April 2025 Auction

Rémy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl Baccarat Decanter

A spectacular release from Rémy Martin. This beautiful Baccarat decanter contains liquid which was drawn from a single 100 year-old tiercon (blending) cask. It was made up of small quantities of 1,200 different eaux-de-vie some of which were over 100 years old.

In 1724, a young winegrower named Rémy Martin started to produce cognac under his own name. What started out as a small operation would go on to become one of the most famous names in the history of distilled wines. So successful were his first few decades that he would attract the attention of King Louis XV, who in 1738 personally granted him the incredibly rare permission to plant new vines in recognition of his fine product. After Rémy Martin died in 1773, the family business passed through the hands of several different family members and close associates of the company, before merging with Cointreau in 1990 to form the Remy Cointreau group. Rémy Martin VSOP was launched in 1927 and today remains the best-selling VSOP cognac of all time. At the end of the Second World War a bold decision was made when the then head of the business, André Renaud decides that the house will exclusively produce cognac made from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus only. After almost 300 years of production, today Rémy Martin is one of the most celebrated cognac producers in history and a well-established symbol of luxury.

The Black Pearl Anniversary edition was bottled to celebrate 140 years of the Maison in 2014.

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 is renowned for its high quality and craftsmanship

Decanter 581 of 786.

Ardbeg 1967 Signatory Vintage 28 Year Old / Dark Oloroso Butt #574

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

This Ardbeg was distilled on 15th February 1967 and matured in single dark Oloroso sherry butt #574 for 28 years. The whisky was then bottled by Signatory Vintage in November 1995. A legendary vintage of Ardbeg, this bottling was awarded a stunning 96 points by WhiskyFun, one of the highest marks ever given to an Ardbeg!

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.

One of 488 bottles.

Ardbeg 1973 Kingsbury 27 Year Old

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

The rising demand for its product in the 1970s meant that Ardbeg was forced to stop using its own malted barley, instead buying it in from the neighbouring Port Ellen maltings. The result was a change in the style and profile of the distillery's whisky, and pre-1974 vintages such as this are incredibly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

Kingsbury are Japan's most sought after independent bottler. They were founded in 1989 by Eaglesome, the high-end deli in Campbeltown that was purchased by J & A Mitchell & Co of Springbank distillery, and turned into one of the region's finest whisky merchants. They initially bottled Kingsbury's exclusively for the Japanese market, before the label was acquired by native firm, the Japanese Import System. They have released a number of some of the most collectible whiskies, including some classic vintages from Bowmore, and two dark sherry casked Ardbeg.

One of only 228 bottles.

Ardbeg 1967 Signatory Vintage 30 Year Old / Dark Oloroso Butt #1138

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

The rising demand for its product in the 1970s meant that Ardbeg was forced to stop using its own malted barley, instead buying it in from the neighbouring Port Ellen maltings. The result was a change in the style and profile of the distillery's whisky, and pre-1974 vintages such as this are incredibly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

This legendary Ardbeg was distilled in March 1967 and matured in single dark Oloroso butt #1138 for 30 years. It was bottled by Signatory Vintage in March 1997.

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.

One of 580 bottles.

Ardbeg 1973 Samaroli 20th Anniversary

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest in blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

A 1973 vintage Ardbeg, bottled by R.W. Duthie for Samaroli in 1988 as part of a series celebrating their 20th anniversary.

Samaroli is perhaps Italy's most revered independent bottler of Scotch whisky. With an impeccable taste in single cask whiskies, and an eye for aesthetics (if not English spelling at times!), he is regarded by many as a visionary. Many of his bottles now occupy deserved sports on the pantheon of whisky greats.

The labels on this 20th anniversary series have been lovingly reappropriated from Samaroli's first ever series, his 1979/1980 collaboration with Cadenhead's. The image on this Ardbeg was first used on the 14 year old Glen Elgin from that set.

One of 375 bottles.

Ardbeg 1976 Single Sherry Butt #2397 

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997.

This whisky was filled into single ex-Sherry Butt #2397 on 4th November 1976 and bottled on10th June 2008.

One of only 519 bottles.

Ardbeg 1976 Single Sherry Cask #2398 / Feis Ile 2004

You wouldn't think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979, closing many of their other distilleries a few years later. Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era of oversupply when interest in blended Scotch was waning, resulting in the distillery closing down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. 

