AN ULTRA-RARE bottle of whisky which was bought for £80 has sold at a record price for a Leominster-based auctioneers.

The special spirit, a bottle of The Macallan 50-year-old Malt Whisky sold for an eye-watering £69,817 at Brightwells’ fine wine and whisky auction on November 26.

Brightwells, based in Ludlow Road, said the bottle had been purchased as a 50th birthday present for the vendor by his sons in 1983, the price back then was just under £80.

Since then this release, which numbered only 500 bottles, has acquired mythic status as the best tasting Macallan ever produced, consistently scoring 100 points from those lucky enough to taste it.

The vendor had resolved to drink the whisky on his 80th birthday but a quick check of the market value caused him to put the bottle back in the cupboard.

Brightwells’ head of wine sales Paddy Shave said it was a real privilege to offer such an iconic bottle.

“This Macallan is described as the Holy Grail for malt whisky lovers so we new there would be worldwide interest," he said.

"We had bidders from Belgium, Germany, Scandinavia and Hong Kong as well as all around the UK.”