Signed Bottles Give Whisky Auction A Regal Air

Two rare bottles of 15 year old Laphroaig single malt signed by HRH King Charles III could fetch up to £6,000 when they go under the hammer later this month. 

Bottled in 2000, the whiskies were drawn from a cask presented to the then Prince of Wales to mark his 50th Birthday.  The Prince then donated the cask to the Erskine Hospital Appeal, with only 14 of the 270 bottles signed by Charles. 

With an estimate of £3,000 to £6,000, the vendor is on track to realise a significant profit on the few hundred pounds he spent for the bottles at auction 20 years ago.

Commenting on the auction our whisky specialist, Ewan Thomson, said: “These are extremely rare bottles, with no records existing of any of the other signed examples coming to auction. The Laphroaig 15 year old is a fabulous whisky in its own right however, there is no doubt the signatures elevate the lot to a different level.”

Three distinct labels were designed for the 270 bottles from the Prince’s cask, 105 with the ‘Craggs’ label, 105 with a ‘Barrels’ label and the remainder with a ‘Mansion house’ label.  The pair of bottles going to auction at McTear’s have the Craggs and Barrels labels. 

The Laphroaig 15 year olds are not the only whiskies with a royal connection going under the hammer at McTear’s. Macallan’s 2012 Diamond Jubilee release has an estimate of £5,000 to £7,000, while Bowmore’s 1980 vintage, celebrating the Queen’s visit to the distillery, could fetch £2,000.

The Whisky | A Right Royal Rumble auction will take place on Wednesday 24 May at 10:30. 

McTear’s is the longest-established auctioneer of whisky in the world. Entries are invited for this international auction. For a complimentary, no-obligation valuation, visit our Glasgow Galleries or contact our specialist on 0141 810 2880 or whisky@mctears.co.uk.