April 2025 Auction

Yamazaki Story of the Distillery 2024 Edition

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

Released in 2024, the Yamazaki Story of the Distillery edition celebrates the Centenary of the distillery, having completed its 100th year of operation in 2023. The whisky itself has been matured in a combination of Mizunara oak and Spanish Oak casks.

Whyte and Mackay 30 Year Old 

James Whyte and Charles Mackay started their company in 1882, quickly launching their Whyte & Mackay special blend. Their sales were predominantly in the export market until after the second world war, when they renewed their focus domestically. The firm merged with the Mackenzie Brothers in 1960, giving them their first distillery, Dalmore. They soon added Tamnavulin, Fettercairn and the Invergordon grain distillery to their portfolio, all of which have been key contributors to their blends over the years. Whyte & Mackay have always been forward thinking in their approach, using sherry finishing for their proprietary blend, and introducing the first 40 fl oz bottle for the on-trade in 1963 (now an industry standard). Today the brand is synonymous with its master blender, Richard Paterson, and remains one of the most popular Scotch brands in the world.

Now discontinued, this 30 year old Whyte and Mackay won many awards and was very well regarded.

Yamazaki Story of the Distillery 2024 Edition

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

Released in 2024, the Yamazaki Story of the Distillery edition celebrates the Centenary of the distillery, having completed its 100th year of operation in 2023. The whisky itself has been matured in a combination of Mizunara oak and Spanish Oak casks.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Batch WT-03RB 70cl

The Wild Turkey distillery, then known as Boulevard, was built in 1935 by the Ripy Brothers in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The Wild Turkey brand name originated around 1941 when some, shared on a hunting trip, was referred to as \"some of that wild turkey whiskey.\" It is distilled at bottled by the Austin Nicholls company and for many years they had sourced the whiskey from the Ripy's, but eventually bought the distillery from them in 1972, renaming it in the process. Of almost equal importance, the purchase of the distillery included the contract of legendary master distillery, Jimmy Russell, who started working there in 1954. His name is synonymous with the brand, and his son succeeded him 2015. In 2011 a new Wild Turkey distillery was built on the same site, replacing the original Ripy plant after 76 years.

This is a special, barrel proof release from Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY. Blended from barrels of 6 to 12 year old bourbon.

Weller Antique 107 Single Barrel #65 / Fortnum & Mason

The Weller brand was historically produced by the Van Winkle family at Stitzel-Weller distillery. When Julian Van Winkle II was forced to sell the distillery in 1972, it eventually passed into the hands of DCL in 1984, who's subsequent iteration, United Distillers initially invested heavily in bourbon. So much so in fact that production capacity at Stitzel-Weller actually quadrupled in its final years, but the opening of the newly refurbished Bernheim in 1992 saw the smaller of the two Louisville distilleries closed down. When United Distillers became Diageo in 1997, the new parent company had less interest in bourbon, and sold the Weller brand and a significant stock of Stitzel-Weller bourbon to the Sazerac company, who now produce it to this day at their Buffalo Trace distillery.

This is from the 2016 rebrand of the range, which saw the \"W.L.\" prefix dropped from the packaging. In her book But Always Fine Bourbon, Sally Van Winkle Campbell claims that Sazerac did not have the exact Weller recipe until their partnership with her brother, Julian Van Winkle III was agreed in 2002. Undoubtedly a nod of approval from the family for the modern day product.

The Antique is bottled at 107 proof and used to carry a 7 year age statement but this has now been removed. As of 2019 these bottles have been sealed with either gold foil and cork stopper closures or the original screw caps, depending on the intended market.

This particular Sazerac Barrel Select bottling was drawn from single barrel #065, and selected exclusively for Fortnum & Mason.

Yoichi Sherry Wood Finish 2018

A Japanese single malt bottling from Nikka's flagship distillery in Hokkaido. Nikka was founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, a former Suntory employee who had studied at the University of Glasgow, and later trained as a blender at the now lost Hazelburn distillery in Campbeltown.  Taketsuru opened the Yoichi distillery in the same year as establishing the company, modelling its pot stills on the long-necked design of the Longmorn stills in Speyside.

