Tennants inaugural Rare Whisky and Wine sale on 18th June featured hundreds of bottles of malt whisky, vintage port and fine wine.  All but two of the lots found new owners and the sale totalled almost £20,000, a sure sign that the commodities market is resilient to the toughest financial conditions.

Iconic bottles of whisky from closed distilleries continued to generate huge interest.  Top results included a 1970’s bottle of Bowmore selling for £660 and a 22 year old Springbank selling for £450.  The old stock from a retired off-licence owner, who closed shop in the 1980’s, also proved popular, with a bottle of Macallan 25 year old, distilled in 1957, making £720!  Vintage wine and port continued to be popular, and amongst the top sellers was a case of 1985 Taylors vintage port at £440.

Tennants are now planning a specialist wine sale in September, with magnums of 1970 Chateau Lafite, Latour and Mouton Rothschild already consigned alongside cases of 1985 Chateau Calon Segur and a bottle of Chateau Lafite from 1945!  The wine market is increasingly buoyant and the keen interest shown from Chinese bidders helps to make the current climate one of the best times to sell vintage wine and port.

The next Whisky sale is scheduled for November, and entries are coming in fast.  If you would like to consign any items for either sale, or would like further information or a valuation of your own cellar please contact Mark Littler on 01969 623780 or email mark.littler@tennants-ltd.co.uk. We have very competitive sellers rates, 15%+vat of the hammer price, and reach the world with our sales.  As proven with the last sale, the commoditites market is very strong, and resilient to the toughest financial conditions, so there really has never been a better time to sell!

Behind the scenes narrative;

Before the sale had even begun every lot was well covered with commission bids, and a packed room coupled with very active phone bidders mean that the sale was a success, totalling almost £20,000.  There was a phenomenal amount of interest pre sale, the majority from North of the border, although there was a large number of trade buyers, including several notable whisky bars!

Recent Bottles
The sale included several good recent bottlings.  Amongst the top sellers included a 1976 Laphroaig, £380, a 1975 Ardbeg, £250, and a 1957 Glen Grant, £150.  There was lots of private interest in these bottles, and needless to say many will now have been opened and sampled!  Other good performers included a litre of Loch Dhu, £120, and the four Flora and Forna series bottles also achieved a bullish £300, the latter being bid strongly by two parties in the room.  The sale highlight however came from a 25 year old Macallan, distilled in 1957, which sold for £720.

Vintage Bottles
Undoubtedly the main attraction at the sale was the vintage bottles.  The majority came from two collectors; one started buying when his grandchild was born as a 21st present (the grandchild did not end up liking whisky so after several years of debate, the decision was made to sell), and a retired off-liscence owner who retired in the early 1980’s.

Two of the best sellers of the sale fall into the vintage category, a ships label bottle of Bowmore, £660, and a 1970’s 22 year old bottle of Springbank, £450.  Sticking with the Springbank a recent bottle of cask strength made £130.  Other 1970’s bottles that did well was a 10 year old Laphroaig, £410, and a Rosebank, £300. 

There were two bottles of Balvenie over 8 year old, a 70cl and a Litre.  Surprising the 70cl sold better at £160, compared to the £130 for the litre (despite that 70cl not having a box).  There were also two bottles of Glen Flagler.  The first, an 8 year old with its original red velvet bag, made £280, the other, in original cellophane wrapper made £170.

Cask Strength
For those who like it a little stronger, there were some nice cask strength bottles on offer.  Highlights included the two Rare Malts Selections, the 35 year Millburn making £250 and the 21 year Banff selling for £190. 

Specials
There were a few more unusual  lots on offer. The first, a bottle of Old Suntory, is the subject of a whole online debate (http://nonjatta.blogspot.com/2010/02/dating-suntory-old-bottles.html).  And to solve the age old question for the topic viewers, it made £160.  Another unusual lot was the complete Beneagles Thistle and Rose chess set.  This was not the normal set of miniatures that often crop up, but a full chess set, complete with board and a 70cl full bottle of Beneagles (presumably for the winner?!).

The next Whisky sale is planned for November. 

Kind regards,

Mark Littler

Auctioneer and General Valuer