Oldest Scotch Whisky for sale-Glenavon

For those that don't understand the intricacies of single malt whiskys this probably won't make much sense, but the is a bottle of scotch that will go on auction this month that is 150 years old. This bottle is from the distillery "Glenavon" which closed in 1858 and is projected to sell for at least $20,000 ( thats about $600 a dram).

"Bonhams is maintaining client confidentiality, but said the woman remembers the bottle being in her grandmother's home in the 1920s.

The bottle is slightly smaller than the familiar 75cl and made from olive-green glass. The liquid appears to be pale gold and the level is surprisingly high for such an old bottle - almost to the neck - said Bonhams.

The Glenavon Distillery was situated at Ballindalloch in Speyside where the River Avon meets the River Spey.

It was recorded as operating in 1851 and licensed to a John G Smith in 1852.

John Gordon Smith was the son of George Smith, founder of the nearby Glenlivet Distillery, and he joined his father in the business in 1846, helping to establish a small distillery at Delnabo in 1849." It is really amazing that it has remained intact for that long and sealed to the point of so little evaporation. It will be quite an event when it is opened.

Prices for Scotch malt whisky have risen. In September last year an anonymous Asian collector paid 70 million South Korean won ($75,100) for the last bottle of 1926 Macallan malt whisky, a record for a public auction. A bottle of 60-year-old Macallan fetched a then-record 20,150 pounds in 2002.

The bottle of Glenavon is described in the Bonhams catalogue as ``2-part moulded olive-green glass with lettering on base, of around 14 fl ozs capacity white lead capsule embossed 'Glenavon' on sides and Special Liqueur' on top; white paper label in good condition but with some smoke staining. Level: very top shoulder.''

Spirits such as whisky don't deteriorate once they are bottled, said Harvey. The price bidders are prepared to pay may be limited by the fact that the precise date of bottling isn't known and it's only a half bottle, said Harvey. With Macallan being my personal favorite.....I wonder what a glass of this old whisky would taste like. At that price I'll never know.