Speyside Distillery Releases Whisky From Original Production Run

Speyside Distillery’s bottle number 1 from Cask 27, the final cask to be filled from the first distillate in December 1990, was bought by a bidder at the auction room for £650. The bottle went under the hammer at McTear’s Auctioneers and was bought by James Robertson, owner of the Kempock Bar in Gourock, near Glasgow.

Now only 249 bottles from Cask 27 remain. A further 25 of these will be sold by McTear’s in a 10-day online auction starting on today (March 25), and the remainder will be sold through a network of hand-selected distributors worldwide. Bottled at a 55.1% abv cask strength from an American oak barrel, Cask 27 is natural colored and non-chill filtered.

Demand for rare bottles such as these on the auction market is high, particularly in East Asia, where speculative whisky investment funds have stoked the fires. The pursuit of rare single malt whiskies is the only thriving part of an otherwise flattening Scotch market.

Speyside Distillery chief executive officer John Harvey McDonough said, “It was a very emotional experience for myself and our managing director, Patricia Dillon to watch the bidding take place, knowing that we were sharing a very special piece of our history with the world.

“We are delighted that this historic bottle has found a home, and that it is about to start a new chapter in its life. Whether it has been bought to be enjoyed or to take pride of place on a collection shelf, I am sure the owner will enjoy it.”

McTear’s whisky specialist, Stephen McGinty, added, “Over the years McTear’s has auctioned some of the world’s most exclusive whiskies and there is no doubt the first distillation from Speyside Distillery fits very firmly in this category.

“Not surprisingly, given the significance of the bottle, there was huge interest in the lot, with collectors at home and overseas ensuring there was lively bidding on the day.   This is a magnificent whisky and we are delighted that it has achieved such a good price at auction.”

Speyside Distillery is located in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands, and is home to the SPEY brand of single malt Scotch whisky. The distillery was founded in 1990 by local businessman George Christie on the site of a former grain mill. It took him 30 years to achieve his dream of building a distillery, with the renovation work being undertaken completely by hand over a 30-year period.

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