Due to stock shortages in the Nikka warehouses brought about by unprecedented demand for Japanese whisky in the 21st century, the company discontinued all of its age-statements in 2015.

This 2018 limited edition was finished in sherry wood.

Whistlepig Summerstock Whiskey Limited Edition / Pit Viper

The Whistlepig distillery was established in Vermont in 2007 by Raj Peter Bhakta, who enlisted the late Dave Pickerell as Master Distiller, having previously worked at Maker's Mark for 14 years. Initially, the distillery sourced casks of rye whisky while they were setting up their distilling operation. The majority of these barrels were sourced from MGP in Indiana, and from Alberta Distillers in Canada. Their high-quality blends, single barrels, and unusual cask finishes have seen the brand become and overwhelming success. They began distilling at Whistlepig Farm in 2015, bottling the first of their own distillate as part of their \"triple terroir\" Farmstock blends in 2017. In the same year, Bhakta retired from the company, selling his stake in it to BDT Partners two years later.

Willett Family Estate 5 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon #2344 / Liquor Barn

Kentucky Bourbon Distillers are the owners of the Willett distillery in Bardstown. Willett distillery was built in 1936, just a few years after the repeal of National Prohibition by Lambert Willett, a former distiller for Max Selliger & Co. The distillery was initially a success, principally through its Old Bardstown and Johnny Drum brands, however it was hit hard by the bourbon slump of the 1970s. The result was an ill-advised move into producing ethanol for the production of \"gasohol,\" spurred by the 1979 energy crises. When that market re-stabilised, Willett was left floundering and eventually closed in the early 1980s. Lambert's granddaughter, Martha Willett and her husband, Even Kulsveen, then purchased the distillery and established Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in 1984. They originally bottled the remaining barrels of 1970s-distilled stock, however as that gradually diminished, they began sourcing barrels from other producers in order to replenish it, becoming one of the most important independent bottlers in Kentucky. The majority of their barrels were believed to have come from neighbouring Heaven Hill, and with these casks they developed a wealth of important brands, including the Willett Family Estate, Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek. In addition, they contract-bottled brands for other companies, such as the Very Olde St Nick and Black Maple Hill brands. Revered for the quality of their whiskey, their products have become some of the most collectible to come out of Kentucky. One January 21st, 2012, the company re-opened Willett distillery, and have been slowly replenishing its warehouses with its own whiskey ever since.

A sourced cask, this was aged in white oak barrel #2344 and was bottled at 5 years old for Liquor Barn.

One of 188 bottles. 

Weller Antique 107 Single Barrel #108 / Hedonism Wines

The Weller brand was historically produced by the Van Winkle family at Stitzel-Weller distillery. When Julian Van Winkle II was forced to sell the distillery in 1972, it eventually passed into the hands of DCL in 1984, who's subsequent iteration, United Distillers initially invested heavily in bourbon. So much so in fact that production capacity at Stitzel-Weller actually quadrupled in its final years, but the opening of the newly refurbished Bernheim in 1992 saw the smaller of the two Louisville distilleries closed down. When United Distillers became Diageo in 1997, the new parent company had less interest in bourbon, and sold the Weller brand and a significant stock of Stitzel-Weller bourbon to the Sazerac company, who now produce it to this day at their Buffalo Trace distillery.

This is from the 2016 rebrand of the range, which saw the \"W.L.\" prefix dropped from the packaging. In her book But Always Fine Bourbon, Sally Van Winkle Campbell claims that Sazerac did not have the exact Weller recipe until their partnership with her brother, Julian Van Winkle III was agreed in 2002. Undoubtedly a nod of approval from the family for the modern day product.

The Antique is bottled at 107 proof and used to carry a 7 year age statement but this has now been removed. As of 2019 these bottles have been sealed with either gold foil and cork stopper closures or the original screw caps, depending on the intended market.

