April 2025 Auction

Imperial 1969 Gordon and MacPhail 14 Year Old

Built in the last years on the 19th century, Imperial is a distillery with a sadly chequered history, spending almost as much time in mothballs as it did distilling. Its longest period of production came between 1955 and 1985 under the ownership of DCL (now Diageo). Allied Distillers bought it in 1989, opening it again two years later, but only for another seven. It was under their tenure that the only distillery bottling of its single malt appeared, but thankfully a number of increasingly sought after independent releases like this have been produced over the years. Imperial was demolished in 2013 and the site now houses the new distillery, Dalmunach.

This Imperial was distilled in 1969 and matured for 14 years. It was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail under their Connoisseurs Choice label.

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.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

Balvenie 17 Year Old Islay Cask

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.

Released in 2003, this was the very first of the Balvenie 17 Year Old expressions.

''In the making of The Balvenie Islay Cask, David Stewart selected Balvenie single malt which had matured in traditional oak casks for at least 17 years and transferred it into 94 casks which had previously held Islay single malt. After six months he felt the casks had imparted the desired delicate amount of peaty notes, typical of Islay, whilst retaining the distinctively honeyed character of The Balvenie.''

Blanton's Single Barrel dumped 2022 Limited Edition #29 70cl / LMDW

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 the 2022 limited edition bottling produced for French spirit merchants, La Maison du Whisky.

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.

Ichiro's Malt and Grain Single Cask #14056 / Chichibu Whisk(e)y Matsuri 2025

The Ichiro's Malt brand is produced by Japanese firm, Venture Whisky, and is named after their founder, Ichiro Akuto. Venture Whisky was established in 2004 after Ichiro acquired the remaining unblended stocks of single malt from his grandfather's Hanyu distillery. Ichiro's Malt was born the following year, with the release of the original 'Card' series single casks of Hanyu. The company then opened its own distillery in 2008, the increasingly sought-after Chichibu. In addition to bottling these two single malts, the Ichiro's Malt brand has also produced a number of sought after blended whiskies like this over the years.

This is a blend from Ichiro Akuto that has been matured in single Sherry Butt #14056. Bottled for the Chichibu Whisk(e)y Matsuri 2025.

One of 768 bottles.

Blanton's Single Barrel dumped 2024 Limited Edition #598 70cl / LMDW

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 one of a handful of single barrel releases produced in 2024 in collaboration with La Maison du Whisky.

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.

Bivrost Nidavellir Second Release 50cl

Several distilleries over the years have laid claim to the accolade of the world's most northerly whisky producer, the current flag-bearer, and likely the last is the Aurora Spirit distillery. It is located far within the Arctic Circle, not far from the town of Lyngseidet in Norway. Surrounded by the Lyngen Alps, nearby fjords and with views of the the arctic wilderness and Northern Lights, the setting is truly stunning. As if the environs were not enough, the workings of the distillery are no less intriguing. It was built within a disused NATO Cold War base, and the maturation of its whisky takes place within its network of underground tunnels.

The distillery's spirits are bottled under the Bivrost brand and the distillery plans to launch its first permanent range in 2025. Until then will launch a series of limited editions, two per year as part of a collectible series based on the nine worlds of Norse mythology. The first release, Niflheim, was a triple matured expression, drawn from a vatting of bourbon, sherry and virgin oak casks. Nidavellir was the second of the inaugural 2020 releases. The spirit was initially aged for 32 months in ex-Heaven Hill bourbon casks before finishing in ex-Islay whisky casks. The latter were sourced from a New Zealand winery which had previously aged its Pinot Noir in them for 12 months. 100 of these casks were then used to mature Islay whisky, six of which were then purchased by Aurora Spirit and used to finish this whisky for 5 to 6 months.

