April 2025 Auction

Highland Single Malt 22 Year Old Elixir Distillers / Black Friday 2020

The 2020 and fourth release of Black Friday from The Whisky Exchange.

Originally known as Speciality Drinks, Elixir Distillers was established in 1999 as the independent bottling arm of The Whisky Exchange, which launched its online retail site the same year. Their first bottlings were under the Single Malts of Scotland label in 2005, followed by the Elements of Islay range and Port Askaig single malt brand in 2006 and 2009, respectively. The company was renamed Elixir Distillers as of 2017.

This unnamed malt comes from a Highland distillery \"known for its distinctively smoky style\" and can be found \"on the Speyside borders\".

One of 1,400 bottles.

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon 80 Proof 70cl

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.

Sazerac caused quite a stir when revealing Buffalo Trace as the distillery's new title, borrowed from a DBA (\"doing business as\") name that they had used to bottle several Age International brands in the early 1990s. This was unusual as it was more common for a distillery to take its name from a product it sold, or from its actual parent company. After much confusion, they enlisted the help of former master distiller, Elmer T. Lee, who found the barrels ageing in their warehouse that would become the first batch of Buffalo Trace straight bourbon. It proved so popular that he was subsequently invited to assist them with replicating the flavour for their core range product.

Bailie Nicol Jarvie Scotch Whisky

This now-discontinued blended Scotch whisky hails from Leith, Edinburgh. The blend allegedly had 60% malt content, which have matured for at least 8 years.

Booker's 6 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon #2018-01 'Kathleen's Batch'

The Booker's brand is a subsidiary of Jim Beam and was named after former master distiller, Booker Noe. His son Fred is now the current master distiller and is on record as having said, \"if you’re drinking Booker’s, you better have your pajamas on!” Jim Beam have two distilleries in Kentucky where they produce their bourbon, but Booker's is the only brand produced exclusively at one of them; the Boston Road plant, now also known as the Booker Noe distillery.

Booker's was launched in 1992 and is part of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection, alongside Baker's, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden.

Batch #2018-01 was aged for 6 years, 3 months and 14 days. 

Ben Nevis 1996 Milroy's 24 Year Old

Ben Nevis distillery was built by \"Long\" John MacDonald in 1825, and was so popular by the end of the 19th century that at one point the estate employed over 200 people. After a series of closures and re-openings at the beginning of the 20th, it was eventually bought by former Canadian bootlegger, Joseph Hobbs. He installed a coffey still there in 1955, making Ben Nevis Scotland's first dual-operation distillery, and began to blend its malt and grain before filling it to cask. Sporadic closures again followed Hobb's death, with stability finally ensured in 1989 when it was bought by long-term customers, Nikka Whisky of Japan. Its turbulent history means there were few distillery bottlings until the launch of the 10 year old single malt in 1996.

This Ben Nevis was distilled in October 1996 and matured in single butt #1485 for 24 years. It was bottled by Milroys of Soho in June 2021.

Milroys of Soho is a legendary bottle shop located on Greek Street in London. The store was foundered by John & Mary Milroy in 1964, but it was not until John's brother Wallace joined the company four years later that their focus on whisky was to catch up with their interest in wine. In that year alone, their single malt catalogue increased from just three to well over 30. Their dedication to this unfashionable style of whisky (at the time) continues to be rewarded today, with the Greek Street store still a cornerstone of London's whisky world.

Ben Nevis 1996 Milroy's 25 Year Old

Ben Nevis distillery was built by \"Long\" John MacDonald in 1825, and was so popular by the end of the 19th century that at one point the estate employed over 200 people. After a series of closures and re-openings at the beginning of the 20th, it was eventually bought by former Canadian bootlegger, Joseph Hobbs. He installed a coffey still there in 1955, making Ben Nevis Scotland's first dual-operation distillery, and began to blend its malt and grain before filling it to cask. Sporadic closures again followed Hobb's death, with stability finally ensured in 1989 when it was bought by long-term customers, Nikka Whisky of Japan. Its turbulent history means there were few distillery bottlings until the launch of the 10 year old single malt in 1996.

This Ben Nevis was distilled in February 1996 and matured in single butt #20 for 25 years. It was bottled by Milroys of Soho in June 2021.