This particular Sazerac Barrel Select bottling was drawn from single barrel #108, and selected exclusively for Hedonism Wines.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked / British Bourbon Society

The Woodford Reserve distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, has a rich history; it was built by Elijah Pepper as the Old Oscar Pepper distillery in the early 1800s, and lists James Crow of Old Crow fame among its former Master Distillers, and Colonel E H Taylor also managed it for a time. The distillery was closed during Prohibition and the stocks sold as medicinal spirit by Frankfort Distillery, but was revived in 1935 by R A Baker under the Labrot & Graham name. It was then acquired by Brown-Forman in 1941 who operated it for the next twenty years, eventually shutting it down and selling off the estate to a local farmer. The company bought the land back in 1993 however, and set about bringing the old distillery back to life. Distilling recommenced in 1994, and unusually for Kentucky, all takes place on small copper pot stills from Forsyths in Scotland. The Woodford Reserve brand was then launched in 1996. Initial batches contained bourbon distilled at Brown-Forman's plant in Shively, moved to Versailles for ageing. The first bourbon distilled in Versailles was incorporated into the blend in 2006, and the modern product remains a combination of column still whiskey from Shively and pot still whiskey from the Woodford Reserve stills.

This is a special release that has been matured a second time in charred American oak barrels.

Personally Selected by the British Bourbon Society.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old / Suntory Whisky 100th Anniversary

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

This bottling features a special label to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Suntory.

Weller Antique 107 Single Barrel #65 / Fortnum & Mason

The Weller brand was historically produced by the Van Winkle family at Stitzel-Weller distillery. When Julian Van Winkle II was forced to sell the distillery in 1972, it eventually passed into the hands of DCL in 1984, who's subsequent iteration, United Distillers initially invested heavily in bourbon. So much so in fact that production capacity at Stitzel-Weller actually quadrupled in its final years, but the opening of the newly refurbished Bernheim in 1992 saw the smaller of the two Louisville distilleries closed down. When United Distillers became Diageo in 1997, the new parent company had less interest in bourbon, and sold the Weller brand and a significant stock of Stitzel-Weller bourbon to the Sazerac company, who now produce it to this day at their Buffalo Trace distillery.

This is from the 2016 rebrand of the range, which saw the \"W.L.\" prefix dropped from the packaging. In her book But Always Fine Bourbon, Sally Van Winkle Campbell claims that Sazerac did not have the exact Weller recipe until their partnership with her brother, Julian Van Winkle III was agreed in 2002. Undoubtedly a nod of approval from the family for the modern day product.

The Antique is bottled at 107 proof and used to carry a 7 year age statement but this has now been removed. As of 2019 these bottles have been sealed with either gold foil and cork stopper closures or the original screw caps, depending on the intended market.

This particular Sazerac Barrel Select bottling was drawn from single barrel #065, and selected exclusively for Fortnum & Mason.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Wild Turkey Forgiven Batch #302

A lesser-spotted edition from Wild Turkey which was the result of an accident at the distillery.

The Wild Turkey distillery, then known as Boulevard, was built in 1935 by the Ripy Brothers in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The Wild Turkey brand name originated around 1941 when some, shared on a hunting trip, was referred to as \"some of that wild turkey whiskey.\" It is distilled at bottled by the Austin Nicholls company and for many years they had sourced the whiskey from the Ripy's, but eventually bought the distillery from them in 1972, renaming it in the process. Of almost equal importance, the purchase of the distillery included the contract of legendary master distillery, Jimmy Russell, who started working there in 1954. His name is synonymous with the brand, and his son succeeded him 2015. In 2011 a new Wild Turkey distillery was built on the same site, replacing the original Ripy plant after 76 years.

Forgiven is a combination of 78% 6 year old bourbon and 22% four year old rye whiskies.