Nidavellir has been distilled using a wash of pilsner malt from Planet and Popino nordic barley, created with water sourced from the distillery's local spring, which receives melted glacier water from the Lyngen alpine range. The spirit is triple distilled in Aurora Spirit's bespoke copper pot and column still, which produces a new make spirit of 75% ABV after 8 to 10 hours.

The release was a total of 2,496 bottles, the first 20 of which were exclusively auctioned here at Whisky Auctioneer though our November 2020 Auction. 

Bowmore 12 Year Old Scottish Power Centenary 

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.

This rare Bowmore 12 Year Old was bottled for Scottish Power to celebrate the Centenary of The Forth Bridge and The Royal Inauguration of the Scottish Power Floodlights by His Royal Highness Prince Edward on Sunday 7th October 1990.

Bowmore 22 Year Old Masters Selection Edition #3 / Aston Martin

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 1995. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year prior (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.

This 2022 edition was bottled in collaboration with high-end British car manufacturer Aston Martin, overseen by Master Blender Ron Welsh and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman.

The whisky itself has been matured for 22 years in a combination of Oloroso and first-fill Pedro Ximénez casks.

Braes of Glenlivet 1979 Signatory Vintage 18 Year Old

Braes of Glenlivet was built by Seagram in 1973, who reportedly were seeking to replicate the quality of the neighbouring Glenlivet distillery. So much so in fact, that the distillery name needed to be changed to Braeval in 1994 to avoid any confusion between the two. Pernod-Ricard acquired the distillery in 2001 after Seagram collapsed, and promptly mothballed it until 2008. Occasional distillery bottlings have appeared since, but there has never been a permanent range, and most of its single malt has been bottled by independent labels like this.

This whisky was distilled on 29th November 1979 and aged in single sherry cask #9293 for 18 years. It was bottled at cask strength in October 1998.

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 468 bottles.

Bunnahabhain 1987 SMWS 14 Year Old 10.53

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.\"

This Bunnahabhain was distilled in November 1987 and matured in a single cask for 14 years. It was bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in June 2002.

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.

Bruichladdich 29 Year Old Black Art Edition 10.1

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 was aged for 29 years before being released in 2022.

Matured in wide variety of American and European Oak wine casks, Black Art is now an annual limited release within the Bruichladdich range.

Balvenie 25 Year Old Rare Marriages

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.

Released in 2021 as released as part of its Rare Marriages series, this 25 year old has been matured in a combination of European and American oak casks before being married.

Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch #7 

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.

Launched in 2014, the Balvenie Tun 1509 followed the footsteps of Tuns 1401 and 1858, replacing the former.

Released in 2020, this seventh batch is made up of ex-Bourbon and refill ex-Sherry casks which were married in Tun 1509.

Balvenie 15 Year Old Signatory Vintage Sailing Ships No.1 / Bencleuch 1875​

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times. 

An exclusive Signatory Vintage bottling of Balvenie for Ben Line. Part of a series of three bottles commemorating a different historical Ben Line sailing ship.

This is for Beucleuch 1875, and the set also includes a Glendronach and Caperdonich single malt.

The labels feature paintings of their respective ships by Captain Alexander Cromarty, who spent 35 years at sea with Ben Line. Velier import.

Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch #7 

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.

Launched in 2014, the Balvenie Tun 1509 followed the footsteps of Tuns 1401 and 1858, replacing the former.

Released in 2020, this seventh batch is made up of ex-Bourbon and refill ex-Sherry casks which were married in Tun 1509.

Bowmore 1990 Sherry Matured 16 Year Old

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.

This is a 16 year old limited edition Bowmore, distilled in 1990 and matured exclusively in sherry casks.

Ben Nevis 1996 Douglas Laing 28 Year Old XOP / TWE

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 November 1996 and matured in single refill butt #19604 for 28 years. It was bottled by Douglas Laing in November 2024 under their Xtra Old Particular label. This release was made exclusive to The Whisky Exchange.

One of 208 bottles.

Balvenie 15 Year Old Signatory Vintage Sailing Ships No.1 / Bencleuch 1875​

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times. 

