February 2014 Auction

Talisker 1973 28 Year Old Single Cask Oddbin's Exclusive

At the time of release the 100 bottles of this were from the oldest casks at Talisker.  Exclusive to Oddbin's, this very very limited release of Talisker sold out within hours and has been one of the rarest Taliskers since.

Bottle number 43 of 100, cask number 4633

Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #1 (Distillery Exclusive)

The original Balvenie Tun 1401  hand-selected by Malt Master David Stewart. Four traditional whisky casks and two sherry butts are combined and rested for several months in Tun 1401 – The Balvenie’s traditional oak marrying vessel.

Batch 1 of the Balvenie Tun 1401 was only available at Balvenie distillery and consists of the casks shown below.

Bottle Ref No. 55 / 336

Seven traditional whisky casks
(1966, 1974, 1978 and 1988)
#2385
#17707
#13234
#3402
 

Two sherry butts
(1973 and 1972)
#5238
#8555

Port Ellen 1979 22 Year Old 1st Release

The first of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases.  Distilled in 1979 and bottled 22 years later in 2001, bottled at cask strength and limited to 6,000 bottles, this is bottle 0443.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel of the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer

Karuizawa 1971 36 Year Old Single Cask #6878

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim.  This particular Karuizawa was distilled in 1971 and bottled on the 15^th January 2008 was fortunate enough to be matured in sherry butt #6878. 

Only 430 bottles were released. 

Please note the box has various bends and creases.

Macallan Royal Wedding

The first of the Royal releases from Macallan is a limited edition bottling of only 1,000 bottles celebrating the Royal Marriage of Prince William to Catherine Middleton on 29th April 2011.

Bottled from two casks, both filled on 29th April – one from 1996 and one from 1999.

The creation of this special bottle follows the release of a commemorative edition to mark the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. This comprised two casks, one from each of their birth years. At the time, the bottle sold out and today is highly sought-after by collectors of The Macallan around the world.

In keeping with this original bottling, The Macallan commissioned the creative force behind the 1981 bottle, David Holmes, who was also one of the architects of our advertising campaign in the 1980s and the early 1990s, to create the label and packaging design.

Macallan Diamond Jubilee

Released in 2012 this specially designed bottle bears a unique image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II created by the sculptor Arnold Martin.

The contents of this bottle were specially chosen for the months it was drawn from the casks, 6th February, the Queen's accession and the first week in June, traditionally when the Jubilees are celebrated.  Bottled at 52% in line with the year of the Queen's accession, only 2,012 bottles were released.

Replacement box is also available in this lot.

Macallan Diamond Jubilee

Released in 2012 this specially designed bottle bears a unique image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II created by the sculptor Arnold Martin.

The contents of this bottle were specially chosen for the months it was drawn from the casks, 6th February, the Queen's accession and the first week in June, traditionally when the Jubilees are celebrated.  Bottled at 52% in line with the year of the Queen's accession, only 2,012 bottles were released.

Replacement box is also available in this lot.

Ardbeg 1972 32 Year Old Single Cask 866 (Oddbins Exclusive)

An oddbins exclusive, this rare, desirable Ardbeg was distilled on the 24th March 1972 and was matured in a bourbon cask, prior to being bottled on 24th August 2004.

This 32 year old whisky came from cask #866 yielding 239 bottles.

Port Ellen 1978 25 Year Old 4th Release

The fourth in the wildly popular Port Ellen annual releases.  Distilled in 1978 and bottled 25 years later in 2004, bottled at cask strength and limited to 5,100 bottles, this is bottle 0464.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel of the Islay crown. Closure in 1983 has enabled this distillery to receive a near mythical amount of love and respect. As stocks get thinner on the ground, these bottles become rarer and rarer.

Please note  that there are some very feint marks on the box.

Highland Park Magnus Collection

A collection of three very stunning bottles designed by Stoelze Flaconnage to replicate bottlings from 150 years ago.

Highland Park Earl Magnus 15 Year Old 1st Edition

Only 5.976 bottles we're released of the Highland Park Earl Magnus, bottled at 15 years old this bottle commemorates Earl Magnus.  

Earl Magnus the most famous of the Viking Earls of Orkney, lived in the 1100s, his cousin Haakon was very jealous of Magnus and the story goes that he had him murdered.  As time went on there are rumours that miraculous healing has said to be experienced around the Earl's tomb. The Cathedral of Kirkwall was built in memory of Earl magnus.  The packaging of these whiskies features an image of the saint taken from the stained glass window in the Cathedral.

