One of only 117 bottles available worldwide, the Midleton 30th Anniversary Pearl Edition is the lot to watch at the forthcoming Irish Whiskey Auctions. Expected to sell in the region of €15,000, this exclusive premium Irish whiskey is just one of over 200 lots that will be listed on the online auction, which goes live on November 16 at www.IrishWhiskeyAuctions.ie.
Organised by Irish Whiskey Auctions, the company held its first auction last month, with 167 lots up for sale and buyers logging on and bidding from Ireland, UK, Germany, USA and Singapore. Among the lots sold were the complete collection of Irish Midleton Very Rare (34 bottles), selling for €36,100 to a publican from Waterford, and an early collection of ten bottles of small-batch Dingle whiskey, which was sold for €5,500 to a bidder in Singapore.
Superseding Expectations
“In January this year, the idea of building Irish Whiskey Auctions came to me during a conversation in L. Mulligan whiskey shop, Dublin. In less than one year we have superseded all our expectations, launching and hosting ‘Ireland’s first online whiskey auction’ with 167 lots and the average bottle selling for €550 – significantly surpassing our expectations of €200 for the average bottle in the first auction,” said Anthony Sheehy, founder of Irish Whiskey Auctions.
Spanning nine days, the next online auction launches on November 16th at 5pm and runs until 7pm Sunday 25th November. Users must register to participate in the auctions, but sellers can sell for free as there’s no listing fee for the November auction.
Investors And Investments
Irish Whiskey Auctions was founded by Irish couple Anthony and Catherine Sheehy, and investors include publicans and whiskey enthusiasts Alan Campbell, owner of The Bankers Bar on Trinity Street, Dublin, and Willie Aherne, owner of the Palace Bar on Dublin’s Fleet Street.
The company has already invested over €100,000 in creating the online platform, developing bespoke technology to enable a streamline and fair auctioneering process. One of the features includes an automatic page refresh every two seconds, which ensures buyers have the most up-to-date information in real-time.
“A Simple Decision”
Commenting on the company and his involvement with it, Campbell said, “I have been involved in the whiskey world for the last 20 years and whilst whiskey auctions are common across the UK and indeed Europe, it is hard to believe there wasn’t an online whiskey business portal in Ireland before now.
“There’s huge demand for Irish whiskey and it’s now widely-regarded as an investment buy from collectors across the world. When Anthony approached me about this opportunity, coupled with my knowledge of the market and the export growth figures, it was a simple decision to get involved. I am excited to be a part of this new venture and am looking forward to seeing some amazing and rare whiskies come to light.”
Treasure Hunting
With monthly auctions planned, the company is appealing for people from across Ireland to check their cupboards and presses for hidden treasures, whether it is a bottle, case or a complete collection, which could be sold in one of its upcoming auctions or to get in touch for a free valuation.
“A New Beginning”
Speaking about his passion for whiskey and involvement with the company, Aherne added, “Whiskey runs throughout our family history at The Palace Bar, so much so that in October 2013 I opened the Whiskey Palace above my family-owned tavern - The Palace Bar – and we even produce our own whiskey brand.
“I am really excited to be a part of Ireland’s first platform that will promote Irish whiskey worldwide as well as acting as a marketplace for buyers and sellers. Irish Whiskey Auctions hails a new beginning for collectors and fans of whiskey.”
Irish Whiskey Auctions offers collectors and first-time buyers and sellers a simple and professional platform to access the finest whiskey with global reach. The next auction launches on November 16, 2018. For more information, visit www.irishwhiskeyauctions.ie.
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
