A decades-old bottle of very rare Scotch has sold at an auction in Toronto for a record price.
The 55-year-old bottle of Glenfiddich single malt, called Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve, is one of only 11 bottles left in the world. It sold Friday night for a record $52,000.
The winning bidders were a married couple from Etobicoke, Ont., who love Scotch but who wanted only their first names revealed: Dave and Laurie.
Proceeds from the auction went to Wounded Warriors, a not-for-profit organization that assists and improves the quality of life of wounded Canadian soldiers and their families.
Dave and his wife decided to bid in the auction because they have close family members who served in the Second World War and wanted to support Canada's armed forces.
Capt. Wayne Johnston, founder of WoundedWarriors.ca, said he was grateful for the buyers and William Grant & Sons, the owners of the Glenfiddich distillery, which donated the scotch for auction.
"Every penny from this bottle's auction will go towards wounded Canadian soldiers and their families and I'm thrilled that the Grant's family has chosen to help,” Johnston said in a statement.
Vintages, the premium wine and spirits division of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, organized the auction held during a gala dinner at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto.
The auction continues Saturday, when more than 1,100 lots of rare wines – altogether valued at $2.3 million -- will be offered for bidding at Waddington's Auction House in downtown Toronto.
This year’s sale features a massive six-litre bottle of 1972 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), as well as full cases of 1982 and 1986 DRC. A selection of grand cru Burgundy, cru classés Bordeaux and American “cult” wines were also up for grabs.