Earl Magnus is a 15 year old Highland Park with the addition of some casks from the early 1990s, bottled at 52.6%.

Highland Park Saint Magnus 12 Year Old 2nd Edition

This bottling celebrates Saint Magnus, 20 years after the murder of the Earl by his treacherous cousin Earl Haakon the Earl was canonized. This limited edition 12 year old is drawn from casks laid down in 1998 and earlier years. Only 11,994 bottles are available at 55.0%.

Highland Park Earl Haakon 18 Year Old 3rd Edition

The final release in the Magnus series, the Earl Haakon is named after the Earl Magnus cousion who orchestrated the murder Earl Magnus.

Bottled slightly older as a 18 year old this whisky was bottled at 54.9%

Karuizawa 1984 Single Cask #3663 

From this incredibly popular lost Japanese distillery, which has produced so many internationally acclaimed malts.

Distilled in 1984 and bottled from a single cask #3663 in 2013 at 56.8%

Macallan Coronation

The latest in the Macallan royal bottlings, this release from June 2013 consists of two 35cl bottles with a box designed by David Holmes. One bottle depicts the queen from 1953, matured solely in American oak sherry seasoned casks, while the other matured in Spanish sherry seasoned casks.   Only 1,953 boxes were produced to convey the date of the coronation in 1953.

Only available on Macallan’s website or at the distillery this quickly became one of the fastest selling releases of 2013. 

Bottled at 55.7% (1953 image)

Bottled at 58.1% (2013 image)

Macallan 1959 (26 2/3rds fl oz)

Distilled in 1959 this very old bottling of Macallan was bottled by Gordon and Macphail at 80 proof.

Macallan Coronation

The latest in the Macallan royal bottlings, this release from June 2013 consists of two 35cl bottles with a box designed by David Holmes. One bottle depicts the queen from 1953, matured solely in American oak sherry seasoned casks, while the other matured in Spanish sherry seasoned casks.   Only 1,953 boxes were produced to convey the date of the coronation in 1953.

Only available on Macallan’s website or at the distillery this quickly became one of the fastest selling releases of 2013. 

Bottled at 55.7% (1953 image)

Bottled at 58.1% (2013 image)

Ardbeg Kildalton 1980

Quite simply a legendary Ardbeg released in 2004, this was a combination of experimental unpeated Ardbeg and lightly peated Ardbeg.  It is known that between 1979 and 1981 these experiements took place.

We have yet to see any from 1979.

Only a mere 1,300 bottles of Kildalton were bottled and it is certainly a popular collectors item now.

Please note the cap rotates.

Laphroaig 10 Year Old 1970s (26 2/3rd fl.oz 70 proof])

A very old Laphroaig 10 year old bottled during the late 1970s at 26 2/3rd fluid ounces and 70 proof.

This bottle is in excellent condition with only minor staining around the very edge of the front label, please see photo for closeup.

Bowmore 1966 38 Year Old Duncan Taylor 

Distilled in May 1966, matured for 38 years until bottling in July 2004.  

Single cask #3303 and bottle number 13 of 179.

Glendronach 1968 25 Year Old

There are a number of famous Glendronach's from 1968 and this is no different, originally bottled for the US market - a few went missing and eventually discovered in a warehouse and sold here. 

This is the original Glendronach 25 year old, from 1968 which Serge Valentin from Whisky Fun explains is 'A tremendous sherry monster', scoring 90 pts.

75cl bottle.

Macallan 1995 Easter Elchies 2009

The 2009 Easter Elchies bottling was from a single sherry hogshead cask #14016, distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2009.

Macallan 1963 75.7cl (26 2/3rd fl oz)

Good condition bottle of Macallan distilled in 1963 and bottled prior to January 1st 1981, at 26 2/3rd fluid ounces (75.7cl).

The bottle is in good condition, the neck label is coming slightly loose and there is a slight crease to the label at the bottom corner.  The box is also in good condition with the exception of the creases and tears to the very top (as shown in the photo).

Glenmorangie 1971 (The Culloden Bottle)

Released in 1996 to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Culloden the final battle of the Jacobites lead by Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Only 2,500 bottles were produced in associate with The National Museum of Scotland, this is bottle number 318.

Certificate of authenticity is included.

