One of the world’s oldest bottles of cognac is expected to fetch up to £160,000 under the hammer. The tipple, dating back to 1762, was given to a distillery worker in lieu of payment.
Auctioneers Sotheby’s, who are selling the item, said the 258-year-old brandy is still good to drink. The Gautier Cognac, with its original label, has sat in a family’s cellar for 140 years.
The family’s ancestors adopted a son in the 19th century. He went to work in the Cognac region of France for 10 years till 1880, before an insect infestation destroyed vineyards across Europe.
Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s spirits specialist, said: “He returned home and in lieu of payment he had a cart full of bottles of cognac”, which was “quite normal” for the period.
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