April 2025 Auction

Cragganmore 2007 Distillers Edition CggD-6571

Cragganmore distillery was built by John Smith at the end of the 19th century. An astute businessman, he selected the location of his distillery to facilitate easy trade with his customers, and produced spirit geared fully towards the needs of the blending companies. It was not long before it was considered one of the finest for such a purpose, and the distillery was eventually acquired by White Horse Distillers. When White Horse were bought by DCL, its subsequent iteration, United Distillers, selected it as part of their Classic Malts series in 1988, officially launching its single malt brand. Despite this, its continued importance to Diageo blends means that distillery bottlings like this are scarce, with only the 12 year old and these annual Distillers Editions making up a permanent range.

Launched in 1997, The Distillers Edition range is a series of double matured versions of the standard Classic Malts. The Cragganmore releases are finished in Port wine casks.

Caol Ila 2013 Auld Goonsy 11 Year Old

Caol Ila distillery was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson, who was bought out from the venture a little over 10 year later by Bulloch Lade. The blending firm merged with DCL (now Diageo) in 1927, who still run the distillery today. In 1972 the original site was demolished and replaced by a new one. When distilling resumed in 1974, Caol Ila was the largest producer of single malt on the Isle of Islay. Despite this, due to its importance in popular blends such as Johnnie Walker, its single malt brand disappeared under United Distillers, and it was not until 2002 that it would return, when the 12 year old was revived by Diageo. The Flora & Fauna release was well-regarded in the meantime, but it was independent releases like this that gave the best opportunity to sample this much-loved single malt.

This Caol Ila was distilled in August 2013 and matured 11 years, initially in an American oak hogshead, then in single first-fill Pedro Ximénez cask #319939 for a further 12 months. It was bottled by Global Whisky in November 2024 under their Auld Goonsy label.

One of 291 bottles.

Cask: Ardmore 1998 Hogshead #750704 / stored at Inveralmond Bond

This Ardmore single malt was distilled on 27th May 1998 and is currently maturing in single hogshead #750704 at a bonded warehouse in Inveralmond, Perth.

Ardmore was built by Wm. Teacher at the end of the 19th century, and as a rare peated Highland single malt, provided the smoky qualities in their well-loved blends. Now in the hands of Beam Suntory, there have been very few official bottlings, but the independent releases that have appeared over the years are much sought after.

The following are the results of a cask regauge on 19th March 2024.

• New Bulk Litres: 119.0
• Strength: 52.20%
• Regauged Litres of Alcohol: 62.1

*IMPORTANT NOTICE: The buyer of any cask which is stored at this location must have an existing account with the company that owns the warehouse. Please note that the buyer will also be fully responsible for all fees associated with the transfer of ownership of the cask.

Title of ownership for sold lots shall be passed on to the buyer within 14 days of the receipt of funds PROVIDED THAT a Buyer meets, and can demonstrate they meet, HMRC requirements for owning duty-suspended goods.  In short: a UK resident revenue trader must have a valid Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations Certificate (“WOWGR”).  A UK resident who is not a revenue trader does not require a WOWGR but must make arrangements with the warehousekeeper storing the cask.  Non-UK residents should appoint a UK Duty Representative to act for them.  Further details and guidance can be found via the below websites.

HMRC Excise Notice 196

HMRC Excise Notice 206

Cragganmore 1989 Berry Brothers and Rudd

Cragganmore distillery was built by John Smith at the end of the 19th century. An astute businessman, he selected the location of his distillery to facilitate easy trade with his customers, and produced spirit geared fully towards the needs of the blending companies. It was not long before it was considered one of the finest for such a purpose, and the distillery was eventually acquired by White Horse Distillers. When White Horse were bought by DCL, its subsequent iteration, United Distillers, selected it as part of their Classic Malts series in 1988, officially launching its single malt brand. Despite this, its continued importance to Diageo blends means that distillery bottlings like this are scarce, with only the 12 year old and these annual Distillers Editions making up a permanent range.

Distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2010 after being matured in a single cask, Cask #2880

Berry Brothers & Rudd is a firm steeped in history. They were established in the late 17th century, and received a Royal Warrant from King Edward VII in 1903. The company has been bottling single malt whisky from almost as early as that, and produced their first ever blend, Cutty Sark, in 1923.