Writer's Tears Single Cask #6435 / Deau XO Cognac Cask Finish

Walsh Whiskey was established in 1999 as Hot Irishman Ltd by Bernard and Rosemary Walsh, to blend and bottle their recipe for Irish Coffee. In 2006 they signed an agreement with an undisclosed distillery, granting them a long-term supply of whiskey in order to launch their own brands. The Irishman was the first, in 2007, followed by Writer's Tears in 2009. The success of these drew investment from ILLVA Saronno in Italy, who partnered with the company to open the Walsh Whiskey Distillery. Construction began in 2014, and laid down its first casks in March 2016, becoming the first distillery in County Carlow for over 200 years. Relations between the Irish and Italian companies quickly deteriorated however, and in January 2019 it was announced that they were to demerge. The brands remained the property of the newly named Walsh Whiskey, while the distillery, renamed Royal Oak, remained with ILLVA Saronno.

Writer's Tears is an unusual blend containing single malt and single pot still Irish whiskies, with no grain.

This rare single cask release has been finished in an ex-Deau XO cognac cask.

One of 564 bottles.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

Willowbank 1987 Touch Pause Enjoy 26 Year Old

Willowbank distillery was built in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1974 by the Baker family, and primarily produced blends such as Wilson's and 45 South. In the 1980s it was bought by Canadian giants, Seagram, who provided it with a global distribution network and began to market its single malt under the Lammerlaw brand. Sadly, with Seagram beginning to struggle in the late-1990s, the distillery was sold to the Fosters brewing company, who mothballed it in 1997 and sent the stills to the South Pacific distillery in Fiji to produce rum. The remaining 443 barrels of Willowbank whisky were bought procured by a company called the New Zealand Whisky Collection, who have been bottling them ever since.

This single malt was distilled in 1987 and matured for 26 years. It was bottled at cask strength in March 2013 under the title Touch, Pause, Enjoy, a play on the instructions a referee would offer during a scrum in a game of rugby.

White Heather 5 Year Old de Luxe Scotch Whisky 1.125 Litre 1980s

Once a well known brand in France and elsewhere in Europe, White Heather Distillers Ltd was originally a subsidiary of S. Campbell & Son Limited. The blend was on the market from the early 1950s until the middle of the 1980s. White Heather was recently revived by Billy Walker and GlenAllachie in 2021.

This is an older bottling of blended Scotch from White Heather Distillers from around the 1980s.

NOTE: This lot will include a two bottle shipping fee

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

Willowbank 1987 Touch Pause Enjoy 26 Year Old

Willowbank distillery was built in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1974 by the Baker family, and primarily produced blends such as Wilson's and 45 South. In the 1980s it was bought by Canadian giants, Seagram, who provided it with a global distribution network and began to market its single malt under the Lammerlaw brand. Sadly, with Seagram beginning to struggle in the late-1990s, the distillery was sold to the Fosters brewing company, who mothballed it in 1997 and sent the stills to the South Pacific distillery in Fiji to produce rum. The remaining 443 barrels of Willowbank whisky were bought procured by a company called the New Zealand Whisky Collection, who have been bottling them ever since.

This single malt was distilled in 1987 and matured for 26 years. It was bottled at cask strength in March 2013 under the title Touch, Pause, Enjoy, a play on the instructions a referee would offer during a scrum in a game of rugby.

Wolfburn Kylver Series 12th Release / Jera

Wolfburn distillery is the most northerly on the Scottish mainland, located in the town of Thurso. The original Wolfburn distillery was built in 1821 by William Smith, and was operational for around 30 years before closing. The current Wolfburn distillery was built as close to the site of the original as possible, just 350 metres from its ruins. Distilling began there in January 2013.

The Kylver series is named after an old burial stone, discovered to have one of the earliest examples of the runic alphabet on it. This release features the symbol “Jera”.

This was released in 2023, and was matured in 100 litre Pedro Ximénez casks.