Milroys of Soho is a legendary bottle shop located on Greek Street in London. The store was foundered by John & Mary Milroy in 1964, but it was not until John's brother Wallace joined the company four years later that their focus on whisky was to catch up with their interest in wine. In that year alone, their single malt catalogue increased from just three to well over 30. Their dedication to this unfashionable style of whisky (at the time) continues to be rewarded today, with the Greek Street store still a cornerstone of London's whisky world.

Brora 30 Year Old 2005 Release

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

The Rare Malts Selection releases were there followed by an annual distillery bottling as part of the Diageo Special Releases each year. The first of these was released in 2002, launching an official Brora single malt brand for the first time, and the last one was bottled in 2017.

This is the fourth annual release, bottled in 2005. One of 3,000 bottles.

Bruichladdich 1964 Samaroli Very Limited Edition

Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it. The last of these was Whyte & Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements. They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008. A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there. 

This is a very rare bottling by Samaroli. Part of a series of Very Limited Editions that includes a sought after Bowmore and Port Ellen.

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.

One of 420 bottles.

Brora 30 Year Old 2003 Release

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

The Rare Malts Selection releases were there followed by an annual distillery bottling as part of the Diageo Special Releases each year. The first of these was released in 2002, launching an official Brora single malt brand for the first time, and the last one was bottled in 2017.

This is the second annual release, bottled in 2003. One of 3,000 bottles. 

Brora 35 Year Old 2012 Release

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

The Rare Malts Selection releases were there followed by an annual distillery bottling as part of the Diageo Special Releases each year. The first of these was released in 2002, launching an official Brora single malt brand for the first time, and the last one was bottled in 2017.

The 2012 release was matured in bourbon casks filled in 1976 and 1977.

One of 1,566 bottles. 

Brora 30 Year Old 2005 Release / Signed by Charlie Maclean

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

The Rare Malts Selection releases were there followed by an annual distillery bottling as part of the Diageo Special Releases each year. The first of these was released in 2002, launching an official Brora single malt brand for the first time, and the last one was bottled in 2017.

This is the fourth annual release, bottled in 2005. One of 3,000 bottles.

Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old 1980s

An austere piece of Victorian architecture on the north-east coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain is a relative outsider on the island, traditionally known for producing an un-peated single malt. The majority of this was used for blending, as was its initial intended purpose. The distillery was shut for 2 years in 1982 following the market downturn of the period, and despite being revived at low production, it was eventually officially bottled as a single malt later that decade, with the self-deprecating tag-line, \"the un-pronounceable malt.\" 

The 12 year old distillery bottling is an Islay favourite, widely recognised as the ideal introduction to the island’s whiskies. This was the sole constituent of the Bunnahabhain core range for many years, eventually joined by an 18 and 25 year old in a rebranded core range in 2006.

Bimber Single Madeira Cask #108/2 / Westminster

The founders of London's Bimber distillery, Dariusz and Ewelina, moved from Poland to the UK in 2003, opening their distillery in the Park Royal area of west London twelve years later. Plazewski inherited his passion for whisky from his grandfather, who also distilled his own spirits. The company’s first casks were laid down on the 26th May 2016, and three years later they released their first single malt in September 2019. This became the first whisky to be distilled and bottled in London for over a century. The distillery carries a “farm-to-bottle” approach by sourcing 100% of its barley from a single producer and using traditional floor maltings and slow fermentation techniques. Distillation takes place via a 1,000-litre wash still and a 600-litre spirit still that were both crafted by Hoga of Spain.

This single cask release is part of the Spirit of the Underground series which was launched in collaboration with Transport for London in May 2021. Each release will celebrate a different one of the underground network’s stations. 

First opened in 1863, the London Underground is regarded by many historians as one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time. Simply known to many as The Tube, the network is still being expanded today as the city of London grows. When the Spirit of the Underground series was first released, the number of stations was 270.

This was among the seventh release in the series, alongside Liverpool Street, Euston, and Knightsbridge. The whisky itself has been matured in single Madeira cask #108/2, and bottled in March 2025.

One of 242 bottles.

Brora 30 Year Old 2002 Inaugural Release

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

The Rare Malts Selection releases were there followed by an annual distillery bottling as part of the Diageo Special Releases each year, beginning in 2002, with the last one in 2017.

