March 2019 Auction

Very Old Fitzgerald 1962 Bonded 8 Year Old 90 Proof / Stitzel-Weller

We don't see vintage Old Fitzgerald very often, so we are particularly excited about this bottle which was distilled in 1962 and bottled in 1970.

Distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery while it was under the management of Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle, and bottled a few years after his death by his son, Julian II.

Stitzel-Weller was eventually sold in 1972, with the Van Winkle family departing the business in the process. These bottles from their time at the helm have become increasingly sought after.

This is an export Bottled in Bond bourbon, allowing it to be filled at a lower 90 US proof, rather than the domestic requirement of 100 proof set out by the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897.

D&C import for the Italian market.

Balvenie 30 Year Old

A well respected 30 year old from Balvenie, which won a Gold Medal at the 2010 International Spirits Challenge.

Bruichladdich 1968 Bar Metro 16 Year Old

A spectacularly rare example of independently bottled Bruichladdich. This 16 year old comprises one of four in the first ever bottlings for the esteemed Bar Metro in Milan, which was founded by Giorgio d'Ambrosio in 1966.

The bar was a favourite of connoisseurs for its incredible selection, and Giorgio decided to bottle his very own whisky for the first time in 1984. All four of the first bottlings were Bruichladdich, which he purchased from the legendary Silvano Samaroli. The receipt for the transaction, dated 28th May 1984, lists the sale of five 16 year old (1968 vintage), ten 17 year old (1967 vintage) and ten 18 year old (1966) vintage casks.

The bottles were filled for Bar Metro by R.W. Duthie in Aberdeen.

Booker's Rye 13 Year Old Limited Edition

An award winning whiskey, Jim Murray named this as his World Whisk(e)y of the Year 2016.  

Booker's is produced by Jim Beam at their second distillery on Boston Road in Kentucky. Both the bourbon and that distillery are named after former Master Distiller, Booker Noe. It is believed Beam have designs on making Booker's a premium product within their range, so now is as good a time as any to snare one.

This limited, one-off release was created by Fred Noe, the current Master Distiller at Jim Beam, Fred is the son of Booker and the great grandson of the \"Jim Beam\", making him the seventh generation Beam family distiller.

Bottle number 6918.

\"Big Time Batch\"

Bowmore Blair Castle Horse Trials 2005

A special limited edition Bowmore bottled to celebrate the Blair Castle International Horse Trials which was held between the 25th and 28th August 2005.

Bowmore Blair Castle Horse Trials 2004

A special limited edition Bowmore bottled to celebrate the Blair Castle International Horse Trials which was held between the 26th and 29th August 2004.

Balvenie 30 Year Old

A well respected 30 year old from Balvenie, which won a Gold Medal at the 2010 International Spirits Challenge.

Benrinnes 1971 Cadenhead's 26 Year Old

Distilled in 1971 and bottled in February 1998 by Cadenhead's.

Matured 26 years in sherrywood.

Brora 1982 Douglas Laing 22 Year Old / Advance Sample

An independent bottling of Brora, distilled in their penultimate year of production in 1982. The distillery has been closed since the following year.

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

This is a pre-release Advance Sample bottle, aged 22 years in a sherry hogshead and set for exclusive bottling for the Alambic Classique in Germany.

Bowmore 1989 SMWS 28 Year Old 3.305

'The scents of perfection'

This Bowmore was distilled on 11th March 1989 and bottled 28 years later by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

One of 209 bottles drawn from a first fill Pedo Ximenez hogshead.

Please note that the title of this lot was updated to reflect that this was in fact a 1989 vintage 28 year old on 04/03/19. Whisky Auctioneer apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Balvenie Tun 1858 Batch #5

A marriage of 6 Traditional whisky casks and 4 Sherry Butts created the sixth limited edition Balvenie Tun 1858, for the Taiwanese market. 

As with the Balvenie Tun 1401, these whiskies are hand-selected by Malt Master David Stewart. Six traditional whisky casks and four sherry butts are combined and rested for several months in Tun 1858. 

Bowmore 25 Year Old 

A fairly recent bottling of 25 year old Bowmore, Islay's oldest distillery. 