This Ardbeg was distilled in November 1976 and matured in single sherry butt #2398. It was bottled in May 2004 and made available to revellers at the Feis Ile festival on Islay that year.

Feis Ile, also known as the Islay Festival of Music and Malt had humble beginnings. It traces it origins back to 1985 and the establishment of The Islay Festival Association after it was realised that an event celebrating Gaelic, music and culture would drive tourism to the island. The inaugural event was two weeks of music, drama and workshops with ceilidhs, concerts and dances in the evening. The first whisky tasting took place as a festival event in 1990, and ten years later the island's distilleries began to be directly involved, organising their annual open days to coincide with it. Today it is one of the biggest events on the whisky calendar, annually drawing hundreds of revellers, and turning out an increasingly sought-after batch of limited edition whiskies like this.

One of 504 bottles.

Rémy Martin Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac

In 1724, a young winegrower named Rémy Martin started to produce cognac under his own name. What started out as a small operation would go on to become one of the most famous names in the history of distilled wines. So successful were his first few decades that he would attract the attention of King Louis XV, who in 1738 personally granted him the incredibly rare permission to plant new vines in recognition of his fine product. After Rémy Martin died in 1773, the family business passed through the hands of several different family members and close associates of the company, before merging with Cointreau in 1990 to form the Remy Cointreau group. Rémy Martin VSOP was launched in 1927 and today remains the best-selling VSOP cognac of all time. At the end of the Second World War a bold decision was made when the then head of the business, André Renaud decides that the house will exclusively produce cognac made from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus only. After almost 300 years of production, today Rémy Martin is one of the most celebrated cognac producers in history and a well-established symbol of luxury.

This is the long-standing ultra-premium expression from the Rémy Martin portfolio, the Louis XIII. Created by Paul-Émile Rémy Martin in 1874, the expression is named after King Louis XIII, ruler of France from 1610-1643, and is comprised of only the company’s finest Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, some of which has been matured for up to 100 years. The unique decanter is a replica of a bottle discovered at the site of the Battle of Jarnac, fought in 1569, and is now produced by famed crystal house, Baccarat. Now world-renowned, the expression gained international prestige when it was served to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the Chateau de Versailles in July 1938, and again to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to France in April 1957.

This is a modern bottling of the Louis XIII, though the cognac's quality and luxurious presentation remain unchanged.

Please note - this lot will incur a two-bottle shipping fee.

Rosebank 1978 SMWS 25.4

Rosebank is a much-sought after Lowland single malt. The distillery was initially shortlisted by United Distillers as their Lowland entry to the Classic Malts series when it was slated for launch in 1988, but was eventually substituted for Glenkinchie on the belief that it provided better opportunities for tourism. Rosebank was then shut down in 1993. Seemingly closed for good, many were surprised in 2017 when Ian Macleod Distillers announced that they had acquired the distillery and brand with a view to resurrecting it. After a long and at times difficult restoration project, the first casks were filled at on 18^th July 2023.

This Rosebank was distilled in October 1978 and bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in October 1991. This was only the fourth cask of Rosebank that the SMWS had ever bottled.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was founded in 1983 by a group of friends lead by tax accountant Phillip ‘Pip’ Hills as a private members club. The concept behind the society was to source casks from all over Scotland which would then be bottled and made available exclusively to its members. Perhaps the most famous feature of these bottles are the unique codes. Each distillery is represented by a different number and the following digits indicate that particular release. That same year, the SMWS set up its first location in Leith’s Vault buildings in Edinburgh where it still stands today.

Ardbeg 1975 Cadenhead's Single Cask #77/74-2

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

Wm. Cadenhead is Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, founded in 1842 by George Duncan. His brother William Cadenhead joined the company in 1852, taking over after George’s death in 1858. The company got into the whisky bottling business after 1904, when his nephew Robert Duthie took over, and since its sale to J&A Mitchell in 1972, Wm. Cadenhead has become on of the most sought after names in whisky.

These white-labelled Cask Strength releases are rare and sought-after single cask bottlings.

Ardbeg 1975 Single Oloroso Cask #4704 / Feis Ile 2005

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997.

This Ardbeg was distilled in December 1975 and matured in single Oloroso cask #4704. It was bottled in April 2005 and made available to distillery visitors during the Feis Ile festival on Islay that year.

