Last bottle of world's oldest single malt whisky leaves Scotland
Fri Feb 25,12:29 PM ET
LONDON (AFP) - The last remaining bottle of the world's oldest single malt whisky left its distillery in Scotland bound for Hong Kong, where it will be the star attraction at an airport shop.
The bottle of Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937, left to mature in a cask for 64 years before being bottled, is heading for Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok Airport, where it will be available for a well-heeled buyer, but only at a steep cost.
Previous bottles sold direct by the family-owned Glenfiddich Distillery fetched 10,000 pounds (14,500 euros, 19,000 dollars) each, but the price levied by the airport is expected to be higher still.
"There are a lot of mixed emotions here," said the distillery's "malt master" David Stewart of the bottle, claimed as the oldest single malt whisky in the world.
"On the one hand, we're extremely proud of having produced a whisky of such a fantastic quality that's stood the test of time and on the other, there's a tinge of sadness at saying goodbye."
Sky Connection, which operates shops at Hong Kong airport, has bought the final six bottles of the 1937 malt, the last of which departed the distillery on Friday.
As they are so rare, the bottles are being sent in two batches.
Just 61 bottles, described as having "chocolate and treacle" flavours, were produced from the single cask and first released in 2001. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Makes my $30 bottle of 12-year-old Glenfiddich look downright thrifty. Perhaps somewhat ironically, Glenfiddich is often recommended as an introduction to single malts, as it is somewhat more mellow than some other single malts.
It seems to me that there was a discussion about Whiskeys (especially Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, and all) a ways back now, and I seem to remember OldRaven having a fondness for a particular label. Where is he?? This should really get his attention!
I can understand why the Distillers would be having mixed emotions about sending this last one away, too. That's a *long* time to be nurturing that baby of theirs! I don't know that I'd be able to part with it.
Dreamer1
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QUOTE (Dreamer1 @ 27-Feb-2005, 03:22 PM)
I can understand why the Distillers would be having mixed emotions about sending this last one away, too. That's a *long* time to be nurturing that baby of theirs! I don't know that I'd be able to part with it.
Dreamer1
It's got to be corporate evil or someone who's been sampling a few gallons too much of the (newer vintage) product. Maybe combined with some LSD flashbacks.
I really don't think I'd be able to part with something of the sort either. My problem though, would be I'd have to find somewhere out of the way to store it..
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