21st March, 2016 by Amy Hopkins

A bottle of Scotch whisky from the first distillation at the Speyside Distillery in 1990 is set to go under the hammer at auction later this week.

Created using liquid from Cask 27, which contained the first spirit created at the distillery in December 1990, the whisky is 25-years-old and is number one of 250 bottles from the same barrel.

Bottled as a single cask, cask strength expression, the whisky will be auctioned through McTear’s Auctioneers on Wednesday 23 March. After the auction, the remaining Cask 27 bottles will go on general sale.

“This truly is a beautiful dram in which the passion of this first distillate can be tasted,” said John Harvey McDonough, chief executive of Speyside Distillery.

“This is not just a whisky: this is an integral part of the distillery’s heritage. We are extremely proud to be able to share this part of our history with whisky lovers and we hope those who are lucky enough to secure one of the special limited edition bottles will raise a toast to those who painstakingly worked together to build the beautiful distillery and lay down this very first distillate.”

Bottled at 55% abv and matured in American oak casks, Spey Cask 27 is said to have a “refreshing” aroma of vanilla and honey, and a flavour of crème brûlée with a “mild, citrus finish”.

It is presented in a humidor box with handwritten label and wax stamp.

“We handle many special limited edition whiskies, however, to have the great privilege of auctioning Spey from Speyside Distillery bottle number one of this special edition bottling of Cask 27 is a very rare occasion indeed,” added Stephen McGinty, whisky specialist at McTear’s Auctioneers.

“This whisky ticks all the boxes and more for any investor and we are expecting to receive significant interest.”

Based near Kingussie, Speyside Distillery was built by retired Royal Navy submarine captain George Christie over a 30-year period. It produces the Spey whisky brand.

Last month, the distillery launched a commemorative bottle of its Beinn Dubh “black whisky” to mark the return of the Flying Scotsman steam train to the National Railway Museum.