This 30 year old is the inaugural 2002 release and the first Brora bottled using its own single malt brand.

One of 3,000 bottles.

Brora 30 Year Old 2004 Release

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

The Rare Malts Selection releases were there followed by an annual distillery bottling as part of the Diageo Special Releases each year. The first of these was released in 2002, launching an official Brora single malt brand for the first time, and the last one was bottled in 2017.

This was the third annual release, and is one of 3,000.

Burnside 2011 Cane and Grain 11 Year Old #3402 / Benelux

Burnside is the name given to a certain blend of single malts distilled in Speyside by William Grant & Sons when sold in bulk, appearing occasionally on independent bottlings like this. The trademark for bottled whisky named Burnside is still owned by J&A Mitchell & Co, whose Eaglesome subsidiary released several Springbank expressions labelled as such in the 1980s and early 1990s.

This whisky was distilled in April 2011 and aged for 11 years in Latour barrique barrel #3402. It was bottled exclusively for Benelux by Cane And Grain in March 2023, and specially selected by High Spirits.

One of only 355 bottles

Balblair 15 Year Old

Balblair distillery is situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. They were produced for over ten years before being replaced by this age-stated core range in 2019.

This 15 year old started it's life in bourbon wood before finishing in first fill sherry butts.

Burnside 2011 Cane and Grain 11 Year Old #3402 / Benelux

Burnside is the name given to a certain blend of single malts distilled in Speyside by William Grant & Sons when sold in bulk, appearing occasionally on independent bottlings like this. The trademark for bottled whisky named Burnside is still owned by J&A Mitchell & Co, whose Eaglesome subsidiary released several Springbank expressions labelled as such in the 1980s and early 1990s.

This whisky was distilled in April 2011 and aged for 11 years in Latour barrique barrel #3402. It was bottled exclusively for Benelux by Cane And Grain in March 2023, and specially selected by High Spirits.

One of only 355 bottles

Benrinnes 2012 Little Brown Dog

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until United Distillers introduced the 15 year old Flora & Fauna release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt.

This Benrinnes was distilled in 2012 and matured in a single refill Oloroso hogshead. It was bottled by Little Brown Dog Spirits Ltd.

Burnside 2011 Cane and Grain 11 Year Old #3402 / Benelux

Burnside is the name given to a certain blend of single malts distilled in Speyside by William Grant & Sons when sold in bulk, appearing occasionally on independent bottlings like this. The trademark for bottled whisky named Burnside is still owned by J&A Mitchell & Co, whose Eaglesome subsidiary released several Springbank expressions labelled as such in the 1980s and early 1990s.

This whisky was distilled in April 2011 and aged for 11 years in Latour barrique barrel #3402. It was bottled exclusively for Benelux by Cane And Grain in March 2023, and specially selected by High Spirits.

One of only 355 bottles

Bowmore 30 Year Old Sea Dragon 75cl

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1993. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year after (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.

Nicknamed 'the Sea Dragon' due to the mythical beast adorning the rather pretty black ceramic bottle and box, this 30 year old Bowmore appeared in the mid 1990's and has achieved almost legendary status.

The contents of this decanter are almost entirely made up from long-matured casks from the legendary 1960s vintages.

Benriach 30 Year Old pre-2018

Benriach is a distillery with long-standing transatlantic connections. It was procured by Seagram in 1978, the former Canadian drinks empire, and is now in the hands of the Brown-Forman corporation, via Billy Walker who rescued it from a brief mothballing in 2002. Walker bottled some of the peated whisky that Seagram had begun producing there for its blends in 1983, and the positive reaction to these means the distillery now produces both a peated and unpeated single malt. Benriach is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland to still operate its own in-house floor maltings.

Released in 2006, this was the first ever official release of a Benriach 30 year old, limited to only 3000 bottles. It is a marriage of bourbon and sherry casked Benriach.

Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt

The Old Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland is the world's oldest licensed whiskey producer, granted a license to distill whisky in 1608. The modern iteration of the distillery was built in 1885, following a fire. Old Bushmills was bought by the Irish Distillers group in 1971, giving them a full monopoly on the production of whiskey on the island, lasting until 1987 when Cooley was opened by the Teeling family. Diageo later bought the site in 2005, before trading it 9 years later with Casa Cuervo in exchange for a stake in one of their Tequila brands.

