Pristine 100-year-old brandy up for auction

A 100-year-old “unspoiled” bottle of brandy bequest in a will is expected to fetch £1,000 at auction.

A 100-year-old bottle of brandy is set to go under the hammer in Dorset, UK

The “mystery” bottle was left in the will of a Mary Sennett in 1980 without explanation and has been looked after in a sealed box at RNLI headquarters in Poole since 1990.

In July, crew members training at the RNLI College carefully unscrewed the box to reveal the well-reserved F. Latour & Co Vieille Reserve Cognac with its original seal that dates back to 1914.

Lending his expertise to handle the bottles was David Baines, specialist wine expert at Charterhouse Auctioneers in Sherborne.

“It’s exciting to see an antique Latour bottle so unspoiled, with the perfect level of liquid, colour, an unbroken seal and clear label,” he told the Dorset Echo.

“With the 100-year commemorations of Armistice Day next week, we expect this unusual item of memorabilia from the Great War period will be of interest to potential buyers.

“We hope that the bottle will fetch between £600 and £1,000 at auction.”

The auction will be held at The Long Street Salesrooms in Sherborne, Dorset, UK, with proceeds going to the RNLI and World Wildlife Fund UK.