Speaker Martin's 10 Year Old Macallan Single Malt

[Exciseman]

The saga continues. Seemingly, three bottles of "Macallan Speaker Martin's" have now been duly signed by Michael Martin. Just now a matter of getting them from London to MK. I'm assuming that they're in transit as we speak, perhaps aboard a one-legged mule or a tortoise.

I see that the last bottle of "Speaker Martin's" to 'darken the doors' of E-Bay went for £80+. And for a malt which actually retails in the House of Commons for less than a standard sherried Macallan goes for in Sainsbury's. I guess that packaging is everything.

[Exciseman]

Finally collected my 'goody bag' of three "Speaker Martin's" Macallans from the local MP's Constituency Office yesterday. If memory serves, they were £27 each. Was hopeful that one or two would be in top-notch condition, but stunned to find that all three were 110% - perfect boxes, perfect labels, perfect unsmudged bottle label signings by Michael Martin, Speaker.

Being the naughty boy that I am, I couldn't resist surfing the net to see what our upstanding e-retailers are selling unsigned bottles for. Here are the top three:-

Parkers - a toe-curling £171.28;
GreenWelly - an eye-watering £115;
The Whisky Exchange - a wallet-busting £100 (up from just £69.99 a few weeks back - that's inflation for you).

And people complain about Greed-Bay !

[Nick Brown]

Finally collected my 'goody bag' of three "Speaker Martin's" Macallans from the local MP's Constituency Office yesterday.

Well I hope you actually vote for him or her after all that.

[Exciseman]

Actually, Milton Keynes has the potential to be very intriguing politically over say the next decade.

Currently, there are two constituences. Mark Lancaster, Conservative, holds the North. He's my MP - bless his Research Assistant for all his goodness to yours truly. Labour holds the South, although it is seemingly the Tories 10th most winnable seat.

If the Milton Keynes expansion goes ahead, there will be a third Central seat (into which my street will move). Intriguingly, it might be Liberal Democrat or Labour, but the Tories themselves don't see it as winnable.

As to who I vote for, that's between me and the ballot box. I'm one of those boring individuals who's never changed allegience - although just now I've little time for any of them.

[Exciseman]

Poor old Michael Martin. Looks like he's on his way out as Speaker. Macallan "Speaker Martin's" will disappear from the House of Commons shop shelves. Oh, woe is me lol.

[Nick Brown]

Poor old Michael Martin. Looks like he's on his way out as Speaker. Macallan "Speaker Martin's" will disappear from the House of Commons shop shelves. Oh, woe is me lol.

Just for one moment, earlier today, I felt a twinge of guilt about crowing when MK Dons lost in the playoffs. I thought how mean-spirited I must look to the genuine fans of the club. But having read this post I don't think I'll have any more twinges of guilt.

[Exciseman]

Nick

For some reason, I seem to 'get under your skin'. Little that I say or do is right in your estimation. I'm not the first to have 'rattled your cage'. I'm guessing that I won't be the last.

On MK Dons, I would count myself a "genuine fan". I support the club financially (through buying a season ticket, merchandise, food, programmes). Also, I support the players from the stands week in, week out - whatever the weather. Not just in the last three seasons, where we've enjoyed some success. Also, in the earlier ones where we were struggling and being relegated.

On Michael Martin, I'm far from alone in believing that he's made a number of serious misjudgments and should step down (Nick Clegg the same thing yesterday morning, I believe). Parliament needs to restore its credibility. I'm no expert, but I think that might be harder with him in the Speaker's Chair.

On Macallan "Speaker Martin's", it being withdrawn from sale would likely (although not necessarily) lead to the unopened bottles in my "pension stash" appreciating in value. Do I take joy in that? Yes, of course. I'd be lying (and indeed very unusual) if added appreciation in an investment wasn't an appealing prospect.

In short, I follow my chosen team, have a political opinion, and invest elsewhere than with a bank. Clearly, rotten to the core.

Enjoy life. Should we ever meet, the drams are on me.

Tim

[John McGill]

Enjoy life. Should we ever meet, the drams are on me.

Tim

Post or pre boxing

[Exciseman]

John

I don't tend to get many boxing challenges lol. Perhaps due to me being a big guy who, to someone who doesn't know me, appears a bit physically intimidating.

But no. Whatever I have done to upset Nick (supporting my team and trivial whisky investment aside), no ill-will whatsoever on my part. I'll gladly pay for his drams.

Tim

[Mark C]

All sold out:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... 438530.ece

Down the right column:

The Sun snapped up the LAST bottle of the £27.85 Macallan whisky.

The Sun - Whisky Ebayer.

[Nick Brown]

I liked the bit:

By tradition, Speakers can select a single malt carrying their name

Basically, Speaker Martin's malt was the second in the tradition of Speaker's Choice whisky, and the first to bear the Speaker's name.

[Exciseman]

There's now a rash of these on E-Bay. Some are the 'old' white packaging that I recognise. Some are a supposed 'new' greenish packaging. Disgraceful profiteers - shame on them lol.

I wonder what the Sordid Soaraway Sun is going to do with its bottle. Perhaps the Page 3 girl could pose with it.
Now that would be good - a topless beauty with whisky in hand.

[Tim F]

I would imagine that most of the stock of the new bottling will be back at Macallan's bottlers getting its 10yo sherry labels put back on - and that the new version will therefore be of more interest to speculators and ebayers as there will be so much less of them.

[Exciseman]

Tim

Very true, although I think that the white packaging will be sought after too. I've still got my three signed bottles. Might shift one, so that I can get the general release "Ardbeg Supernova" to try.

[Tim F]

To be honest, Exciseman, if I were you I'd drip-feed them through in the next few weeks or so while the madness is on. I doubt if anyone will give a shit in a few years time.

[Exciseman]

"Madness" is one word for it, I guess. But I suppose that Macallan (along with Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Brora, Rosebank and one or two others) is favoured by true collectors. This is an interesting one to have in the display case. Of course, if you just want to sample the 10yo sherried expression, you pop along to Sainsbury's and get one for £30.