One of the world's oldest whiskies is from Scotland (Photo Credit: Instagram/ @Whisky Auctioneer)
Whisky bottles discovered at a 750-year-old castle in Scotland are all set to be auctioned in November this year. Experts believe that the whisky is from the early 1800s, making it among the oldest whiskies in the world. More specifically, it is said to have been distilled in 1833, bottled in 1841 and rebottled in 1932. Around 40 bottles of this drink were unearthed behind a cellar door in Blair Castle in Perthshire in late 2022. Research in the castle's archives and carbon dating conducted by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre have been used to check the age of the whisky.
The 'bin books' (a type of cellar inventory) found in the castle have helped the researchers verify the origin of the whisky. What's interesting is that they suggest that the whisky may have been tasted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert when they visited the castle in 1844. The bottles were found by Bertie Troughton, a Blair Castle resident trustee. An article by The Independent has quoted him on his discovery: "Blair Castle is fortunate to have one of the best archives of any historic house in Scotland and it's been wonderful to see the story of these fabulous bottles come to life in the archives."
According to the company in charge of the auction, Whisky Auctioneer, each of the 24 bottles is expected to fetch around £10,000, reported Sky News. It is set to take place from November 24 to December 4, 2023. Given the age of the drink and the legends now surrounding it, the sale is being touted as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."