Bushmills '1608' Special Reserve 1 Litre

The Old Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland is the world's oldest licensed whiskey producer, granted a license to distil whisky in 1608. The modern iteration of the distillery was built in 1885, following a fire. Old Bushmills was bought by the Irish Distillers group in 1971, giving them a full monopoly on the production of whiskey on the island, lasting until 1987 when Cooley was opened by the Teeling family. Diageo later bought the site in 2005, before trading it 9 years later with Casa Cuervo in exchange for a stake in one of their Tequila brands.

This Bushmills blended whiskey is a combination of old malt whiskey which been triple-distilled and matured for up to 15 years in Bourbon barrels and Sherry butts, along with a small amount of well-aged grain whiskey from fresh Bourbon barrels.

Bell's 12 Year Old Special Reserve 1990s

The history of Arthur Bell & Sons dates back to the mid-19th century, but it was not until the 1930s that they became a big name player in the Scotch industry, acquiring the Blair Athol and Dufftown distilleries from P. Mackenzie & Co in 1932, and Inchgower from Moray Town Council four years later. The company placed its focus on the domestic market, and commanded 35% of it by the 1970s, with Bell's Extra Special the best-selling brand in Scotland. The firm was bought over by Guinness in 1985, who in turn procured DCL the following year. Today Bell's blends are still produced by its modern iteration, Diageo.

A discontinued, 12year old age-statement from Arthur Bell & Sons.

Blanton's Single Barrel Silver Edition dumped 2002

Blanton's is a bourbon brand from the portfolio of Age International, the company formed by former Fleischmann's Distilling director's, Bob Baranaskas and Ferdie Falke. They had approached Schenley in the early 1980s with a view to purchasing its Old Charter brand, but were instead offered Ancient Age and the George T. Stagg distillery where it was produced. The deal was completed in 1983, two years before the retirement of George T. Stagg master distiller, Elmer T. Lee, who had served there for 36 years, working his way from the bottom up. One of his final pioneering triumphs before doing so was the introduction of mass produced single barrel bourbon, specifically through the creation of the Blanton's brand in 1984.

Normally a 6 to 8 year old bourbon, it is aged in Warehouse H at Buffalo Trace, which is the only metal-clad warehouse at the distillery, commissioned for construction by Albert B. Blanton, after whom the whiskey is named. The warehouse was built shortly after prohibition and being metal, transfers heat quicker than brick warehouses, allowing for more rapid ageing.

The popularity of these products was particularly high in Japan, coinciding with a market boom for American whiskey there in the 1980s. In 1991, with Age International in some financial trouble, a Japanese company called Takaro Shuzo stepped in and acquired a 22.5% stake in the company. In an unusual series of events, they then scuppered a deal the following year that was to see the remaining shares sold to Heublein (a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan). Their deal the year before had included a 30 day right of refusal to purchase the shares for themselves should they be put up for sale. With the deal all but done, the Japanese company stepped in on the final day of the window to acquire full control of the company. As it turned out, their only interest was in the brands, and they had used the 30 days to negotiate a deal with the Sazerac Company of  New Orleans. This saw the American company take ownership of the distillery (which they renamed Buffalo Trace in 1999), as well as the exclusive production and US distribution rights for the Age International labels. This is an arrangement that is still in place today.

This is a 2002 bottling of the Silver Edition.

Since 1999, every bottle of Blanton's has one of 8 different stoppers, each depicting a horse and jockey at a different stage of finishing a race. The designs are all lettered so that a complete set laid out side by side will spell \"BLANTONS.\" 

Please note due to the fragility of Blanton’s bottle seal and packaging, Whisky Auctioneer cannot accept responsibility for any damage and/or leakage during transit.

Ballantine's 15 Year Old 1980s

Currently produced by Pernod-Ricard as part of its Chivas Brothers arm, Ballantine's is one of the top three best-selling blends in the world. The brand's origins date back to 1827 when George Ballantine established a wine and spirits shop in Edinburgh, moving into the whisky blending business in 1865. The flagship Ballantine's Finest was first launched in 1910. Its popularity caught the eye of Canadian distilling giants, Hiram Walker, in 1936. They were cash-rich having capitalised on US prohibition in the previous decade and were looking to make a move into the Scotch industry, also acquiring the Miltonduff and Glenburgie distilleries. Today the Ballantine's name is still so strong that Chivas Brothers market both of their single malts under its brand.

