Annandale Distillery whisky barrel sells for £1m

THE FIRST barrel of whisky produced by a reborn distillery has gone on the market for £1 million, it was revealed today.
Annandale Distillery reopened in November last year. Picture: ContributedAnnandale Distillery reopened in November last year. Picture: Contributed
Annandale Distillery reopened in November last year. Picture: Contributed

The Annandale Distillery in Dumfriesshire, is the first Scots whisky distillery to have ever put its first cask up for sale.

The reborn business has put its first productions up for sale, hoping to attract customers from the Far East.

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The unique barrel number one has been given a price tag of £1 million, while barrel number eight - the Chinese lucky number - is on sale for £888,000.

The rest of last year’s production is on sale for £100,000.

Barrels 1-38 are filled with “Man o’ Words”, the fruity, non-peaty expression, inspired by Robert Burns, while Barrels 40-75 are filled with “Man o’ Sword”, the smoky, peaty expression, inspired by Robert The Bruce.

Some of 2015’s production is also for sale.

Owner Professor David Thomson said: “The rebirth of Annandale Distillery has put the town of Annan firmly on the map as a tourist destination, we expect to receive 50 000 visitors per annum.

“With its unique heritage and links to Robert Burns and Robert The Bruce, Annandale Distillery has gained a strong Chinese following.

“Never before has the first cask produced by a distillery been offered for sale.

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“The price tag is high, reflecting that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone to become a part of Scottish history and to own the Scottish whisky industry~s most valuable cask.

The Annandale Distillery was established in 1836 and has been through three whisky eras. It was formerly a Johnnie Walker distillery which closed in 1918.

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Following a £10.5 million restoration project, the distillery went into production in November 2014, with single malt Scotch whisky being produced in Dumfries and Galloway once more after nearly a century of silence.

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