Barbadillo releases rare £8,000 1891 sherry

Spanish winemaker Barbadillo has released an amontillado sherry dating back to the 19th century. A limited run of 100 bottles of the Versos 1891 went on sale this month priced at £8,000 bottle.

The Versos 1891 was originally a gift to Manuel Barbadillo by his father as a christening present in 1891, and was already then described as an old amontillado. Aged in an American cask in the humid cellars of Barbadillo in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Andalusia, generations of winemakers from the Barbadillo family acted as its custodians while it aged.

The luxury sherry is presented in a handmade crystal glass decanter crafted by the Portuguese glassmakers Atlantis. It is shaped like a traditional ink well in homage to Manuel’s status as a poet. The decanter is finished with platinum paint on the collar and has Versos etched into the glass in gold leaf. This is then further encased in an exclusively designed Spanish leather box made in Ubrique in the Sierra of Cadiz in Andalusia, home of some of the world’s finest luxury leather craftsmen.

Steve Cook, international director, Barbadillo says: "Versos 1891 is a celebration of an extraordinary man, a legendary winery and an illustrious, centuries-old tradition of winemaking in the sherry region of Spain. A true once-in-a-lifetime project, we are thrilled to be able to share this slice of our history with the world, something made possible only because Barbadillo remains a deeply passionate family business that has been making world class Sherries since 1821.”

Montserrat Molina, Barbadillo winemaker, comments:  “Having worked with the Barbadillo family for over 20 years, it has been my privilege to care for this exquisite Amontillado throughout my time here. Building on over a century of painstaking and passionate work of my predecessors, we remain intensely committed to the history and tradition of the region as we endeavor to create the finest sherries in the world.”

29 February 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor