Rare Scotch whisky cask collection 'may be for sale'
- Published
The Thomson family recently sold a 30-year-old Macallan sherry cask at auction for £285,000
The owners of one of Scotland's largest private collections of rare Scotch whisky casks have said they are open to offers for their portfolio.
The Thomson family, which recently sold a 30-year-old Macallan sherry cask at auction for a record £285,000, told the BBC they may part with some or all of their collection.
It includes more than 150 casks of single malt and grain whiskies.
This is the first time the family have said they may sell the whole portfolio.
It includes a range of Speyside, Islay and Highland single malts, mostly laid down in the 1970s and 1980s, and "crown jewels" such as 1970 Glenlivet hogsheads and Macallan butts.
A hogshead cask holds up to 250 litres of spirit, while a butt contains up to 500 litres.
Andrew Thomson said the family would be "obliged" to look at offers for the portfolio
The collection is owned by brothers Andrew and Stuart, whose ancestors entered the Scotch whisky industry in the 18th Century.
Subsequent generations of the family developed the business over the years, with Peter Thomson (Perth) Ltd going on to produce brands such as Beneagles and Old Perth.
In the 1970s, the company was appointed as sole agent for selling The Macallan as a single malt throughout Scotland.
The Thomson brothers' father Michael sold the business to the Stakis Corporation in 1983 but the stock holding of malt and grain whiskies remained in the ownership of the family.
Most of the portfolio is stored at the Macallan Distillery at Craigallechie in Moray and Glenfarclas Distillery at Ballindalloch, Speyside.
'Available at right price'
Andrew Thomson said selling the entire collection was among several options being considered by the family.
He said: "If anyone made us an offer for some or all of the portfolio, we would be obliged to look at it. If you look at it in football terms, every footballer is available at the right price."
The family's auction record-breaking Macallan sherry cask, which was filled on 13 April 1987 by the Macallan Glenlivet Distillery, was sold at auction in Hong Kong in early October.
Tasting notes by leading whisky expert Charles MacLean described the spirit - whose ABV (alcohol by volume) was measured at 49.07% - as "a terrific, understated, example of The Macallan. Gentle, sophisticated and unassuming, but still vivacious after 30 years".