Johnnie Walker Odyssey

The very high end of blending is based on the notes of Alexander Walker. Composed of three carefully selected single malts that have been married in European oak casks. The cleaver design of the crystal decanter moves along with the motion of the ocean and its 'swing' style box will ensure it cant fall over.

Hazelwood 90th Birthday Mrs J Roberts 

Bottled in August 1991 to mark the 90th Birthday of Mrs J Robert's, the last surviving grand child of the founder of Glenfiddich and Balvenie distillerys, William Grant.

Mrs J Robert's died aged 110 in 2012 and a centennial bottling of this was released

To mark her 90th birthday, the company's Master Blender selected 90 casks to make a blend to celebrate that occasion and bottled at 90 proof.

Please note this is a 75cl bottle.

Slight marks on the outside, please see photo.  Additionally the front label is slightly loose.

Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #9 (US Exclusive) 75cl

From the distillery website, this was inspired by and produced in one of the oldest warehouses at our distillery, Batch 9 is a skillful marriage of some of the rarest treasures from Warehouse 24. It represents an unrepeatable selection of spirits sourced from eleven traditional whisky casks and three sherry butts, whose ages span a number of decades, and which have all been hand-selected by David Stewart. The whisky rested for several months in Tun 1401 – one of the distillery’s unique marrying vessels – to create a single malt that is greater than the sum of its already precious parts.

This expression was exclusively available in the U.S. market, and follows the hugely successful Batch 3 and Batch 6.

Please note this is a 75cl bottle.

Eleven traditional whisky casks

15921
5034
5249
55
12871
15326
6564
5826
13461
1635
939

Three sherry butts
12612
13572
13135

Ardbeg Very Young 1998

The first in Ardbeg’s \"Young\" series on their \"path to peaty maturity\", tracing Ardbeg’s path to their new 10 year old. 

It was bottled in 2004.

RNLI - Charity Lot (Framed Original Artwork and Photo and Three Bottles and Signed Book)

The RNLI [Royal National Lifeboat Institution] is the charity that saves lives at sea.

They provide, on call, a 24-hour lifeboat search and rescue service throughout the UK and Ireland and a seasonal lifeguard service.  With their lifeboats, lifeguards, safety advice and flood resuce they are comitted to saving lives.

ALL proceeds of this lot, including fees will be donated to the RNLI.

This lot includes:

1 x Old Pulteney 12 Year Old
1 x Oban 14 Year Old
1 x Talisker 10 Year Old
1 x Malt Whisky by Charles Maclean - Signed
1 x Framed Original Artwork of Old Pulteney at Old Wick Castle - Frame uses ex-whisky cask, staves and cask ends
1 x Framed Photograph of Wick Harbour and Old Lighthouse - Frame uses ex-whisky cask, staves and cask ends

Port Ellen 1979 Douglas Laing 25 Year Old

A lovely Old Malt Cask release from Douglas Laing, this Port Ellen was distilled in December 1979 before being bottled 25 years later in July 2005.

Finished for 6 months in sherry wood, this single cask only produced 425 bottles.

Glenury Royal 1970 36 Year Old

Glenury Royal distilled in 1970 and matured for 36 years was released along side Diageo's Special releases in 2006,

Limited to 1,926 bottles this is number 797.

Ardbeg 1990 Cask Strength [Bottled 2004]

A very limited 1,140 bottles of this cask strength Ardbeg were released in 2004 for the Japanese market and for the Ardbeg distillery.

It was bottled on the 8th April 2004 as a 13 year old.

Bunnahabhain 1968 42 Year Old Silver Seal

This bottle carries a stunning and colourful label. Distilled in 1968 and matured for 42 years prior to bottle in 2011.

This Bunnahabhain was exclusive to Whisy Antique and is bottle number 62 of 219, rated very highly by Serge Valentin scoring 90 points on Whisky Fun.

Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8

A marriage of 9 American Oak casks and 3 European Oak Sherry casks went into creating Batch 8, a limited release of 2,700 bottles. A very highly sought after range from Balvenie.

As with the previous releases of Balvenie Tun 1401, these whiskies are hand-selected by Malt Master David Stewart. Nine traditional whisky casks and two sherry butts are combined and rested for several months in Tun 1401 – The Balvenie’s traditional oak marrying vessel.

The expression consists of the casks shown below.

Seven traditional whisky casks   
#15917
#14827
#7049
#15338
#6333
#5825
#1636
#887
#486

Three sherry butts
#12614
#13148
#8587