Feis Ile, also known as the Islay Festival of Music and Malt had humble beginnings. It traces it origins back to 1985 and the establishment of The Islay Festival Association after it was realised that an event celebrating Gaelic, music and culture would drive tourism to the island. The inaugural event was rwo weeks of music, drama and workshops with ceilidhs, concerts and dances in the evening. The first whisky tasting took place as a festival event in 1990, and ten years later the island's distilleries began to be directly involved, organising their annual open days to coincide with it. Today it is one of the biggest events on the whisky calendar, annually drawing hundreds of revellers, and turning out an increasingly sought-after batch of limited edition whiskies like this.

One of 270 bottles.

Aberlour 44 Year Old Cellar Collection / Distillery Exclusive

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

The whisky was aged for 44 years and is displayed in a classic wooden box.

One of just 42 bottles.

A.H. Hirsch Reserve 1974 16 Year Old Bourbon / 2003 Release

A legendary bottle of bourbon that has had a whole book written about itself: The Best Bourbon You'll Never Taste by Charles K Cowdery.

Distilled in Spring 1974, this bourbon is bottled from a single 400 barrel batch commissioned by Adolph Hirsch and distilled under contract at Michter's distillery (then known as Pennco), just outside Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. Hirsch was a former Schenley executive who had briefly worked at Michter's during his time there, and it is believed he commissioned the whisky as financial favour to the distillery, and actually had little plans for its use. So, it lay ageing in the warehouses for much longer than generally expected for a bourbon at the time. 

With the closure of Michter's distillery, the bourbon was sold by Hirsch to Gordon Hue in 1989, who set about bottling it immediately.

Responsibility for the early bottling was entrusted to Julian Van Winkle III at his Old Commonwealth site in Lawrenceburg. However, his partnership with the Sazerac Company and creation of the Pappy Van Winkle brand in 2002, also saw bottling of the Hirsch Reserve moved briefly to Buffalo Trace. This is one of the Buffalo Trace bottles, filled in 2003 for the new owners of the Hirsch Reserve, Preiss Imports, who purchased it from Gordon Hue that year.

Preiss Imports moved the subsequent and final bottling (technically re-bottling) to Kentucky Bourbon Distillers' Willett facility.

In his book Cowdery refers to the bourbon as one of the \"best whiskeys I've ever tasted.\"

Mash bill contains 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley.

A. Hardy Perfection Cognac 75cl

A super premium cognac from A. Hardy presented in a beautiful decanter. 

The Hardy cognac house was founded in 1863 by an English cognac broker, Antoine Hardy.

1 of 300 bottles.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Second Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the second edition of the Richard Hennessy, which saw the original wooden stopper replaced with a metal stopper. This was revised again with the introduction of the third edition in 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Ardbeg 1973 Douglas Laing 30 Year Old / Old and Rare - 51.9%

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

The rising demand for its product in the 1970s meant that Ardbeg was forced to stop using its own malted barley, instead buying it in from the neighbouring Port Ellen maltings. The result was a change in the style and profile of the distillery's whisky, and pre-1974 vintages such as this are incredibly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

This rare Ardbeg was distilled in 1973 and matured in a single cask for 30 years. It was bottled at natural cask strength in 2003.

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.

This is part of the premium Old & Rare series. Launched in 2001, it was bottled by Douglas Laing until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

One of only 94 bottles.

Ardbeg 1973 Douglas Laing 30 Year Old / Old and Rare - 51.9%

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

The rising demand for its product in the 1970s meant that Ardbeg was forced to stop using its own malted barley, instead buying it in from the neighbouring Port Ellen maltings. The result was a change in the style and profile of the distillery's whisky, and pre-1974 vintages such as this are incredibly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

This rare Ardbeg was distilled in 1973 and matured in a single cask for 30 years. It was bottled at natural cask strength in 2003.

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.