An exclusive Signatory Vintage bottling of Balvenie for Ben Line. Part of a series of three bottles commemorating a different historical Ben Line sailing ship.

This is for Beucleuch 1875, and the set also includes a Glendronach and Caperdonich single malt.

The labels feature paintings of their respective ships by Captain Alexander Cromarty, who spent 35 years at sea with Ben Line. Velier import.

Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch #1

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.

The first batch of the Balvenie Tun 1509 was bottled in 2014, replacing the 1401 range.

This release is a combination of 42 casks: 35 traditional American oak barrels and 7 European oak sherry butts. These were married in Tun 1509 for several months before bottling.

Bruichladdich 1992 Black Art 24 Year Old Edition 5.1

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.

The fifth Black Art release, this was distilled in 1992 and bottled as a 24 year old.

Matured in wide variety of American and European Oak wine casks, Black Art is now an annual limited release within the Bruichladdich range.

Balblair 1975 1st Release

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 this much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. They were produced for over ten years before being replaced by an age-stated core range in 2018.

The first release of the 1975 vintage from Balblair. This replaced the 1978 as the oldest and most prestigious vintage from the distillery's core product range when bottled in 2007.

Matured in European sherry casks.

Ballantine's 30 Year Old Scotch Whisky 1980s / Spirit Import

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.

Bruichladdich 29 Year Old Black Art Edition 10.1

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 was aged for 29 years before being released in 2022.

Matured in wide variety of American and European Oak wine casks, Black Art is now an annual limited release within the Bruichladdich range.

Ben Nevis 1977 Cadenhead's 15 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 closure 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, but casks had long been making their way to independent labels, and many of them are very highly praised. 

This Ben Nevis was distilled in 1977 and matured for 15 years in a single oak cask. It was bottled by Wm. Cadenhead in October 1993 under their Authentic Collection label.

The Authentic Collection was launched by Wm. Cadenhead in 1991, and included whiskies from several rare closed Scottish and Irish distilleries, bottled for the company's 150th anniversary. It would later go on to become a mainstay of their portfolio, as the cask strength alternative to the Original Collection, which replaced their famous \"dumpy\" bottlings in the early 1990s. The Authentic Collection is now the flagship Cadenhead brand, and one of the most recognisable independent labels on the market.

Inchgower 1974 A.D. Rattray 36 Year Old

Inchgower was built in 1871 by Alexander Wilson, using equipment rescued from the disused Tochineal distillery nearby. When his family went bankrupt, the distillery was bought by the town council, who sold it to Arthur Bell in 1937. As you would expect it has been a key constituent in the Bell's blend ever since. As with Blair Athol and Dufftown, Arthur Bell & Sons took an early interest in bottling its single malt, with official releases appearing from the 1970s. These disappeared when Guinness bought Bell's in 1985 however, and it was not until United Distillers launched the Flora & Fauna brand in 1991 that the former Bell's stable would receive distillery bottlings again. Nowadays important to the Johnnie Walker blend too, this is the only permanent release, and other distillery bottlings of Inchgower are rare.

This was distilled in 1974 and bottled in 2010 from single bourbon cask #7762. 

One of 229 bottles. 

Bowmore Cask Collection 3 x 20cl / Dawn, Darkest, Dusk

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.

This is a smart presentation set of three different 20cl expressions from the distillery, released between 1999 and 2001. It includes...

• Bowmore Dusk 50% 20cl
• Bowmore Dawn 51.5% 20cl
• Bowmore Darkest 43% 20cl

Islay Single Malt 1990 Swell de Spirits 32 Year Old 50cl

This is a unnamed single malt from the Isle of Islay which was distilled in November 1990 and aged in a single refill barrel. It was bottled after 32 years of maturation by Swell de Spirits in December 2022.

