“Big Brother” or ” Big Brother “. This is the name of the oldest bottle of cognac known to this day. Water-of-life French of 258 years back to 1 762. This year, the Great Britain in the Seven Years ‘ war against Spain and Naples, and Catherine II, empress of a thousand lovers, becomes empress of Russia. At the same time, in a former water mill of Sour on the river Osme in the Charente, la Maison Gautier was founded around 1750, produced a cognac become historic, the oldest vintage is known today. This relic liquid is proposed in the auction until may 28 by Sotheby’s, who estimated the flask between 80 000 and 150 000 euros.
Gautier Cognac 1762 © WestImage – Digital Art Studio
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Stored in a cellar the family for 140 years
On the basis of a founding charter signed by king Louis XV, the family business obtained in 1 755 a royal warrant to produce cognac. This makes it one of the oldest cognac houses still in business (since, it was acquired by the group Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits).
during the Eighteenth century, the great-grandparents of the current owner of the bottle have raised an orphan boy named Alphonse. Between 1 870 and 1880, he went to work in the Cognac region because of the phylloxera crisis which decimated by then the vineyard. Ten years later, when Alphonse returns to the home of his adoptive parents, he brings with him a cart loaded with bottles of cognac, probably acquired in lieu of a salary. The bottles were, for the most defiled. However, among them were three cognacs Maison Gautier, with their labels in perfect condition.
Cognac Gautier 1762 © WestImage – Digital Art Studio
To this day, there are only these three known bottles of Gautier vintage-dated 1762, which increases, indeed, its rarity and therefore its désidérabilité in the auction. Most importantly, the bottle – known as ” Big Brother “, being the largest of the three – auction as the oldest vintage ever sold on the market of the second hand, is held and stored in the family cellar for generations. That makes 140 years cognac, still equipped with its original label remained within the same family. The presence of the latter still attached to the bottle and its perfect state of conservation will assure the collectors, very fond of lots ” out of the barn “, preserved in their original state and will increase the price at the fall of the hammer.
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With its ” sister “, preserved in the Museum Gautier and his ” little brother “, dispersed at auction at Bonhams New York in 2014 to 55 000 euros, the appearance of the third part of the trio on the market is exceptional and unexpected. According to Johny Fowle, an expert in spirits, at Sotheby’s, “the Gautier 1 762 is recognized and revered around the world as a” water of life ” that transcends the universe of collectors of old and rare spirits. This bottle, which precedes the French Revolution is an example of a viticulture préphylloxérique. It is a relic to the liquid state, which holds the secrets of a superb cognac and the history of this alcohol “. As to his taste, after having spent many years in the cellar ? “The flavors should be present with a blood alcohol high enough, the latter having played the role of a natural preservative. The fluid has obviously aged, but the level and volume are always good. Without evaporation, this cognac should keep all its character, ” adds the specialist.
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Dalmore 1962 © Sotheby’s
The whisky shovel
in Addition to the Gautier 1762, the star of the sale, Sotheby’s will present an important collection of Italian Samaroli, one of the oldest traders transalpine whisky. Very rare on the market, these bottles are highly appreciated in the auction including the Bowmore Bouquet 1966, estimated between 40 000 and 50 000 euros per bottle as well as the Laphroaig 1 967, which is trading around 25 000 euros for the bottle and the Ardbeg 1 976 (is. between 5 000 and 7 000 euros).
Macallan © Sotheby’s
The vacation will unveil also a selection of old Macallan of which a vertical thumbnail from 1937 to 1974 (is. 80 000-130 000 euros), a bottle of 1928 50 years of age (is. 70 000-120 000 euros) as well as a lot of 1956, Reserve 52 years of age (is. 10 000-20 000 euros). Finally, a Dalmore 62-year-will be unveiled under the hammer. It is one of the whiskies the oldest to be released from the Dalmore distillery, with only 12 bottles available. The vacation will present the bottle number 2, “The Mackenzie” and number 5, The ” Cromarty “, estimated to be between 70 000 and 100 000 euros.
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