This is part of the premium Old & Rare series. Launched in 2001, it was bottled by Douglas Laing until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

One of only 94 bottles.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Third Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the third edition of the Richard Hennessy, presented with this crystal stopper since 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Third Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the third edition of the Richard Hennessy, presented with this crystal stopper since 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Second Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the second edition of the Richard Hennessy, which saw the original wooden stopper replaced with a metal stopper. This was revised again with the introduction of the third edition in 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Third Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the third edition of the Richard Hennessy, presented with this crystal stopper since 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Ardbeg 1972 Douglas Laing 36 Year Old / 60th Anniversary

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

The rising demand for its product in the 1970s meant that Ardbeg was forced to stop using its own malted barley, instead buying it in from the neighbouring Port Ellen maltings. The result was a change in the style and profile of the distillery's whisky, and pre-1974 vintages such as this are incredibly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

This is a special edition Ardbeg, distilled in 1972 and matured for 36 years in a single hogshead. It was bottled by Douglas Laing in 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the company. Released in June that year, the range also included a Port Ellen and two Macallans.

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.

One of only 94 bottles.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Third Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the third edition of the Richard Hennessy, presented with this crystal stopper since 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Second Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the second edition of the Richard Hennessy, which saw the original wooden stopper replaced with a metal stopper. This was revised again with the introduction of the third edition in 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Richard Hennessy Cognac Third Edition

When the Irish Jacobite, Richard Hennessy, founded a distillery in 1765, he could not have possibly foreseen the scale to which his fledgling business would grow. Hennessy found himself in the right place at the right time as trade in alcoholic spirits was booming, extremely popular not only with the French but also with many people within the British Empire. In addition, Hennessy and the other cognac producers at the time also benefitted from rum shortages due to the Seven Years War. Fast forward to the 1970s and Kilian Hennessy, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard became the CEO of the family business. In 1971 she oversaw the merger of the business with French wine giant, Moët & Chandon, which created one of the biggest drinks companies in the world. The business was further strengthened in 1987 by the merger with fashion house, Louis Vuitton to create LVMH, however due to a managerial crisis the following year, Guinness (now Diageo) also came on board by securing a 34% share. Today Hennessy sell around 50 million bottles of cognac per year and account for more than 40% of the world’s supply.

Launched in 1996, Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie matured from 40 years to nearly 200 years.

This is the third edition of the Richard Hennessy, presented with this crystal stopper since 2008.

Please note due to the size of this lot, it will carry a two-bottle shipping fee.

Roullet and Delamain Jarnac - Cognac Grands Fins Bois 1875

The Roullet family have had vineyards in the Fins Bois region of cognac since the late 18th century, and claim to be among the first producers to sell cognac in bottles.

Delamain is one of the oldest Cognac's in France, and is notable to this day for its insistence on quality. The maison does not produce any VS or VSOP expressions, and prefers to dilute the strength of its product to 40% using lower strength cognac (Faibles) rather than water.

This incredble bottling is a blend of cognacs from both producers, distilled from the harvest of 1875. 

Note: There is no ABV and size stated on the botlle.

Rémy Martin Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac

In 1724, a young winegrower named Rémy Martin started to produce cognac under his own name. What started out as a small operation would go on to become one of the most famous names in the history of distilled wines. So successful were his first few decades that he would attract the attention of King Louis XV, who in 1738 personally granted him the incredibly rare permission to plant new vines in recognition of his fine product. After Rémy Martin died in 1773, the family business passed through the hands of several different family members and close associates of the company, before merging with Cointreau in 1990 to form the Remy Cointreau group. Rémy Martin VSOP was launched in 1927 and today remains the best-selling VSOP cognac of all time. At the end of the Second World War a bold decision was made when the then head of the business, André Renaud decides that the house will exclusively produce cognac made from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus only. After almost 300 years of production, today Rémy Martin is one of the most celebrated cognac producers in history and a well-established symbol of luxury.

This is the long-standing ultra-premium expression from the Rémy Martin portfolio, the Louis XIII. Created by Paul-Émile Rémy Martin in 1874, the expression is named after King Louis XIII, ruler of France from 1610-1643, and is comprised of only the company’s finest Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, some of which has been matured for up to 100 years. The unique decanter is a replica of a bottle discovered at the site of the Battle of Jarnac, fought in 1569, and is now produced by famed crystal house, Baccarat. Now world-renowned, the expression gained international prestige when it was served to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the Chateau de Versailles in July 1938, and again to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to France in April 1957.

This is a modern bottling of the Louis XIII, though the cognac's quality and luxurious presentation remain unchanged.

Please note - this lot will incur a two-bottle shipping fee.

Ardbeg Lord of the Isles 25 Year Old

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997.

