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- Cognac News August 18, 2010 in Cognac News 0
You remember the story about the brandy and whiskey found in Antarctica? A lovely story.
A box of spirits has been lying in the ice for more than a 100 years. The brandy and whisky was left in the ice by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team – when the box was opened 11 bottles of Mackinlay’s Scotch whiskey were revealed and one 1977 Cognac… (and that’s not true). The team left it just there after a trip to Antarctica for Shackleton’s 1907 Nimrod expedition.
Armagnac sold – Whiskey did not find buyer
Let’s set something straight: everyone in the web writes about a bottle of Cognac. But it’s not a Cognac. It’s an Armagnac. The Janneau Grande Armagnac 1872 is the oldest reserve of the Janneau family and Armagnac is distilled in Gascony in Southwestern France, not in Charente, and is seen as the only brandy that’s able to come close to the Cognac quality.
Auctioneer McTears just sold the rare 19th century bottle which went under the hammer today in Glasgow.
The rare Janneau 1872 was expected to get £1,800 and finally did 1.880 pounds. The brandy was bottled in 1977 and must be one of the oldest of Janneau.
1872 Janneau Armagnac
Andrew Bell, spirit specialist at McTears is confident that the bottle is still drinkable.
“With very old bottles there is always the danger that over the years the spirit has been spoiled in some way, however these are very good examples and we are confident that the contents are in good condition and drinkable. The big question though is having spent several thousands pounds on a bottle, would you actually want to drink your investment?”
By the way: The whiskey bottles were not sold.
Source: The Press Association, news.scotsman.com
