Glenfiddich online whisky auction raises £240,000 to boost causes including Keiran's Legacy, Moray Food Plus and NHS Grampian
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LIVELY online bidding for an extra-special "Spirit of Speyside" whisky has raised £240,000 to aid Moray organisations affected by Covid-19.
Glenfiddich and Whisky Auctioneer announced the total today – with 100 per cent of the proceeds being donated to local charities that support the Speyside community, including Keiran's Legacy, Moray Food Plus and NHS Grampian. Exact details on how the money will be distributed will be decided on in due course.
For Keiran's Legacy, founded in memory of Elgin Academy pupil Keiran McKandie who died after a collision with a car in 2016 while out on his mountain bike, the announcement comes the day after what would have been Keiran's 21st birthday.
The online auction ran between June 17-22 and attracted global interest – with 13,000 bids placed and some competitive bidding from the moment it went live to the last-hour rush.
The limited-edition bottles of Glenfiddich 2007 (Cask No. 25427) Spirit of Speyside Distillery Edition 2020 were released to celebrate the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival, which was forced off the events calendar this year by Covid-19.
Family-owned distiller William Grant & Sons had released 450 bottles of Glenfiddich 2007, each numbered and signed by master distiller Brian Kinsman, who originally hand-picked the spirit to honour the festival this year. The spirit has spent 13 years maturing in the darkness of Glenfiddich’s Warehouse 26.
The £215,000 raised through the auction was boosted by a contribution of more than £24,000 by Whisky Auctioneer. The host auction specialist donated the 10 per cent buyers’ commission plus fees from registrations.
Claudia Falcone, Glenfiddich global brand director, said: "We are thrilled with the success of this auction.
"The money raised will help so many people in the Speyside community, a community that is as important to us today as it was to William Grant over 130 years ago when the distillery first opened."
Sandra McKandie, Keiran's mum, said: "This is so very poignant with the auction finishing so close to Keiran's birthday. When Glenfiddich approached us with this idea, we never, ever anticipated the auction would raise this much.
"I am just blown away. This means so much to us as we have been trying so hard this year to raise £21,000 to mark Keiran's birthday, and the events we had planned were hit by the pandemic. We can now do so much more to provide education, training and defibrillators across Moray.
"Keiran's passion was sport and we've always had an aim to do more in that direction, to help disadvantaged youngsters' access to sport. We are so grateful."
Mairi McCallum, project manager at Moray Food Plus, was astounded by the total. She said: "We are really delighted that William Grant & Sons chose Moray Food Plus as one of the beneficiaries, and that the money was raised in such an inventive and fun way."
Sheena Lonchay, operations manager for NHS Grampian Endowment Fund, said: "We’re grateful to hear that we are one of the benefiting charities of the online auction organised directly by Glenfiddich Distillery.
"The money raised will go towards supporting our NHS staff and helping to provide extras for patients in hospital to make their stay more comfortable across Grampian."
On average each lot sold for approximately £480. The most sought after bottle numbers included 1 of 450 and 2 of 450 which sold for £6,800 and £3,200 respectively.
A distillery spokesperson added: "The Glenfiddich Spirit of Speyside Distillery Edition 2020 has now gone on to mean so much more to so many people – from the global whisky enthusiasts who were able to purchase a rare and special liquid to the charities themselves who provide vital support to the Speyside community."
