Ballot to open for collectible Royal Lochnagar

Diageo has released a highly collectible Royal Lochnagar single malt from the cask of HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay. 

A ballot for the opportunity to buy one of the 184 bottles of Royal Lochnagar 1988 will open on the The Whisky Exchance on 31 December 2018.

Originally a gift to His Royal Highness to mark the 140^th anniversary of the first royal visit to Royal Lochnagar Distillery, by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1848, The Prince donated the cask to his charity, The Prince’s Foundation.  

This bottling, which took place on The Prince’s 70^th birthday, 14 November 2018, is one of the oldest single cask releases of Royal Lochnagar single malt Scotch whisky. There are 206 individually numbered bottles; however to ensure demand is managed fairly, 184 bottles will be available through The Whisky Exchange ballot, one will be auctioned once the ballot is closed, one placed in the Diageo Archive, and the remaining 20 retained by The Prince’s Foundation for further fundraising.  

The bottles in the ballot will be priced at £1,470 and the full proceeds will go to The Prince’s Foundation. Those interested in entering can register now at www.thewhiskyexchange.com/RoyalLochnagar and the ballot will be live from 31 December 2018 until 27 January 2019.  

The bottle, with etched lettering infilled in gold, and bespoke Royal Lochnagar blue presentation box, both display the arms of the Duke of Rothesay (His Royal Highness’s Scottish title), ‘The cask of HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay’, and a label that includes the handwritten edition number and natural cask strength of 52.6% ABV.

On a visit to Royal Lochnagar Distillery in October 2018, during which the cask was formally handed over, His Royal Highness tasted the whisky with Diageo whisky specialist Maureen Robinson, whisky writer Charles MacLean, and Sukhinder Singh, owner of The Whisky Exchange.  The Whisky Exchange’s Sukhinder Singh comments: "The Whisky Exchange is honoured to help sell this special bottling to raise funds for The Prince’s Foundation."

Royal Lochnagar distillery manager Sean Phillips comments: “We are delighted to have welcomed His Royal Highness back to Royal Lochnagar Distillery recently and are particularly pleased that this special whisky will support the work of The Prince’s Foundation at The Carriage at Ballater Station on Royal Deeside, which is so important to Royal Lochnagar and our people who live and work here."

4 December 2018 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editor