A highly sought after and iconic Ardbeg, released between 2002 and 2007. These are named after the 'Lord of the Isles' who ruled the Western Isles and parts of Argyll between the 12th and 15th Century. 

Redbreast 30 Year Old Dream Cask Double Cask Edition 50cl

Redbreast is a single pot still whiskey, for which a combination of malted and un-malted barley are triple distilled in copper pot stills. The brand was created by W.A. Gilbey & Co, and bottled using whiskey sourced from Jameson's Bow Street distillery in Dublin. When Jameson amalgamated with Powers and Cork Distillers to form the Irish Distillers group, the Dublin distilleries were closed down, with all production moved to New Midleton distillery in Cork in 1975. Gilbey's discontinued the brand ten years later, but agreed to sell it to Irish Distillers who relaunched it in 1991.

This highly sought-after expression was matured in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, #33794 and #48656. 

One of only 714 bottles.

Rémy Martin Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac

In 1724, a young winegrower named Rémy Martin started to produce cognac under his own name. What started out as a small operation would go on to become one of the most famous names in the history of distilled wines. So successful were his first few decades that he would attract the attention of King Louis XV, who in 1738 personally granted him the incredibly rare permission to plant new vines in recognition of his fine product. After Rémy Martin died in 1773, the family business passed through the hands of several different family members and close associates of the company, before merging with Cointreau in 1990 to form the Remy Cointreau group. Rémy Martin VSOP was launched in 1927 and today remains the best-selling VSOP cognac of all time. At the end of the Second World War a bold decision was made when the then head of the business, André Renaud decides that the house will exclusively produce cognac made from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus only. After almost 300 years of production, today Rémy Martin is one of the most celebrated cognac producers in history and a well-established symbol of luxury.

This is the long-standing ultra-premium expression from the Rémy Martin portfolio, the Louis XIII. Created by Paul-Émile Rémy Martin in 1874, the expression is named after King Louis XIII, ruler of France from 1610-1643, and is comprised of only the company’s finest Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, some of which has been matured for up to 100 years. The unique decanter is a replica of a bottle discovered at the site of the Battle of Jarnac, fought in 1569, and is now produced by famed crystal house, Baccarat. Now world-renowned, the expression gained international prestige when it was served to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the Chateau de Versailles in July 1938, and again to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to France in April 1957.

This is a modern bottling of the Louis XIII, though the cognac's quality and luxurious presentation remain unchanged.

Please note - this lot will incur a two-bottle shipping fee.

Rémy Martin Louis XIII Grande Champagne Cognac

In 1724, a young winegrower named Rémy Martin started to produce cognac under his own name. What started out as a small operation would go on to become one of the most famous names in the history of distilled wines. So successful were his first few decades that he would attract the attention of King Louis XV, who in 1738 personally granted him the incredibly rare permission to plant new vines in recognition of his fine product. After Rémy Martin died in 1773, the family business passed through the hands of several different family members and close associates of the company, before merging with Cointreau in 1990 to form the Remy Cointreau group. Rémy Martin VSOP was launched in 1927 and today remains the best-selling VSOP cognac of all time. At the end of the Second World War a bold decision was made when the then head of the business, André Renaud decides that the house will exclusively produce cognac made from Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus only. After almost 300 years of production, today Rémy Martin is one of the most celebrated cognac producers in history and a well-established symbol of luxury.

This is the long-standing ultra-premium expression from the Rémy Martin portfolio, the Louis XIII. Created by Paul-Émile Rémy Martin in 1874, the expression is named after King Louis XIII, ruler of France from 1610-1643, and is comprised of only the company’s finest Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, some of which has been matured for up to 100 years. The unique decanter is a replica of a bottle discovered at the site of the Battle of Jarnac, fought in 1569, and is now produced by famed crystal house, Baccarat. Now world-renowned, the expression gained international prestige when it was served to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the Chateau de Versailles in July 1938, and again to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to France in April 1957.

This is a modern bottling of the Louis XIII, though the cognac's quality and luxurious presentation remain unchanged.

Please note - this lot will incur a two-bottle shipping fee.

Ardbeg 1975 Douglas Laing 29 Year Old / Old and Rare

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

This whisky was distilled in 1975 and aged for 29 years.

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.

This is part of the premium Old & Rare series. Launched in 2001, it was bottled by Douglas Laing until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

One of 145 bottles.