Camus Marque Cognac Baccarat Decanter

Jean-Baptiste Camus started out as an independent winegrower, distilling, and selling his cognac to other established houses. In 1863, he decided to expand his business by recruiting other producers to supply him with stock which he could sell his new brand, Camus La Grande Marque. Camus’ advantage of having people supply La Grande Marque was that he had total control over the quality of the product, from grape to the glass. The business would go on to enjoy great success over the next 150 years, remaining in the same family for over five generations. Perhaps the savviest tactic in the company’s history was the move towards the duty-free market in the 1960s. This saw recognition of the brand increase significantly and today Camus have a worldwide following, particularly in Asia.

An older bottling of Camus cognac presented in a beautiful Baccarat decanter.

Baccarat Crystal was founded in the commune of the same name in north-eastern France in 1764. The company was given permission to start the manufacture of window panes, mirrors and stemware by King Louis XV but it wasn't until 1816 when the first crystal oven was installed. For well over 250 years the company has become renowned for its high quality and craftsmanship.

Cask: Speyside Single Malt 2016 Hogshead #8267 / stored at Inveralmond Bond

This Speyside single malt was sourced from a distillery under the ownership of one of whisky's most renowned luxury brands, and largely contributes to the production of the Famous Grouse blend (No, not that distillery, the other one).

The cask was filled on the 1st September 2016 and is maturing in single hogshead cask #8267 at a bonded warehouse in Inveralmond, Perth.

The following are the results of a cask regauge which took place on 24th October 2024.

• Bulk Litres: 232.2
• Strength: 65.60%
• Regauged Litres of Alcohol: 153.1

*IMPORTANT NOTICE: The buyer of any cask which is stored at this location must have an existing account with the company that owns the warehouse. Please note that the buyer will also be fully responsible for all fees associated with the transfer of ownership of the cask.

Title of ownership for sold lots shall be passed on to the buyer within 14 days of the receipt of funds PROVIDED THAT a Buyer meets, and can demonstrate they meet, HMRC requirements for owning duty-suspended goods.  In short: a UK resident revenue trader must have a valid Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations Certificate (“WOWGR”).  A UK resident who is not a revenue trader does not require a WOWGR but must make arrangements with the warehousekeeper storing the cask.  Non-UK residents should appoint a UK Duty Representative to act for them.  Further details and guidance can be found via the below websites.

HMRC Excise Notice 196

HMRC Excise Notice 206

Longmorn 1975 Gordon and MacPhail Private Collection

Longmorn is a popular Speyside distillery, and an essential component in many blends over the years. As such, much of its production is reserved for this purpose and although distillery bottlings first appeared in the 1980s, it was rarely seen before the 15 year old expression was relaunched in 1993. The distillery has long been prominent on the independent scene however, and has cult following in Japan, perhaps in no small part to its connection with Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, who modelled the stills at Yoichi on those at Longmorn.

This Longmorn was distilled in May 1975 and matured in single refill sherry hogshead #21602801. It was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in December 2021 as part of their Private Collection.

Gordon & MacPhail are one of the largest and most recognisable whisky companies in the world. Although they began distilling at the newly refurbished Benromach distillery in 1998, for most of their history they were an independent bottler. Their labels are recognised by whisky lovers the world over, and their licensed bottlings from distillery's like Macallan and Talisker in the 1970s and 1980s, when the companies were not bottling themselves, are a huge part of the success of those distillers today.

Gordon & MacPhail were granted a license to officially bottle Longmorn single malt in the 1970s and 1980s. This long-standing relationship with the distillery has since furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high-quality casks, and subsequently, high-quality releases.

This is part of the Private Collection range. As of 2018, this line fully replaced the Rare Old series as its most premium offerings, and come exceptionally presented in decadent glass bottles. A 1970 vintage, it was bottled from a first-fill American hogshead in 2019.

One of 203 bottles.

