Whisky event draws interest from Libya

Published on 07/03/2011 17:33

EVEN amid the turmoil of civil war, the chance to buy some rare Scotch whisky raises interest.

A Libyan collector has expressed interest in the lots to be auctioned at the first Inverness Whisky Festival, to be held on 8 and 9 April at Bogbain Farm on the outskirts of the city. The event has also attracted attention from Germany, Taiwan, Sweden, Finland and Jamaica.

Host Bruce MacGregor, a BBC Scotland presenter and member of the Blazin' Fiddles group, said: "We had a request from a collector in Libya for details of what is going to be sold at the auction.

"There is a whole different world out there in malt whisky land that I hadn't been aware of. I didn't know how big the market is for collectors.

"Whisky collecting is a major sport and we are expecting bids in from around the world."

One of the bottles up for grabs is a signed Caledonia, named after the song written by the Perthshire musician Dougie MacLean and distilled for him by Edradour, Scotland's smallest distillery.