World’s largest spirits collection for sale

A Dutch spirits collector is selling off what he claims is “the world’s largest collection of old liquors”, valued at a total of US$8 million.

Bay van der Bunt (left) has spent the last 35 years compiling over 5,000 bottles of fine and rare spirits, including Cognac dating back to 1789, the year of the French Revolution and George Washington’s inauguration as the first president of the United States.

Begun from the hundreds of bottles inherited from his grandfather, the collection has since been augmented by purchases from global auction houses such as Christie’s and Sotheby’s, as well as cellar sales by restaurants including La Tour d’Argent in Paris and Le Cirque in New York.

Now aged 63 and with no children to pass the collection on to, Bay, who happens to be tee-total, is hoping to sell it intact to a fellow collector. If no single buyer emerges, he plans to offer the bottles to restaurants, hotels and connoisseurs.

“Collecting Cognacs and old liquors was very time consuming and cost a fortune, but it proves to be the best financial investment I have ever made,” admitted Bay.

For the last 10 years, Bay has shared his passion via his website, which contains a full list of the bottles and prices.