THREE bottles of the limited edition blended Scotch Whisky given to COP26 delegates are to go under the hammer.
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) said that the auction is a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of Scotch Whisky history’.
The drink was created by the Scotch whisky industry to mark November’s United Nations’ 26th Conference of Parties in Glasgow, with it being blended and bottled in the host city.
Its packaging uses ‘cutting edge sustainable innovation’, with the bottle made from 97% glass, the stopper using recycled wood and cork dust, and a label created from byproducts of the whisky production process.
The auction will run from November 26 until December 6 via the Whisky Auctioneer, with funds raised being divided evenly between the RSPB, Scottish Wildlife Trust and John Muir Trust.
Karen Betts, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said, “COP26 in Glasgow has been a great opportunity for the Scotch Whisky industry to engage with governments and other partners on how we are working towards reaching net zero by 2040, as well as meeting our other environmental targets including on water efficiency, packaging and caring for the land.
“Our limited edition blended COP26 Whisky serves as an illustration of how distillers have come together to fulfil our responsibility to ensure that Scotch Whisky has a future as rich as its past.
“Whisky Auctioneer’s once in a lifetime sale of three bottles of the COP26 Whisky will, I hope, attract a lot of interest – not only from whisky fans but also from people everywhere who have supported the goals of negotiators at COP26 as they have worked to preserve our planet for future generations. Their support in this auction will help the practical work that the RSPB, Scottish Wildlife Trust and John Muir Trust do every day to protect Scotland’s natural environment today and into the future.”
Joe Wilson, Head of auction content at Whisky Auctioneer, added, “COP26 was a milestone event and these extremely unique bottles – a blend from 26 distilleries across all regions of Scotland with only 900 produced – will certainly be in demand from whisky collectors across the globe.
“We are seeing increasing interest in transparency and sustainability in whisky, and with these values so inherent in the creation of this bottling by the industry and the SWA, coupled with the fact that these are the only ones to ever be made publicly available, we are sure that it will be a fantastic fundraising opportunity for the charities.
“On top of the hammer price achieved for the three limited whiskies at auction, we will add our full buyer’s commission onto the donation to three of Scotland’s most important environmental charities the RSPB, Scottish Wildlife Trust and John Muir Trust.”
Catherine Markey, acting head of funding development at RSPB Scotland, said, “We are so grateful for the SWA for considering how they can raise money to help tackle the twin climate and biodiversity crises by supporting RSPB Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust and John Muir Trust after COP26.
“Many of us are seeing the impacts of climate change, not ‘out there’ but right here in the Scotland: we face hotter, drier summers, wetter winters and 1 in 10 Scottish species now face extinction. Climate change and the loss of wildlife represent a twin crises that must be tackled together. RSPB Scotland continues to fight for wildlife through protecting Scotland’s most special places; from the peatlands of the Flow Country to Scotland’s rainforest – which can be visited less than 50 miles from Glasgow.”