Chivas Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute

The first Chivas Regal blend was launched by Chivas Brothers in 1909, a premium brand that quickly developed a big market in the US. While Prohibition put a temporary halt to its success ten years later, it also allowed Canadian distillers, Seagram, to become the biggest drinks company in North America, and they targeted Chivas Brothers straight away when buying into the Scotch market. They acquired the firm in 1949, adding Strathisla to its portfolio, and building a further three more distilleries. Over the years they also acquired the assets of Campbell Distillers and The Glenlivet Distillers, positioning it as one of the largest whisky companies in Scotland. The Seagram empire eventually collapsed in the early 2000s, with its Chivas Brothers arm picked up by Pernod-Ricard, along with Allied Domecq in a separate acquisition, bringing over the Ballantine's brand. Chivas now produces two of the top three selling blends in the world, and its distillery portfolio, with Glenlivet as its flagship brand, is rivalled only by that of Diageo.An incredibly rare edition of the Royal Salute from Chivas Brothers.

Named after th 62 gun salute that is fired on Royal anniversaries, the decanter is painted with 24 carat gold and contains over 40 year old whiskies.

Cask: Blue Hill 2018 Hogshead #180000030 / stored at Inveralmond Bond

This Speyside single malt was drawn from a distillery residing on a rather 'rocky hill', in a town of the same name. It draws its water from the underground Blue Hill spring.

The cask was filled on the 12th June 2018 and is maturing in single hogshead cask #180000030 at a bonded warehouse in Inveralmond, Perth.

The following are the results of a cask regauge which took place on 14th April 2025.

• New bulk litres: 234.2
• Strength 60.30%
• Regauged litres of alcohol 141.2

*IMPORTANT NOTICE: The buyer of any cask which is stored at this location must have an existing account with the company that owns the warehouse. Please note that the buyer will also be fully responsible for all fees associated with the transfer of ownership of the cask.

Title of ownership for sold lots shall be passed on to the buyer within 14 days of the receipt of funds PROVIDED THAT a Buyer meets, and can demonstrate they meet, HMRC requirements for owning duty-suspended goods.  In short: a UK resident revenue trader must have a valid Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations Certificate (“WOWGR”).  A UK resident who is not a revenue trader does not require a WOWGR but must make arrangements with the warehousekeeper storing the cask.  Non-UK residents should appoint a UK Duty Representative to act for them.  Further details and guidance can be found via the below websites.

HMRC Excise Notice 196

HMRC Excise Notice 206

Chivas Regal 20 Year Old Ultis

The first Chivas Regal blend was launched by Chivas Brothers in 1909, a premium brand that quickly developed a big market in the US. While Prohibition put a temporary halt to its success ten years later, it also allowed Canadian distillers, Seagram, to become the biggest drinks company in North America, and they targeted Chivas Brothers straight away when buying into the Scotch market. They acquired the firm in 1949, adding Strathisla to its portfolio, and building a further three more distilleries. Over the years they also acquired the assets of Campbell Distillers and The Glenlivet Distillers, positioning it as one of the largest whisky companies in Scotland. The Seagram empire eventually collapsed in the early 2000s, with its Chivas Brothers arm picked up by Pernod-Ricard, along with Allied Domecq in a separate acquisition, bringing over the Ballantine's brand. Chivas now produces two of the top three selling blends in the world, and its distillery portfolio, with Glenlivet as its flagship brand, is rivalled only by that of Diageo.

Ultis contains five hand-selected signature malts from the Chivas Brothers portfolio. They are Allt-a-Bhainne, Tormore, Strathisla, Longmorn and Braeval. The Ultis is intended as a tribute to Chivas' five master blenders: Charles Howard (1895-1935), Charles Julian (1949-1960), Allan Baillie (1960-1966), Jimmy Lang (1966-1989) and Colin Scott (1989-present). Formerly a non-age statement expression, this is now bottled as a 20 year old.

Caol Ila 1991 Eidora Whisky 14 Year Old

Caol Ila distillery was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson, who was bought out from the venture a little over 10 year later by Bulloch Lade. The blending firm merged with DCL (now Diageo) in 1927, who still run the distillery today. In 1972 the original site was demolished and replaced by a new one. When distilling resumed in 1974, Caol Ila was the largest producer of single malt on the Isle of Islay. Despite this, due to its importance in popular blends such as Johnnie Walker, its single malt brand disappeared under United Distillers, and it was not until 2002 that it would return, when the 12 year old was revived by Diageo. The Flora & Fauna release was well-regarded in the meantime, but it was independent releases like this that gave the best opportunity to sample this much-loved single malt.

