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Unknown 19th Century Spirit - Believed To Be Irish Whiskey

LOT ID: 0524-515


End Date : Jul 03 2024 08:00 PM


Total Bids: 31   

Winning Bid
£85.00


LOT DESCRIPTION

1 bottle of unknown spirit. Black single mold bottle typical of 19th-century glassmaking. Natural variations in shape with bubbles and inclusions evident. No seal or label. Approximately 75cl. Driven cork showing significant signs of shrinkage which is consistent with a bottle of this age. Due to the complexion of the glass, we are unable to advise whether there are signs of cloudiness or oxidation. Please note this bottle bears debris and we can not guarantee it will not be disturbed due to handling.

This bottle was part of a consignment of over 100 bottles discovered in a farm out-building in Ireland in 2019.

A randomly selected bottle was analysed and was judged to be mixed grain whiskey, mainly pot-distilled but possibly containing a proportion of continuous distilled whiskey, possibly up to 50%. From the 1800s and matured in wooden casks, probably oak, most likely of American origin. The alcohol content of the sample bottle was found to be 55.6%.

Level of liquid in this bottle is currently: Position 6.

For provenance of this collection please read our Blog to learn more.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: We cannot guarantee the contents of this bottle nor can we advise that it is drinkable. This bottle is being auctioned as a historical piece, the contents are not guaranteed potable and are not recommended for consumption.

If you do so, it is at your own risk. We highly recommend personal inspection before you bid. Appointments can be made by emailing [email protected].

We also highly recommend personal collection due to the fragile nature of the bottle and cork. However, shipping is available at your own risk; while every possible effort will be taken to ensure security during transit, no guarantees can be given regarding leakage. Please consider all the above before you place any bids. 

Although we highly recommend that the contents are not consumed, our freelance drinks writer Tim Forbes bravely tasted six different samples back in 2019. We would like to stress that the six samples were tasted from random bottles with different filling levels to give a broad overview of the differing contents, whether good or bad.

You can find our tasting notes over on our Blog.

Comments from Tatlock and Thomson (Leading experts who have provided scientific services to the drinks trade for over a century):  “It is not possible to age exactly the whiskey. Radiocarbon dating may be a further option for you. The analysis we carried out suggests it was a mixed grain whiskey, mainly pot-distilled but there may be a proportion of continuous distilled whiskey, possibly up to 50 per cent. While we are fairly certain it was produced in the 1800s and matured in wooden casks, probably oak, most likely of American origin. From a sensory point of view, the whiskey had an earthy taste and aroma which could have been derived from the site that it was found or from yeast or other microbes used in the fermentation. The general quality relative to today's standards for Irish whiskey, is poor. The method of fermentation would have probably been grains-in since the ester levels were not high.”

CONDITION

NA.

DISCLAIMER

Although a condition report is normally included in the Lot description, this is not comprehensive and is based on a brief overview. Most items will be described as good or fair, this does not mean it will not exhibit wear or tear. We do recommend viewing/close inspection prior to placing any bids. If this is not an option and you have questions beyond the offered description and images, please use the form below "Ask A Question" to make specific enquiries or to receive a more in-depth condition report. Otherwise, Lots will be sold as seen.
Please note: due to the various ages of bottles, corks and their seals, condition of liquid is at the buyer's discretion. And no claim can be lodged against failure/leakage in any circumstance. All bottles are checked for authenticity by our whisky specialists Wayne & Harrison Ormerod prior to any auction. We do not auction opened bottles so therefore all items are sealed unless stated under certain circumstances where seals were never issued by the producer.
No item is deemed new and may exhibit wear or tear, however many items are generally in good condition. If an item has notable faults, we will make every effort to mention these in the description. The images supplied are of the actual item you will receive. If the filling level of the liquid is not visible in the images provided, we aim to indicate the current position in the description. If the filling level is impossible to determine, such as with ceramics decanters, we will provide an overall weight of the decanter in KG. Our filling level guideline can be on this page.
All information in this listing is provided to the best of our knowledge including when we chose to provide a condition report or date the age of a bottle. If you are unhappy with the listing or believe there is an error/discrepancy, you should not place a bid and notify us immediately and we will address the Lot accordingly. Placing a bid confirms you have checked the Lot and are satisfied.

ASK A QUESTION

BID HISTORY

BID DATE TIME
Last Bids £85.00 3rd July 2024 19:02