Shipwrecked Whisky Galore bottle auctions

A historic bottle of whisky salvaged from the shipwreck which inspired the film Whisky Galore is currently available at auction.

The bottle of historic Black & White whisky was salvaged from the shipwreck which inspired the film Whisky Galore

The whisky was retrieved from the wreck of the 8,000-tonne SS Politician shortly after it ran aground and sank off the Isle of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides, February 1941.

Although the whisky bottle’s label was lost in the wreck, experts believe this brand to be Black & White.

The ship was en route to Jamaica with Cargo including 28,000 cases of malt whisky when it met with disaster. This bottle was one of many retrieved and hidden by locals after it washed ashore in order to prevent it from being found by customs officials.

In 1997, the bottle was discovered by an Islander digging their garden path and was submitted for sale in Christies.

The bottle is described by its retailer, Whisky-Online Auctions, as: “A remarkable piece of Scottish history with great provenance and a powerful story behind it.

“This is what whisky collecting is all about.”

Experts predict that the whisky will fetch a high price at auction, though it is thought that it is not fit for consumption.

The auction will close on Wednesday January 8 at 8pm.

In April last year, The Spirits Business reported that this bottle, along with one other, went under the hammer at Scotch Whisky Auctions.

This recent auction follows the sale of a selection of shipwrecked Scotch and Champagne at auction in Michigan in October.