A BRITISH brandy business is toasting a staggering result after selling a bottle of vintage cognac for £222,000 (US$272,638).

    The bottle of Massougnes 1801 Cognac, under its Hermitage Cognac label, has been owned by Brandy Classics for more than 20 years.

    Around six months ago, the three-quarter-gallon (2.8-liter) bottle was put on display at Hedonism Wines in Mayfair, London. The very upmarket off license has now sold the spirit to a buyer from the Far East for a record-breaking £220,000.

    The cognac, which was barreled in 1801 and bottled around 50-60 years later, is thought to be the most expensive brandy ever sold.

    David Baker, who founded Brandy Classics in the 1980s, said, “For something of that value to actually be sold took us all by surprise — it is all very exciting.

    “The shop, who we do deals with regularly and put many of our produce on their shelves, called us saying that someone was keen on buying the imperial three-quarter gallon bottle.

    “And within the hour, much to their shock and excitement, they announced that the gentleman had bought the cognac which was fantastic news.

    “Usually when we sell bottles that are in the thousands we usually sell to hotels so this was certainly different.

    “We could not quite believe it and it is understandable. Although we have been going for all of this time, it is not every day that you sell something for nearly a quarter of a million pounds.

    “It is a very, very good price and it created a certain amount of elation.”

    Baker bought the cognac near Aigre in South Western France, from Marie-Antoinette des AllA, Comtesse de la Bourdeliere, who is a direct descendant of Louis VII.

    The Comtesse is the last remaining ancestor of the French true Royal blood and directly connected to the English monarchy. Her estate was devastated by disease in the 1870s and the grandfather of the Comtesse decided to pull up all the vines, planting cereals at the time as they were a more profitable crop.(SD-Agencies)