Wild Turkey Old No.8 Brand 70cl 1994

The Wild Turkey distillery, then known as Boulevard, was built in 1935 by the Ripy Brothers in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The Wild Turkey brand name originated around 1941 when some, shared on a hunting trip, was referred to as \"some of that wild turkey whiskey.\" It is distilled at bottled by the Austin Nicholls company and for many years they had sourced the whiskey from the Ripy's, but eventually bought the distillery from them in 1972, renaming it in the process. Of almost equal importance, the purchase of the distillery included the contract of legendary master distillery, Jimmy Russell, who started working there in 1954. His name is synonymous with the brand, and his son succeeded him 2015. In 2011 a new Wild Turkey distillery was built on the same site, replacing the original Ripy plant after 76 years.

The \"Old No. 8 brand\" briefly replaced the 8 year old Wild Turkey in the early 1990s, though this too was dropped by the turn of the millennium. 

Bottled at the lower than usual strength of 86.8 US Proof.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

Wilderness Trail 8 Year Old Small Batch Single Barrel Bourbon #070122B

Founded in 2013, Shane Baker and Pat Heist's Wilderness Trail is a family owned and operated distillery in Danville, Kentucky. 

This is a small batch 8 year old single barrel release from batch #070122B. 

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Wire Works 2019 Single Cask #256 / Special Waters

White Peak distillery was founded in 2016 by husband-and-wife team, Max & Claire Vaughan. When the facility was completed inside the former Johnson & Nephew Wire Works, it became the first whisky producer in the county of Derbyshire. In the 19th century, the Wire Works was known for producing some of the highest quality cabling in the world. The factory’s galvanised products would be used in the first cross-Channel communication line, suspension bridges and buildings all over the world.  Max & Claire describe their operation as “very manual,” and involves a mixture of peated and unpeated spirit. A four-day fermentation period is their standard and distillation takes place in small custom-built, copper pot stills. Early examples of the distillery’s spirit were made available from 2020, including an independent release from That Boutique-y Whisky Company, and the distillery debuted its inaugural single malt in 2022. In recognition of the facility's manufacturing past, the distillery's glass bottles are presented in the form of a wound galvanised cable.

This lightly peated single malt was distilled in 2019 and matured in single STR (Shaved, Toasted and Recharred) cask #256. It was bottled under the title Special Waters.

One of 393 bottles.

Wire Works 2019 Single Cask #256 / Special Waters

White Peak distillery was founded in 2016 by husband-and-wife team, Max & Claire Vaughan. When the facility was completed inside the former Johnson & Nephew Wire Works, it became the first whisky producer in the county of Derbyshire. In the 19th century, the Wire Works was known for producing some of the highest quality cabling in the world. The factory’s galvanised products would be used in the first cross-Channel communication line, suspension bridges and buildings all over the world.  Max & Claire describe their operation as “very manual,” and involves a mixture of peated and unpeated spirit. A four-day fermentation period is their standard and distillation takes place in small custom-built, copper pot stills. Early examples of the distillery’s spirit were made available from 2020, including an independent release from That Boutique-y Whisky Company, and the distillery debuted its inaugural single malt in 2022. In recognition of the facility's manufacturing past, the distillery's glass bottles are presented in the form of a wound galvanised cable.

This lightly peated single malt was distilled in 2019 and matured in single STR (Shaved, Toasted and Recharred) cask #256. It was bottled under the title Special Waters.

One of 393 bottles.

Whistlepig 10 Year Old Single Barrel Rye #72177 / TWS

The Whistlepig distillery was established in Vermont in 2007 by Raj Peter Bhakta, who enlisted the late Dave Pickerell as Master Distiller, having previously worked at Maker's Mark for 14 years. Initially, the distillery sourced casks of rye whisky while they were setting up their distilling operation. The majority of these barrels were sourced from MGP in Indiana, and from Alberta Distillers in Canada. Their high-quality blends, single barrels, and unusual cask finishes have seen the brand become and overwhelming success. They began distilling at Whistlepig Farm in 2015, bottling the first of their own distillate as part of their \"triple terroir\" Farmstock blends in 2017. In the same year, Bhakta retired from the company, selling his stake in it to BDT Partners two years later.

