An “exceptionally rare” single bottle of Highland whisky will be sold off at auction in Hong Kong next Friday.
The 1972 Brora is the oldest official bottling of Brora ever to come up for sale and is the only bottle to have been drawn from the cask – making it the first and last of its kind.
Bonhams auctioneers has provided an estimated price range of between £6,488 and £7,985 for the bottle.
Collectors of rare malts and investors from around the globe are expected to battle it out to secure the highly desirable bottle which has been taken from an ex-sherry butt.
Dr Nick Morgan, head of Whisky Outreach at Diageo, said: “We’ve seen a rapid growth of interest in rare and collectable whiskies, and this bottle of 1972 Brora is the epitome of that. The auction is not just a once in a generation opportunity, it is also a chance for some to own an exquisite single malt with unparalleled history and heritage.”
Originally known as the Clynelish Distillery, production began in Brora Distillery in 1819 with the backing of the Marquess of Stafford. In the late 1960s production expanded at a new distillery, with the old distillery eventually being used to supply a need for heavily peated whisky for blending.
Between 1972-74 production of “Brora” was in batches, becoming regular in 1975 when the distillery itself was officially re-named Brora. However, it was only produced until 1983 when the distillery was mothballed.
The 44-year-old whisky is described as “a massive, brooding and drying old Brora that it is seemingly made of smoke, oak, pepper, dark fruit all encrusted in sea-salt then wrapped in seaweed and oilskins.”
The 1972 Brora will appear in Lot 328a of the the “fine and rare wine, cognac and whisky” auction at 2pm UK time and 7pm Hong Kong time, on Friday May 19.