Bruichladdich 15 Year Old Cask Strength 1980s / Moon Import

Moon Import was founded by Pepi Mongiardino in 1980 and he bottled his first whisky in 1982. Always beautifully labelled, Pepi is acclaimed for designing the packaging for Moon Import bottles himself, often using images found in old books. These iconic designs, coupled with the quality of the liquid saw Moon Import steadily grow in popularity. The company is still going strong, and their early releases are some of the brightest gems in any whisky collection.

This was officially bottled for Mongiardino. He became the Bruichladdich distributor in the early 1980s, and imported their whisky for 5 years before selling the contract to Rinaldi.

In addition to the standard range, Mongiardino bottled outside of the standard 10, 15 and 17 year old Bruichladdich, which are well worth looking our for.

Invergordon 1972 The Nectar of the Daily Drams 43 Year Old / 10th Anniversary

Invergordon began distilling in 1961. Traditionally Scottish grain producers were located in the Lowland region, where the variety of crops gave more diverse flavour profiles, and the market in England for grain neutral spirits for gin provided them with additional income. Invergordon broke the mould, capitalising on its nearby port, proximity to the malt distilleries of Glenmorangie and Dalmore, and an upturn in the Scotch market in the US. It was not long before it had moved into the blending business, opening the Ben Wyvis and Tamnavulin distilleries a few years later. Invergordon Distillers were acquired by Whyte & Mackay in 1993, and the distillery remains part of that portfolio today.

This whisky was distilled in 1972 and aged for 43 years before being bottled in 2016 to celebrate The Nectar's 10th anniversary.

The Nectar was founded in Belgium in 2006 by Mario Groteklaes and Jan Broekmans. In addition to being a well-respected independent bottler, they are also one of Belgium's largest wine and spirit importers.

Balvenie Classic 1980s

Balvenie was built by William Grant in 1892 and remains part of his family's company to this day. In the early part of its history, its purpose was primarily for the provision of malt for Grant's blends, however following the global success of Glenfiddich, the Balvenie single malt brand was launched in 1973. It remained a rarity though, and it was not until the opening of Kininvie in 1990, and later Ailsa Bay in Girvan, that the distillery was given the freedom to focus on its single malt. Today it is one of the best recognised brands in the world. In 1993 they launched the 12 year old \"DoubleWood,\" an expression credited with pioneering the use of cask-finishing, and this has become a key motif for the distillery's output in recent times.  

This is a non-age statement iteration of the Balvenie Classic. Like the Founder's Reserve bottlings from the same era, these were produced using now iconic cognac-style bottles, and are increasingly collectible.

First released in 1983, the Classic was one of the world's first whiskies to have undergone a secondary maturation, or \"finishing.\" In this case it was sherry wood. The expression was rebranded as the \"DoubleWood\" and switched to a 12 year old age statement in 1993.

Benromach 2005 Artist Collection #14 19 Year Old #164 / LMDW

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

This Benromach was distilled in 2005 and aged for 19 years in single first-fill Sherry butt #164. It was bottled by Signatory Vintage in 2015 as part of the LMDW Artist Collection, with the label featuring artwork from contemporary French artist and sculptor, Logovarda.

La Maison du Whisky, aka LMDW, was founded in 1956 by Georges Benitah and is now one of the largest whisky and rum importers and distributors in France, and known the world over. They opened their first shop in Paris at the legendary 20 Rue d'Anjou in 1968, importing their first Scotch malt whiskies in the 1970s. They are known for their expertise in not only Scotch, but Japanese whisky and rum too, and their collaborative bottlings, as well as their own independent labels like this one, are highly prized.

One of only 329 bottles.

Bowmore 2001 The Character of Islay 18 Year Old

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 1995. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year prior (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. The unique microclimate in their iconic No.1 vaults shares very little with the angels, meaning casks are readily available for independent labels like this, many of which are spectacular.

This whisky was distilled in 2001 and matured for 18 years before being bottled by The Character of Islay Whisky Company.