Ulf Buxrud's Rare Malts Auction

Brora 1972 Rare Malts 22 Year Old / 60.02%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. It was never bottled officially as Brora during its years of operation, and the Rare Malts Selection in 1995 were the first distillery bottlings to bear the name. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

When Brora was re-opened in 1969 it was to produce heavily peated spirit to make up for a shortfall of Islay whisky after a drought on the island. Brora vintages from 1973 onwards reverted to the lightly peated Highland style. Many of the bottlings of this brief period of heavily peated vintages are legendary.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Brora 1972 Rare Malts 22 Year Old / 58.7%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. It was never bottled officially as Brora during its years of operation, and the Rare Malts Selection in 1995 were the first distillery bottlings to bear the name. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

When Brora was re-opened in 1969 it was to produce heavily peated spirit to make up for a shortfall of Islay whisky after a drought on the island. Brora vintages from 1973 onwards reverted to the lightly peated Highland style. Many of the bottlings of this brief period of heavily peated vintages are legendary.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Brora 1972 Rare Malts 22 Year Old / 61.1%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. It was never bottled officially as Brora during its years of operation, and the Rare Malts Selection in 1995 were the first distillery bottlings to bear the name. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

When Brora was re-opened in 1969 it was to produce heavily peated spirit to make up for a shortfall of Islay whisky after a drought on the island. Brora vintages from 1973 onwards reverted to the lightly peated Highland style. Many of the bottlings of this brief period of heavily peated vintages are legendary.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Brora 1975 Rare Malts 20 Year Old 75cl / 59.1% - US Import

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Brora 1977 Rare Malts 24 Year Old / 56.1%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. It was never bottled officially as Brora during its years of operation, and the Rare Malts Selection in 1995 were the first distillery bottlings to bear the name. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malt Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Bottled October 2001.

Brora 1977 Rare Malts 21 Year Old / 56.90%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

This bottle was distilled in 1977 and bottled in October 1998.

Brora 1975 Rare Malts 20 Year Old / 54.9%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Brora 1975 Rare Malts 20 Year Old 75cl / 59.1% 

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

Brora 1982 Rare Malts 20 Year Old / 58.1%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Brora distillery (originally known as Clynelish) was built by the Duke of Sutherland in 1819. Prized by blenders, the distillery found itself in the hands of DCL in 1925 when they acquired shareholders, Ainslie & Heilbron and John Walker & Sons. DCL closed the distillery in 1967 after opening a new, larger Clynelish next-door, but re-opened the first site, now renamed as Brora the following year. Bottlings of the whisky it produced between then and its second closure in 1983 are now increasingly sought after. In 2017 it was announced that Diageo planned to re-open this formerly lost gem, and the revived distillery filled its first casks on 19th May 2021.

Although an extensive series of annual releases was to follow, the Rare Malts Selection were the first official distillery bottlings to bear the Brora name.

This one was distilled in 1982 and bottled April 2003. 

Blair Athol 1975 Rare Malts 27 Year Old / 54.7%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

This Blair Athol was distilled in 1975 and bottled as a 27 year old.

Blair Athol distillery is one of Scotland's oldest, dating back into the late 18th century. Its modern story begins when it was closed down by Peter Mackenzie in 1932, and was purchased by Arthur Bell & Sons the following year. Distilling recommenced in 1949, and with Blair Athol malt at its heart, Bell's became one of the world's best-selling whiskies. Despite its importance to the blend, Blair Athol was also bottled as a single malt under the Bell's banner in the 1970s and 1980s. New owners, Guinness, were less interested in this when they took over in 1985, but their subsequent iteration, United Distillers, brought a back distillery bottling with the Flora & Fauna release. Despite its popularity, Blair Athol has yet to be bottled under its own single malt brand. Other official bottlings from the Diageo era are very rare too.

Banff 1982 Rare Malts 21 Year Old / 57.1%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Distilled in 1982 and bottled in April 2004 as a 21 year old, there was only one release of Banff under the Rare Malts Selection.

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years.

Bladnoch 1977 Rare Malts 23 Year Old / 53.6%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

This Bladnoch was distilled in 1977 and bottled 23 years later in October 2001, several years after the distillery had been sold by Diageo to Colin and Raymond Armstrong. They had retained the stock inventory however, as the brothers from Northern Ireland had initially bought the decommissioned distillery with the intent of developing a holiday village there.

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority of which it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years.

Benrinnes 1974 Rare Malts 21 Year Old / 60.4%

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until Diageo included a 15 year old within the Flora & Fauna collection. A popular addition, it was one of the few retained as a permanent release, and only a spartan number of limited edition distillery bottlings have ever followed.

This 1974 vintage is part of the historic Rare Malts Selection.

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

Benromach 1978 Rare Malts 19 Year Old / 63.8%

The Rare Malts Selection was a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

This Benromach was distilled in 1978 and bottled in May 1998.

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of this Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a well-regarded and widely distributed single malt.