Whisky Exchange to launch ballot for 30YO Scotch gifted to Prince Charles

Specialist spirits retailer the Whisky Exchange is to launch a ballot for 184 bottles of 1988 Royal Lochnagar single malt Scotch whisky from a cask gifted to HRH Prince Charles, which were bottled last month on his 70th birthday.

Photo: Mike Wilkinson

The Whisky Exchange will be opening the ballot at the end of this month, giving whisky lovers the chance to purchase 184 out of a total of 206 bottled. As for the rest, one will be auctioned off prior to the closing of the ballot, another placed in the Diageo archive, while the remaining 20 will be kept by The Prince’s Foundation for additional fundraising.

The 30-year-old whisky was bottled last month on the 14 November to celebrate Prince Charles’ 70th birthday. The individually numbered bottles will go on sale priced at £1,470, with all proceeds donated to the Prince’s Foundation.

The cask was a gift to the Prince intended to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the first royal visit to Royal Lochnagar distillery, conducted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848.

Prince Charles subsequently donated the cask to his charity, The Prince’s Foundation, which was formed earlier this year by merging the Prince’s charitable interests The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community, The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, The Great Steward of Scotland’s Dumfries House Trust and The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts.

The cask strength whisky (52.6% ABV) will come packaged in a presentation box inscribed with the crest of Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and a handwritten edition number.

Aged in American oak, the whisky is described as having aromas of “cereal, vanilla, pear and marzipan” with a “creamy” texture and flavours of “blackcurrant, walnut and coconut”.

In October, Prince Charles took a tour of the Royal Lochnagar distillery in Royal Deeside, meeting employees, including one who worked at the distillery when the cask presented to him was filled in 1988. He was also able to taste a dram before it was bottled.

Royal Lochnagar distillery manager Sean Phillips commented: “We are delighted to have welcomed His Royal Highness back to Royal Lochnagar Distillery recently and are particularly pleased that this special whisky will support the work of The Prince’s Foundation at The Carriage at Ballater Station on Royal Deeside, which is so important to Royal Lochnagar and our people who live and work here.”

Founder of the Whisky Exchange, Sukhinder Singh, added: “This whisky encompasses the full character of Royal Lochnagar Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and it lingers beautifully, developing subtle flavours on the palate. The Whisky Exchange is honoured to help sell this special bottling to raise funds for The Prince’s Foundation”.

Interested parties can register for a notification once the ballot is made live on 31 December. It will then run until 27 January 2019.