Old Kentucky Tavern 7 Year Old Straight Bourbon Miniature 1970s

A Kentucky straight bourbon miniature from the Glenmore Distilleries Company, one of the few distillers to survive Prohibition in early 20th century America. Glenmore was under ownership of the Thompson family distilling dynasty for most of the 20th century.

This was distilled and bottled at the Glenmore distillery, which ceased production in 1993, although remains an active bottling plant under ownership of the Sazerac company.

Ballantine's 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky

Currently produced by Pernod-Ricard as part of its Chivas Brothers arm, Ballantine's is one of the top three best-selling blends in the world. The brand's origins date back to 1827 when George Ballantine established a wine and spirits shop in Edinburgh, moving into the whisky blending business in 1865. The flagship Ballantine's Finest was first launched in 1910. Its popularity caught the eye of Canadian distilling giants, Hiram Walker, in 1936. They were cash-rich having capitalised on US prohibition in the previous decade and were looking to make a move into the Scotch industry, also acquiring the Miltonduff and Glenburgie distilleries. Today the Ballantine's name is still so strong that Chivas Brothers market both of their single malts under its brand.

Bunnahabhain Cruach-Mhòna Batch #2 1 Litre

An austere piece of Victorian architecture on the north-east coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain is a relative outsider on the island, traditionally known for producing an un-peated single malt. The majority of this was used for blending, as was its initial intended purpose. The distillery was shut for 2 years in 1982 following the market downturn of the period, and despite being revived at low production, it was eventually officially bottled as a single malt later that decade, with the self-deprecating tag-line, \"the un-pronounceable malt.\"

A Moine single malt from Bunnahabhain (their peated spirit), Cruach-Mhòna is Gaelic for \"peat stack.\"

This was originally a batch release introduced in 2010. A new Limited Edition version was released to travel retail following the rebranding of the Bunnahabhain range in 2018. 

Octomore 6.2

Octomore is the super-heavily peated single malt produced by Bruichladdich distillery, the most routinely heavily peated in the world. The whisky is named after the farm of the same name, located on a hillside north of the town of Port Charlotte. Having been traditionally an un-peated single malt due to the needs of its former owners for their blends, Murray McDavid were quick to diversify the Bruichladdich portfolio, also introducing the more lightly peated Port Charlotte and Lochindaal.

Aged for 5 years in true Octomore fashion, the latest travel retail exclusive was finished in Limousin Oak which previously held 'one of the world's great Eaux de Vie.'  

One of 18,000 bottles produced.

Old Man Winter Kentucky Bourbon

The Old Man Winter brand is owned by InterBev, a subsidiary of Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection and Very Olde St Nick. Its president, Marci Palatella has been sourcing barrels and bottling them for several decades. She was Julian Van Winkle III's agent in the Japanese market in the 1980 and 1990s, and devised the Very Olde St Nick brand to capitalise on the Japanese demand for well-aged bourbon, which fortuitously was not popular in the US. Her first bottles were produced for her by Van Winkle at his Old Commonwealth bottling facility in the late 1980s.

At this time however, Van Winkle did not have a wealth of aged stock in his warehouses, and Palatella instead turned to Evan Kulsveen's Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD), who bottled her throughout the 1990s and early 2000s at the then-silent Willett distillery in Bardstown. KBD sourced most of their barrels from neighbours, Heaven Hill, although Kulsveen had joked in the past that their warehouses contained bourbon from every distillery in Kentucky except his own. Van Winkle was not finished with the Very Olde St Nick story however, and put Palatella in touch with representatives at United Distillers who sold InterBev a number of ageing casks that they no longer had any interest in. Much of this was placed into a steel tanks and warehoused in California to prevent any further maturation. 

When KBD fired up the still at Willett again in 2012, they began sourcing less casks from elsewhere, reserving the best stock for their own Willett Family Reserve label. Essentially cut off, the production of brands like this moved to California until, in 2018, Palatella opened the Preservation Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. A small craft-distillery operating a pot still, its produces only a few barrels each day. The bottling of brands like Very Olde St Nick now takes places there, and will eventually contain the distillery's own whiskey.