Rare 250-year-old bottle of cognac expected to make £160,000 at auction
- 4 years ago
A bottle of cognac which was produced in 1762 and given to a worker in lieu of payment after insects destroyed crops across Europe is going up for auction at Sotheby's
One of the world’s oldest bottles of cognac is expected to fetch up to £160,000 under the hammer.
The tipple, dating back to 1762, was given to a distillery worker in lieu of payment.
Auctioneers Sotheby’s, who are selling the item, said the 258-year-old brandy is still good to drink.
The Gautier Cognac, with its original label, has sat in a family’s cellar for 140 years.
The family’s ancestors adopted a son in the 19th century.
He went to work in the Cognac region of France for 10 years till 1880, before an insect infestation destroyed vineyards across Europe.
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s spirits specialist, said: “He returned home and in lieu of payment he had a cart full of bottles of cognac”, which was “quite normal” for the period.
Mr Fowle added: “They kept it for 140 years in their family before deciding to sell. The condition of the bottle is really good. There’s not been that much evaporation.
“We can assume the alcohol level in it is pretty high and that would have acted as a preservative for hundreds of years.
"The liquid in the bottle would have maintained its character.”
Sotheby’s are taking online bids on the bottle from today till May 28.
One of the world’s oldest bottles of cognac is expected to fetch up to £160,000 under the hammer.
The tipple, dating back to 1762, was given to a distillery worker in lieu of payment.
Auctioneers Sotheby’s, who are selling the item, said the 258-year-old brandy is still good to drink.
The Gautier Cognac, with its original label, has sat in a family’s cellar for 140 years.
The family’s ancestors adopted a son in the 19th century.
He went to work in the Cognac region of France for 10 years till 1880, before an insect infestation destroyed vineyards across Europe.
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s spirits specialist, said: “He returned home and in lieu of payment he had a cart full of bottles of cognac”, which was “quite normal” for the period.
Mr Fowle added: “They kept it for 140 years in their family before deciding to sell. The condition of the bottle is really good. There’s not been that much evaporation.
“We can assume the alcohol level in it is pretty high and that would have acted as a preservative for hundreds of years.
"The liquid in the bottle would have maintained its character.”
Sotheby’s are taking online bids on the bottle from today till May 28.