This whisky was distilled in 1991 and aged for 14 years before being bottled in 2006 for WhiskyAuction.com.

One of 287 bottles.

Laphroaig 21 Year Old Douglas Laing / 60th Anniversary

Douglas Laing & Co was established in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing, affectionately known as “FDL.” The company started out as a blending business, but over time their focus shifted towards independently bottlings single malts. Fred died in 1982, leaving the business to his two sons, Stewart and Fred Jr, who eventually carved it up in 2013, with Stewart leaving to establish Hunter Laing. Fred Jr and his daughter Cara now run Douglas Laing, which continues to bottle single malt and has also revived its blending business. Additionally, the company has recently moved into distilling as well, announcing plans to construct the new Clutha distillery in Glasgow, and taking over Strathearn in Perthshire in 2019.

The Old Malt Cask series is one of the most established independent labels on the market. It was launched by Douglas Laing in 1998 and bottled by them until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

This is a special edition, bottled in 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the company. Released in June that year, the range also included a Port Ellen and two Macallan.

The whisky is a sherry finished Laphroaig which has been aged for 21 years and is one of 214 bottles.

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile.

Compass Box Menagerie

Despite brands like Ballantine’s, Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal remaining the best-selling Scotch whisky brands in the world, the blended Scotch category played second fiddle to the more fashionable single malt market in the second half of the 20th century. This remains largely true today, however in recent decades the perception of the blend has improved. The company at the forefront of this is Compass Box, founded in 2000 by John Glaser, a former marketing director for the Johnnie Walker brand. Their core range consists of The Spice Tree, The Peat Monster, Story of the Spaniard, Oak Cross and Hedonism blends, and they regularly produce limited editions as well. The company prides itself on its boundary-pushing approach to its creations, and on occasion, boundary-crossing creations, such as the original Spice Tree in 2005 which was banned by the Scotch Whisky Association for its use of suspended staves in casks. Despite investment from Bacardi in 2015, the company continues to push the envelope and rebel against tradition, most notably in its Scotch Whisky Transparency campaign, launched in 2016 following another disagreement with the SWA, this time about their detailed revealing of the recipes of their whiskies.

This is a limited edition blended malt limited to 7,741 bottles.

Transparency:

• 42.6% Mortlach Recharred barrel
• 17.1% Deanston refill sherry and hogshead.
• 16.8% Highland Malt Blend custom french oak
• 18.1% Glen Elgin recharred barrel and sherry seasoned butt
• 5.4% Laphroaig recharred hogshead.

Laphroaig 21 Year Old Douglas Laing / 60th Anniversary

Douglas Laing & Co was established in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing, affectionately known as “FDL.” The company started out as a blending business, but over time their focus shifted towards independently bottlings single malts. Fred died in 1982, leaving the business to his two sons, Stewart and Fred Jr, who eventually carved it up in 2013, with Stewart leaving to establish Hunter Laing. Fred Jr and his daughter Cara now run Douglas Laing, which continues to bottle single malt and has also revived its blending business. Additionally, the company has recently moved into distilling as well, announcing plans to construct the new Clutha distillery in Glasgow, and taking over Strathearn in Perthshire in 2019.

The Old Malt Cask series is one of the most established independent labels on the market. It was launched by Douglas Laing in 1998 and bottled by them until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

This is a special edition, bottled in 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the company. Released in June that year, the range also included a Port Ellen and two Macallan.

The whisky is a sherry finished Laphroaig which has been aged for 21 years and is one of 214 bottles.

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile.

Chateau de Laubade 1983 Bas Armagnac

The Laubade vineyards are in the top growth of the Bas Armagnac region. Ugni Blanc, Baco, Colombard and Folle Blanche are grown using organic methods, then vinified and distilled at the château prior to maturation. The oak used is Gascony, harvested from local forests and dried in the open air for three years then assembled into barrels; the cooperage produces over 150 a year. 

This Bas Armagnac was distilled in 1983 and bottled in June 1993.

Armagnac is a style of brandy produced in the southwest of France, using the short alambic-armagnacais still which tends to produce richer spirits than that of Cognac. The impurities found in the spirit owing to these short stills require a long ageing period in order to reveal their silky richnesses within - thus well-aged Armagnacs can be a thing of utter beauty.

