Spink to auction rare spirits in HK

Spink auctioneers are offering collectors the chance to buy rare rums, whiskies, Cognacs and eaux-de-vies in bottle and cask at its next Hong Kong sale in July.

Taking place on 4 July, the auction covers over 100 lots of fine and rare spirits dating back to the 1940s and includes the chance to buy a whole cask of 1991 Macallan and a cask of 1991 Trinidadian rum.

One of the stars of the sale is a collection of grappas from Romano Levi. Renowned as a “grappa legend”, the reclusive Levi was known for his hand-painted labels.

The six bottles of grappa – priced at HK$5,000 each (Una Donna Selvatica con Ruta pictured) – all date from before Levi’s death in 2008 so the labels are all original.

In the rum section there are spirits from Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Guadeloupe, Panama and Jamaica, including the cask of Trinidadian rum, the equivalent of 248 bottles with a cask strength of 54.8% for HK$300,000 and a 58-year-old Jamaican rum that was distilled in 1941 and bottled in a crystal decanter from 1860 (HK$40,000).

The Scotch whisky section is the most extensive and includes malts in bottle and crystal and ceramic decanters from a mixture of open and closed distilleries.

Bottles from closed distilleries include 30-year-old 1979 Brora (HK$9,000), 20-year-old 1980 Glenury (HK$5,000), a selection of Port Ellen between 24 and 34 years old and priced between HK$7,000 and HK$13,500 and 30-year-old 1975 Rosebank (HK$10,000).

Available in crystal decanters are a 33-year-old 1977 Macallan (HK$30,000), a 27-year-old 1983 Port Ellen (HK$29,000) and a 31-year-old 1974 Linlithgow (HK$29,000).

Further whiskies include Ardbeg from the 1970s, 1985 Bowmore, 1965 Bruichladdich, 1979 Dalmore, 1953 Glen Avon, 1990 GlenDronach, 1980 Glenfarclas and 1949 Glen Grant.

Also up for sale is the chance to buy a Sherry butt of 1991 Macallan – the equivalent of 490 bottles – for HK$1.6 million.

Rare Cognacs include a Bisquit from the Baccarat crystal collection released in the late 1960s (HK$6,000), a 30-year-old Camus Hors d’Age released in the 1980s (HK$6,500), a Nostalgie de Bagnolet from Hennessy (HK$35,000) and a rare bottle of Hennessy’s “Henco” that was released in the 1960s and designed to be drunk with water (HK$6,000).

A full catalogue can be viewed and downloaded from Spink’s website here.

To view some of the sale’s highlights click here.