This single barrel rye was sourced from Alberta Distillers and selected exlusively for The Whisky Shop.

Weller 12 Year Old 70cl

William Larue Weller was born into a distilling family in Kentucky in 1825, and launched his W.L. Weller brand in 1849. Originally a rectification business (creating 'whiskey' using neutral spirit, colouring and flavourings), this all changed with the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 and the death of Weller two years later. The company was left in the hands of the fiercely passionate Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle I who, having steered it safely through the wreckage of National Prohibition, established Old Weller alongside the newly acquired Old Fitzgerald labels and the flagship brands for the new Stitzel-Weller distillery in 1933. It was produced there for over 60 years, eventually being sold to the Sazerac Company in 1999, who distil it at Buffalo Trace using Pappy's recipe to this day.

This Buffalo Trace release follows the 2016 rebrand of the range, which saw the \"W.L.\" prefix dropped from the packaging. In her book But Always Fine Bourbon, Sally Van Winkle Campbell claims that Sazerac did not have the exact Weller recipe until their partnership with her brother, Julian Van Winkle III was agreed in 2002. Undoubtedly a nod of approval from the family for the modern day product. As of 2019, Weller products have been bottled with either screw caps or a gold foil capsule with cork stopper, depending on the market in which it was originally intended.

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

First introduced in 1984, the Yamazaki 12 year old was Japan's first seriously marketed single malt. With the introduction of the Distiller's Reserve in 2014, the 12 year old expression was elevated in the core range, and is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Suntory’s flagship distillery, Yamazaki was founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The town of Yamazaki was chosen to be the site of Japan’s first commercial distillery due to its very ‘Scottish’ climate, and with it being an area where three rivers converge. In its early days, Yamazaki produced both malt and grain for Suntory's blends, but the opening of the Chita distillery in 1972 allowed the company to focus on its single malt brand. It is now one of the world's most desirable. The first spirit ran from the stills in 1924, on 11th November at 11:11am.

Wire Works 2019 Single Cask #256 / Special Waters

White Peak distillery was founded in 2016 by husband-and-wife team, Max & Claire Vaughan. When the facility was completed inside the former Johnson & Nephew Wire Works, it became the first whisky producer in the county of Derbyshire. In the 19th century, the Wire Works was known for producing some of the highest quality cabling in the world. The factory’s galvanised products would be used in the first cross-Channel communication line, suspension bridges and buildings all over the world.  Max & Claire describe their operation as “very manual,” and involves a mixture of peated and unpeated spirit. A four-day fermentation period is their standard and distillation takes place in small custom-built, copper pot stills. Early examples of the distillery’s spirit were made available from 2020, including an independent release from That Boutique-y Whisky Company, and the distillery debuted its inaugural single malt in 2022. In recognition of the facility's manufacturing past, the distillery's glass bottles are presented in the form of a wound galvanised cable.

This lightly peated single malt was distilled in 2019 and matured in single STR (Shaved, Toasted and Recharred) cask #256. It was bottled under the title Special Waters.

One of 393 bottles.

Whyte and Mackay 21 Year Old 1980s

A well matured blend produced by Whyte and Mackay.

James Whyte and Charles Mackay started their company in 1882, quickly launching their Whyte & Mackay special blend. Their sales were predominantly in the export market until after the second world war, when they renewed their focus domestically. The firm merged with the Mackenzie Brothers in 1960, giving them their first distillery, Dalmore. They soon added Tamnavulin, Fettercairn and the Invergordon grain distillery to their portfolio, all of which have been key contributors to their blends over the years. Whyte & Mackay have always been forward thinking in their approach, using sherry finishing for their proprietary blend, and introducing the first 40 fl oz bottle for the on-trade in 1963 (now an industry standard). Today the brand is synonymous with its master blender, Richard Paterson, and remains one of the most popular Scotch brands in the world.

This bottle comes with a certificate signed by Richard Paterson and is dated June 1984.

No size or ABV is stated on the bottle.