Caol Ila 2001 Distillers Edition C-si;9-473

Caol Ila distillery was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson, who was bought out from the venture a little over 10 year later by Bulloch Lade. The blending firm merged with DCL (now Diageo) in 1927, who still run the distillery today. In 1972 the original site was demolished and replaced by a new one. When distilling resumed in 1974, Caol Ila was the largest producer of single malt on the Isle of Islay. Despite this, due to its importance in popular blends such as Johnnie Walker, its single malt brand disappeared under United Distillers, and it was not until 2002 that it would return, when the 12 year old was revived by Diageo.

Launched in 1997, the Distillers Edition range was a twist on the standard Classic Malts series, with each finished in a variety of different casks. The first Caol Ila inclusion was in 2006, and the second maturation is in Moscatel casks.

Clynelish Ainslie and Heilbron 12 year old 1960s

The original Clynelish distillery 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. The distillery remains an important part of Diageo blends to this day, however nowadays it is produced at a new Clynelish, opened by DCL in 1967. The original distillery was briefly run in tandem with new one, known as Clynelish B (and the new one Clynelish A), until being closed down in early 1968. Although operating under the same name, the original Clynelish has a distinct profile, particularly prior to its modernisation in the 1960s. Its single malt is increasingly revered, not least due to its re-opening in 1969 as Brora distillery. Having closed again in 1983, the distillery became legendary in the years that followed, with both original Clynelish and Brora becoming huge collector's items. 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.

As was often the case with the distilleries in the DCL portfolio, Clynelish was licensed to one of the blending companies within its portfolio. In this case it was Ainslie & Heilbron, a constituent of whom, James Ainslie & Co, had owned the distillery until 1912. When DCL were succeeded by United Distillers, one of the new company's first orders of business was to regain control of the distribution of its single malts, taking the licenses back from the blending houses. Clynelish single malt was not bottled again until 1991 when it became part of the Flora & Fauna range, and it would not be until 2002 that it was bottled with its own unique brand again.

Calvados des Aieux 1955

Calvados is a type of Brandy named after its home region in Normandy, northern France. It is made from apples (and sometimes pear) cider distilled into Brandy.

This was distilled in 1955 by Les Caves de Normandie and likely bottled in the 1980s before being imported for the Italian market by A. Sutti.

Linkwood 1997 Gordon and MacPhail / LMDW Exclusive

A single cask Linkwood bottled by Gordon and MacPhail

Linkwood single malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In 1982 it was selected for the Ascot Malt Cellar range by DCL, an early precursor to the Classic Malts range later launched by United Distillers. It had been on the short-list for the subsequent range at the time, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore as the Speyside representative instead, later opting to revive the 12 year old under the Flora & Fauna brand. That remains the only permanent distillery bottling, but independent releases like this are more common however.

Gordon & MacPhail are one of the largest and most recognisable whisky companies in the world. Although they began distilling at the newly refurbished Benromach distillery in 1998, for most of their history they were an independent bottler. Their labels are recognised by whisky lovers the world over, and their licensed bottlings from distillery's like Macallan and Talisker in the 1970s and 1980s, when the companies were not bottling themselves, are a huge part of the success of those distillers today.

Distilled in October 1997 and matured in refill sherry hogshead #10811.

The cask was specially selected by La Maison du Whisky and bottled in August 2013.

Chichibu 2014 Single Bourbon Cask #3804 / LMDW - Au Bon Marché 100th Anniversary

Chichibu distillery in Saitama, Japan was opened in 2008, and was the country’s first new distillery since Suntory opened Hakushu back in 1973. Chichibu was the brainchild of Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the legendary Hanyu distillery. The Ichiro’s Malt brand appeared in 2005 and rose to fame through the bottling of the last casks from Hanyu, particularly the sought after ‘Card’ series. The first Chichibu releases appeared under it in 2011.

This Chichibu was distilled in 2014 and matured in single third-fill bourbon barrel #3804, which had previously held peated whisky. It was bottled exclusively for La Maison du Whisky, as part of their 2024 New Vibrations Collection. This release as also produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Au Bon Marché department store.

One of 204 bottles.

