable pedigree. It was originally owned by Captain William Smith Grant, the great grandson of Colonel George Smith founder of The Glenlivet Distillery and had been in the family ever since.

A bottle of The Macallan-50 year old, distilled in 1928 and bottled in 1983. Number 50 of 500 it sold for £16,875 against an estimate of £10,000-12,000.

In total, the sale made £175,000.

Bonhams whisky specialist, Martin Green, commented, “These were two very special bottles so it is not surprising that they were eagerly sought after and sold so well. In all, 90% of the lots on offer found buyers which suggests the whisky market is still in good health.”

For further sale information please go to www.bonhams.com/whisky

Notes

Bonhams
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals through two major salerooms in London – New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge – and a further three throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto in Canada; and in Switzerland, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com (October 2011).