Archaeologists at the former Greek Royal Family’s summer palace have unearthed several thousand bottles of rare alcoholic beverages in a hidden cellar including a bottle of Chivas dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II.

Restorations by the Ministry of Culture at Tatoi Palace, located about 27 kilometres (17 miles) from the centre of the Greek capital Athens, uncovered over 4,000 rare bottles of wine and more than 235 other alcohol beverages on Sunday (18th July).

The beverages were discovered in a previously unknown wine cellar within the palace and are now considered of great historical importance as many of them bear original labels.

Among the Ministry of Culture’s remarkable finds were bottles of Chateau Margaux, Chateau de Vincennes and Chateau Rothschild’s finest wines.

There is also a special edition of Chivas Regal that researchers found was produced to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. According to the officials, the 1952 blended Scotch whisky was found in a ceramic bottle next to a collection of bottles bearing the estate’s label.

Aside from alcoholic beverages, researchers even discovered some cans of soft drink which date back to before these types of products were imported into the country, and about 300 bottle cases that have not been open yet.

Officials from the ministry are certain that even more hidden treasures from the Tatoi Palace wine cellar will reveal themselves as work continues.

According to a press release by the Ministry of Culture, some of the beverages are considered fit for consumption, despite being kept in rather bad conditions, and will be catalogued after the restoration ends.

Since a lot of expert knowledge is required regarding the scarce bottles, the Ministry of Culture signed a deal with the Achaia Claus winery to offer its special consultant services pro bono during the restorations.

The Achaia Claus winery, dating back to 1861, was the first to be established in Greece and is still operating as a modern winery and wine-making museum.

Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni said on Sunday: “The Tatoi wine and spirits collection, in addition to its significant collector value, is also of great scientific and research interest.

“The restoration work to showcase the former royal estate is complex and requires specialist knowledge of many and varied areas.

“For the evaluation of the wine collection we are working with specialist scientists who have know-how, both on an oenological level and for its historic validation. Our goal is that, upon completion of the restoration work and the transition of the palace building into a museum, the part of the collection that has been evaluated as fit for display should find its place in the existing space of the palace cellars.

“The Tatoi wine cellar’s over 50-year-old collection, which is of exceptional cultural and oenological value, will be open to the public.”