Rare bottle of whisky sells for 100 times its original price at an auction in Harborough

A rare bottle of whisky was sold for a staggering 100 times its original price at an online auction in Market Harborough.

The bottle of Longrow 14 Year Old, thought to have been bottled in the early 1980s, was bought by father and son connoisseurs for just £14.

Incredibly it rocketed in value almost 40 years on at the sale – going under the hammer for a stunning £1,400.

The whisky was the glittering star of the show at Gildings Auctioneers’ jawdropping Christmas Art & Antiques virtual sale.

It was part of a fantastic collection of 112 bottles of whisky.

The outstanding cache cost about £3,500 altogether and generated a stunning £13,000.

“It was a real pleasure to sell this collection of whisky with a family story behind it.

“All 62 lots in the auction sold, showing a continued strong demand for whiskies of rare vintages, especially whiskies bottled and well preserved from the 1980s and 1990s,” said Gildings director Will Gilding.

“Also, it is interesting to note that of all the bottles in the auction, the most expensive bottle had the plainest label, proving that with whisky you should never judge a book by its cover.”

The whisky was collected during the 1980s and 1990s by a Midlands-based vendor and his late father, who loved to find and buy different bottles to try together.

The father and son shared a great passion for walking in the wilds of Scotland and the Lake District.

They snapped up many of the bottles on their trekking trips when they would buy two bottles - one to open and enjoy together and another to keep for a ‘rainy day’.

The intrepid pair dug out some genuine gems on their travels – with the Longrow 14 Year Old the shining jewel in the crown.

Another rare find was a bottle of Talisker 1958 which father and son spotted sitting behind a standard bottle of Talisker.

They forked out for both bottles and the 1958 vintage sold for £900.

Fine wine from one of the world’s most renowned wine estates in Bordeaux also went down a storm.

A bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 1982 sold for £600, two bottles from 1986 fetched £1,000 and four bottles from 1994 raked in £950.

The high prices paid for the fine wines showcase the strength of the market for rare and vintage wines.

“Wine from world renowned French estates like Chateau Mouton Rothschild are always highly sought after by serious collectors who buy the wine as an investment,” said Will.

“However, we are also seeing great demand for wine that while still expensive, is comparatively affordable and more likely to be opened and enjoyed by buyers.”

The sale took place as an online-only auction.