An exceptionally rare bottle of Chinese white liquor – valued between £2,800 to £3,000 – will go under the hammer at Elstob & Elstob’s Bedale Hall Sale next weekend.
The 50cl bottle of Kweichow Moutai ‘Rare Breed’ Baijiu is 20 years old and was part of a special release by the Kweichow Moutai group in 2011. Currently the No.2 spirit brand in the world today by value, this is a name prized by collectors and international dignitaries alike.
The bottle of Baijiu is part of a collection that has been put together by the auction house’s newest specialist department, headed up by the eminent wine and spirits expert Peter Hopkins.
Widely acknowledged as one of the North of England’s leading authorities on wine, Peter is a recent recruit to the team of top-level specialists at the Bedale-based auction house, many of whom have held senior posts at institutions such as Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Doyle in New York.
“This particular bottle of Baijiu made by Kweichow Moutai – China’s leading luxury brand – is almost impossible to find on the open market and is bound to be of considerable interest to collectors and drink connoisseurs around the globe,” said Peter Hopkins who has over 25 years’ experience as a wine valuer and consultant, and whose many accolades include the National title of ‘UK Sommelier of the Year’.
“Fine wines and spirits like this are considered as a good investment and many see this sort of purchase as an alternative to stocks, bonds and other more traditional components of a financial portfolio.
“Baijiu itself is a remarkable product and the spirit’s production and consumption goes back more than a thousand years, originating from the Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. Unlike most other alcohol production processes, it doesn’t use yeast but instead uses a fermentation agent called Qu (pronounced ‘chew’). The final creation is a wonderful blend of sorghum, wheat, rice, sticky rice and corn,” he added.
The sale takes place at the auction house’s premises at Bedale Hall on Sunday 23 June at 10am, with viewing on Friday 21 June from 10am until 7pm and Saturday 22 June from 9am until 5pm.
Elstob & Elstob hold quarterly Fine Art, Antiques and Jewellery catalogued sales together with specialist sales throughout the year.
Be the first to comment