Caol Ila 1984 Gordon and MacPhail 38 Year Old Batch #23/021

Caol Ila distillery was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson, who was bought out from the venture a little over 10 year later by Bulloch Lade. The blending firm merged with DCL (now Diageo) in 1927, who still run the distillery today. In 1972 the original site was demolished and replaced by a new one. When distilling resumed in 1974, Caol Ila was the largest producer of single malt on the Isle of Islay. Despite this, due to its importance in popular blends such as Johnnie Walker, its single malt brand disappeared under United Distillers, and it was not until 2002 that it would return, when the 12 year old was revived by Diageo. The Flora & Fauna release was well-regarded in the meantime, but it was independent releases like this that gave the best opportunity to sample this much-loved single malt.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market, and this release follows the 2018 rejuvenation of the brand, which saw it reimagined as a premium single casks range.

This was distilled in 1984 and bottled at 38 years old from a refill sherry hogshead.

Laphroaig 18 Year Old pre-2013

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile.

Launched in 2009, this was originally the replacement for the much loved 15 year old. Sadly, this too has since been discontinued, ceasing production in 2016.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 200th Anniversary Edition / Feis Ile 2015

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile.

Cairdeas, pronounced [car-chuss] means \"friendship\" in Gaelic. These are released annually as distillery exclusives and for the Friends of Laphroaig group. Due to the time of year in which they become available, they are also considered as spiritual Feis Ile releases.

This 200th anniversary edition was produced with the intent of mirroring the flavour of the original 19th century Laphroaig as closely as possible. A whisky produced exclusively from barley malted in the distillery malting floor and then distilled in small pot stills. The whisky was then matured in Laphroaig's oldest warehouse for 11 years. 

Courvoisier 3 Star Luxe Cognac

Emmanuel Courvoisier started his journey into the drinks industry by teaming up with Louis Gallois in 1809. Together, they opened a small wine and spirits company in the Parisian suburb of Bercy and after a successful first few years, the duo decided that the only way to guarantee their customers the best cognac possible was to start producing it themselves. In 1828 their sons, Felix and Jules, moved the company to the town of Jarnac in the heart of the Cognac region where they began production at Château Courvoisier. Napoleon Bonaparte himself loved the cognac so much that he took several barrels with him to St. Helena when he was exiled in 1815. In 1869 his heir, Napoleon III, personally bestowed upon the company the honourary title of, \"Official Supplier to the Imperial Court,\" and this declaration is still displayed at Château Courvoisier. In early 2014, what became Beam Suntory acquired the brand for a staggering $16bn and today, Courvoisier remains one of the most successful cognac brands of all time.

The term V.S. (Very Special) or \"Three Star\" indicates that the youngest element in this cognac will be aged for a minimum of two years.

Chartreuse Voiron Yellow Label circa 1960s

Chartreuse was originally created in 1605 by monks using a recipe for an elixir of long life.  It was produced between 1904-1989 in Tarragona (Spain) after the Carthusian Monks were exiled from France. In 1989 the distillery in Tarragona closed down and the production of this liquor returned to France. Today the bottles produced in the distillery of Tarragona have become some of the most expensive and sought after liquors in the world. The recipe contains more than 130 different plants and flowers.

This rare bottling was produced at the Voiron facility, and was bottled around the 1960s.

Please note there is no volume or ABV stated on the bottle.

Chartreuse Voiron Yellow Label & Green Label Miniature x 2 circa 1960s

Chartreuse was originally created in 1605 by monks using a recipe for an elixir of long life.  It was produced produced between 1904-1989 in Tarragona (Spain) after the Carthusian Monks were exiled from France. In 1989 the distillery in Tarragona closed down and the production of this liquor returned to France. Today the bottles produced in the distillery of Tarragona have become some of the most expensive and sought after liquors in the world. The recipe contains more than 130 different plants and flowers.

These were produced at the Voiron facility in France.

• Chartreuse Voiron Yellow Label Miniature, 75 Proof
• Chartreuse Voiron Green Label Miniature, 96 Proof

Clynelish 1998 Signatory Vintage 17 Year Old

Clynelish distillery as it is recognised today, was built in 1967 to replace the smaller distillery next-door, which was the original site of that name. The first distillery was closed, but later re-opened, changing its name to Brora (but that’s another story). Clynelish is part of the Diageo stable, having been taken over by DCL in 1925. Despite being an important part of the Johnnie Walker blends, it has long been bottled as a single malt.

