Balmoral: The whisky cases will be made from wood from the Royal estate. Pic: © STV
Drinks firm Diageo has said it will sell 60 limited edition whisky bottles for £100,000 each to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee next year.
The whisky, which was distilled in 1952 and blended in an English oak "marrying" cask from the Queen's Sandringham Estate, will be housed in a cabinet incorporating wood from the Balmoral estate.
It will be produced in Scotland by Diageo-owned John Walker & Sons.
Existing customers will be invited to privately buy 57 of the crystal decanters, Diageo said. The remaining three bottles, numbered 1, 8 and 60, will be auctioned in early 2012, each with a reserve price of £100,000.
John Walker & Sons will donate all profits from the bottles and all proceeds from the auctions, with a guarantee of at least £1m, to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust - the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association.
The money will be used to support the trust's diamond jubilee appeal which aims to double the number of scholarships its funds every year and support craftspeople of all ages.
Sixty editions of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be bottled on February 6 next year, exactly 60 years to the day since the Queen acceded to the throne.
David Gates, Royal Warrant grantee at John Walker & Sons, said: "As a holder of the Royal Warrant, we felt compelled to mark this truly historic occasion with something truly exquisite. We look forward to sharing further news on this exceptional liquid very soon."
As holders of a Royal Warrant, John Walker & Sons can supply whisky to the royal household.
Jim Beveridge, master blender for John Walker & Sons, said: "These are extraordinary grain and malt whiskies that have been maturing slowly since 1952. It's a huge privilege to work with them using all our resources and experience to craft a John Walker & Sons blend that's fitting for this special anniversary. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons will be presented in a lead crystal decanter adorned with a Britannia silver collar which contains a half-carat diamond, set by hand, and a numbered silver seal.
Each bottle comes with a pair of hand-engraved lead crystal glasses and a leather-bound, personalised, hand-embellished book explaining the whisky's history and how it was produced.
