The whisky collection of late PepsiCo magnate Richard Gooding is going under the hammer in what could be the world’s most expensive whisky auction.
Gooding spent more than 20 years amassing his collection, which he housed in what he called his “pub” – a dedicated room in his Colorado home that was specially designed to showcase the whiskies (below).
He would travel regularly to Scotland in his private jet to search for special bottles at auctions and distilleries.
Gooding’s grandfather, James A Gooding, started the Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Denver in 1936.
When he retired, Richard’s Gooding’s father took over the business before Richard became owner and chief executive in 1979.
He sold the company to PepsiCo in 1988 and died in 2014.
Gooding’s wife Nancy said collecting whisky was one of his greatest passions.
“He loved every aspect of it; from researching the many single malt distilleries to visiting them and tasting their whiskies.
“He was always so pleased to acquire the bottles that he was searching for over the years.
“His mission was to collect a bottle that represented every single distillery, but his favourite was always Bowmore, with his preferred whisky being Black Bowmore.”
Take a look inside his incredible pub:
UK whisky auction site Whisky Auctioneer will sell 3900 bottles, called “The Perfect Collection,” next year.
The whisky collection is estimated to be valued at more than $US10.5 million, but could go much higher.
Whisky Auctioneer founder Iain McClune said: “This library of whiskies is filled with very special bottles, each of which has been researched and meticulously examined for condition and authenticity. Among the over 3900 bottles is the largest collection of The Macallan ever to go to auction, including the limited opportunity to acquire the 1926 Valerio Adami and 1926 Fine & Rare 60 Year Old bottlings.”
The two Macallans are drawn from the same sherry cask, which is sometimes known as ‘The Holy Grail.’
Other bottles include some of the rarest Springbanks and Bowmores, rare offering from closed distilleries – such as Stromness and Dallas Dhu – and ancient bottles.
The whisky collection will go live on Whisky Auctioneer from 7-17 February and 10-20 April 2020.
