On October 17, Sylvie's Wine Auctions auctions 'a childhood dream', as Aart Schutten calls it. He is the owner of the Antwerp wine auction, where whisky is also auctioned. The special whisky collection that will be auctioned in October comes from a collector from Brabant. He passed away in 2004 and all whisky was purchased before that time. Whisky expert Willem Wittebol: 'It is a time capsule of whisky that was built around the millennium'.
With the permission of the family who wish to remain anonymous, we have been invited to take pictures of the collection in its original condition and before the whiskys are packed and departed for Antwerp.
When we (editor-in-chief Ronald Zwartepoorte and I) arrive at the house, employees of the Antwerp auction house are already busy making an inventory of the collection and taking pictures. Everything is done with care and attention. Willem Wittebol himself is also present.
We not only see whisky from America, Ireland and Scotland, but also from Australia and Japan. We spot Bowmore, Ardbeg, Springbank and Signatory. Aart explains: 'This collection has been built up with so much passion and individuality in fifteen years that it will interest buyers from all over the world.'
In addition to the aged bottles in traditional packaging, there are must-haves such as whisky in Bell's bells, model railcars and a millennium clock. 'My husband loved beautiful things,' the widow says. 'But he was also always up for new things or special ones. For example, he bought whisky toothpaste.' He built his dreams. He made a wine cellar with his own hands, then a cellar for whisky and finally an underground system of corridors was created. The lady of the house often found him downstairs after work with a pickaxe in the midst of huge amounts of stones and sand. 'Yes, and also with a cloud of red dust in the house. He just liked building those corridors.' She didn't really get angry about it, not even when a small excavator was used at one point.
Still, it was also a bit of a secret hobby. There was no sign of an ever-growing collection of whisky growing under the house from the outside. The widow: ,'He preferred to keep it to himself. He liked having something that no one else had. It wasn't like he said, 'Look at me having expensive whiskys'. He could already enjoy what he was going to buy in advance. Only good friends had access to the corridor system. But they were not allowed to touch the bottles. And for me he poured a glass regularly, although I am more of a wine lover myself. We enjoyed that as well.'
Her husband's whisky hobby started in 2000 and a quick calculation shows that he bought an average of two bottles of special whisky per week. He certainly did not sit still and it is logical that an ordinary kitchen cabinet quickly became too small for the expanding collection. The widow describes her husband as a bon vivant and an adventurer. He liked to fly and he regularly did that to a friend in Scotland, where the whisky collection could be replenished.
Of course, the proceeds from an auction offer no certainty: 'It takes two to tango'. As an auction house you can want anything, but you are still dependent on the momentum. Maybe the right enthusiast is on holiday, is busy with completely different things, has just signed a contract or is going to his daughter's graduation party. But a true collector,' says Aart Schutten, 'will not rest until he has what he wants.
The collection is so captivating that it receives special attention at the wine auction and forms the grand finale of four auction days.
The auction can be followed live and live online and is structured in themes. Bidders can bid online, in the room, by telephone or via the app. The app in particular ensures that buyers who are not able to come to Antwerp can still follow the auction 'almost live'.
Sylvie's expects a yield between 300,000 and 500,000 euros. The proceeds minus the costs for the auction house go to the family. The owner saw the collection for his wife as 'an extra golden apple' for her. An apple for the thirst, so to speak. You do get thirsty when you walk through the cellar vaults under the house: the beautiful malts are displayed in the niches.
“The Secret Whisky Collection”
Auction on October 17, 2021 at 10:00 am
www.sylvies.be
A secret hobby
Still, it was also a bit of a secret hobby. There was no sign of an ever-growing collection of whisky growing under the house from the outside. The widow: ,'He preferred to keep it to himself. He liked having something that no one else had. It wasn't like he said, 'Look at me having expensive whiskys'. He could already enjoy what he was going to buy in advance. Only good friends had access to the corridor system. But they were not allowed to touch the bottles. And for me he poured a glass regularly, although I am more of a wine lover myself. We enjoyed that as well.'Her husband's whisky hobby started in 2000 and a quick calculation shows that he bought an average of two bottles of special whisky per week. He certainly did not sit still and it is logical that an ordinary kitchen cabinet quickly became too small for the expanding collection. The widow describes her husband as a bon vivant and an adventurer. He liked to fly and he regularly did that to a friend in Scotland, where the whisky collection could be replenished.
Of course, the proceeds from an auction offer no certainty: 'It takes two to tango'. As an auction house you can want anything, but you are still dependent on the momentum. Maybe the right enthusiast is on holiday, is busy with completely different things, has just signed a contract or is going to his daughter's graduation party. But a true collector,' says Aart Schutten, 'will not rest until he has what he wants.
Live online bidding via the app
The collection is so captivating that it receives special attention at the wine auction and forms the grand finale of four auction days.The auction can be followed live and live online and is structured in themes. Bidders can bid online, in the room, by telephone or via the app. The app in particular ensures that buyers who are not able to come to Antwerp can still follow the auction 'almost live'.
Sylvie's expects a yield between 300,000 and 500,000 euros. The proceeds minus the costs for the auction house go to the family. The owner saw the collection for his wife as 'an extra golden apple' for her. An apple for the thirst, so to speak. You do get thirsty when you walk through the cellar vaults under the house: the beautiful malts are displayed in the niches.
“The Secret Whisky Collection”
Auction on October 17, 2021 at 10:00 am
www.sylvies.be