This Clynelish was distilled on 27th May 1998 and aged in hogsheads #7772 + #7773 for 17 years before being bottled on 16th July 2015.

Signatory Vintage were established in 1988 by Andrew Symington and are one of Scotland's most prolific independent bottlers. Their offices and bottling facility are located next to Edradour distillery, which they have also owned since 2002.

Chichibu 2016 Single Sherry Cask 7 Year Old #6960 / Cask By Cask No.4

Chichibu distillery in Saitama, Japan was opened in 2008, and was the country’s first new distillery since Suntory opened Hakushu back in 1973. Chichibu was the brainchild of Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the legendary Hanyu distillery. The Ichiro’s Malt brand appeared in 2005 and rose to fame through the bottling of the last casks from Hanyu, particularly the sought after ‘Card’ series. The first Chichibu releases appeared under it in 2011.

This whisky was distilled in 2016 and aged in single refill sherry cask #6960 for 7 years.

One of 266 bottles.

Chichibu 2014 Single Bourbon Cask #3905/ Sweden & Norway

Chichibu distillery in Saitama, Japan was opened in 2008, and was the country’s first new distillery since Suntory opened Hakushu back in 1973. Chichibu was the brainchild of Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the legendary Hanyu distillery. The Ichiro’s Malt brand appeared in 2005 and rose to fame through the bottling of the last casks from Hanyu, particularly the sought after ‘Card’ series. The first Chichibu releases appeared under it in 2011.

This is one of 185 bottles charged from single Bourbon cask #3905.  Distilled in 2014 and bottled exclusively for Sweden and Norway.

Lagavulin 1985 Cask Strength 21 Year Old

Lagavulin distillery is one of the quintessential Islay producers, built in the early 19th century before eventually finding itself in the hands of White Horse blenders and their infamous proprietor, Sir Peter Mackie. It has truly captured the imagination of the whisky world in modern times, with the 16 year old becoming an instant (if unexpected) favourite when introduced as one of Diageo's classic malts in 1988. The company had not expected the smoky flavours to be as popular as lighter offerings such as Dalwhinnie and Glenkinchie. Lagavulin was also home to the legendary (and near mythical) Malt Mill distillery in the first half of the 20th century. 

This is a truly legendary bottling, released in 2007 within Diageo's Special Releases range that year

Distilled in 1985 and bottled as a 21 year old at cask strength, this is incredibly highly acclaimed, a must for any Lagavulin collector or drinker.

One of 6,642 bottles.

Caol Ila 2003 Signatory Vintage 12 Year Old

Caol Ila distillery was built in 1846 by Hector Henderson, who was bought out from the venture a little over 10 year later by Bulloch Lade. The blending firm merged with DCL (now Diageo) in 1927, who still run the distillery today. In 1972 the original site was demolished and replaced by a new one. When distilling resumed in 1974, Caol Ila was the largest producer of single malt on the Isle of Islay. Despite this, due to its importance in popular blends such as Johnnie Walker, its single malt brand disappeared under United Distillers, and it was not until 2002 that it would return, when the 12 year old was revived by Diageo. The Flora & Fauna release was well-regarded in the meantime, but it was independent releases like this that gave the best opportunity to sample this much-loved single malt.

This Coal Isla was distilled on 10th September 2003 and matured in hogsheads #302468 + 302469 for 12 years before being bottled on 14th September 2015.

Signatory Vintage were established in 1988 by Andrew Symington and are one of Scotland's most prolific independent bottlers. Their offices and bottling facility are located next to Edradour distillery, which they have also owned since 2002

Clacquesin Ogenac Three Star Armagnac

Armagnac is a style of brandy produced in the southwest of France, using the short alambic-armagnacais still which tends to produce richer spirits than that of Cognac.  The impurities found in the spirit owing to these short stills require a long ageing period in order to reveal their silky richnesses within - thus well-aged Armagnacs can be a thing of utter beauty.

This is a Three Star Armagnac from French liqueur producers, Clacquesin, sold under the Ogenac brand.