Blair Bowman, an Edinburgh-based whisky consultant and rare cask broker, has listed for private sale a bottle of Bell’s Original Blended Scotch Whisky that he claims casts no reflection in mirrors. The bottle, believed to have been purchased at the Co-operative supermarket in Bowmore during a £5 off promotion around 2018, is offered at an asking price of £666 on behalf of an anonymous consignor.
Bowman typically advises private clients on the acquisition of exceptional and rare whisky casks. The bottle in question is, by his own admission, neither old nor rare.
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"My work is normally conducted discreetly and privately, off-market," said Bowman, whisky consultant and rare cask broker. "Issuing a press release about a bottle of Bell’s is highly unusual. However, the situation with the mirror leaves me little alternative."
Pre-sale inspection identified a number of anomalies. When the bottle was carried past a mirror, no reflection was observed. A second and third mirror produced the same result.
An overnight inspection log compiled by an independent specialist recorded a knocking sound at 00:12, an unexplained shift in bottle position of approximately four centimetres at 01:03, and a marginal decline in liquid level between 22:41 and 03:01. The capsule remained intact throughout, and the inspector was confirmed to be sober.
"It is a Bell’s," Bowman added. "However, the mirror situation is difficult to ignore, and I have a professional obligation to handle the listing with the same rigour I would apply to anything else."
The bottle was subsequently reviewed by Dr Ronnie Oatcakes, described as an independent paranormal food and beverage expert with more than thirty years of experience. "The absence of a mirror reflection is, to my knowledge, without precedent in the literature," said Dr Oatcakes. "I would not say that I am certain of paranormal influence. I would say that I am no longer certain about mirrors."
Dr Oatcakes declined to take the bottle home for further study. He reportedly left the building at a pace one witness described as "not quite running."
Storage guidance accompanying the listing recommends the bottle be kept upright in a cool, dark cupboard, ideally in a large wooden crate lined with Transylvanian soil. A controlled daylight test was abruptly discontinued after a small fire extinguisher had to be deployed. The room has since been fitted with blackout blinds as a precaution.
Bowman, whose work has been featured in the New York Times, the BBC and National Geographic, confirmed the bottle remains available. The full listing, including a paranormal liability waiver, can be found at blairbowman.com. It is understood to be the first listing of his career to require one.
This story was issued in the spirit of 1 April. The bottle is real. The sale is not.