Bowmore Fly Fishing Championships 2003

A very limited bottle of Bowmore that was released for the European Fly Fishing Championships on Islay in 2003.

Any avid Bowmore collector would be mad to miss out on this highly sought after release!

Banff 1975 Celtic Heartlands 33 Year Old / Signed by Jim McEwan

A single malt from the increasingly sought after closed Highland distillery, Banff. 

Distilled in 1975 and bottled 2008 as part of the Jim McEwan's Celtic Heartlands range from Murray McDavid.

Bottle number 403 of 449. 

Bunnahabhain 1976 Whisky Agency 35 Year Old / TSMC

A 35 year old Bunnahabhain, independently bottled for The Whisky Agency and Taiwan Single Malt Club in 2012. 

Distilled in 1976 and matured in a refill butt.

One of 240 bottles. 

Benriach 1976 Single Cask 34 Year Old #6942​ 

A single cask release from Benriach, distilled in 1976 and bottled in July 2011 from cask #6942.

An absolutely spectacular release.

One of only 469 bottles.

Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #2

A marriage of 7 American Oak casks and 3 European Oak Sherry casks went into creating Batch 2, a limited release of 2,226 bottles. A very highly sought after range from Balvenie.

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

This particular bottling comes with the rare outer packaging.

The expression consists of the casks shown below.

Traditional Whisky Casks   
#9916
#16114
#5215
#17751
#15348
#5820
#6993

Sherry butts
#13251
#3543
#3701

Brora 1981 Douglas Laing 28 Year Old

A cask strength Brora, distilled in June 1981 and bottled in November 2009 at 28 years old by Douglas Laing as part of their Old and Rare Platinum Selection. 

Brora was reopened after a brief hiatus in 1969 to produce heavily peated single malt for blending, owing to a shortage in Islay spirit caused by drought that year. Vintages from 1973 onwards reverted the lighter peated Highland style. The distillery, formerly known as the original Clynelish, has been closed since 1983

One of 93 bottles,

Banff 1966 Signatory Vintage 34 Year Old / Silent Stills

A rare Signatory Vintage bottling of Banff, part of their Silent Stills series which focusses on Scotland's closed distilleries.

Distilled on the 16th of November 1966 and bottled on the 26th of October 2001.

Matured in butt #3437, this is set number 292 of 528.

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.

Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon Silver Edition Dumped 2003

First introduced by then Ancient Age distillery Master Distiller, Elmer T. Lee, Blanton's was the first single barrel bourbon popularised in the US. Ancient Age was renamed the Buffalo Trace distillery by the Sazerac company in 1999.

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.

This is the Silver Edition.

Stored on rick number 36 and bottled at 98 US proof on the 13th October 2003 from barrel #15.

Since 1999, bottles of Blanton's have 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 Blanton's. 

Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon Silver Edition Dumped 2003

First introduced by then Ancient Age distillery Master Distiller, Elmer T. Lee, Blanton's was the first single barrel bourbon popularised in the US. Ancient Age was renamed the Buffalo Trace distillery by the Sazerac company in 1999.

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.

This is the Silver Edition.

Stored on rick number 36 and bottled at 98 US proof on the 13th October 2003 from barrel #15.

Since 1999, bottles of Blanton's have 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 Blanton's. 

Ben Nevis 1966 Douglas Laing 37 Year Old / Skorupa

This single malt from Ben Nevis was distilled in May 1966 and bottled in September 2003. 

Bottled by Douglas Laing for Skorupa in Germany. 

One of 174 bottles. 

Bunnahabhain 1967 Duncan Taylor 38 Year Old

Distilled in March 1967 and matured in sherry cask 3328 until November 2005. 

Bottle number 190 of 209

Balvenie Tun 1858 Batch #2

A marriage of 9 American Oak casks and 3 European Oak Sherry casks created the second limited edition Balvenie Tun 1858, for the Taiwanese market. A limited release of only 2,600 bottles this has rarely been seen at auction.

As with the 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 1858.  The vintages range from 1966 and 1975.

The expression consists of the casks shown below.

Six traditional whisky casks   
#15915
#5247
#15340
#7050
#15344
#15337
#5824
#1500
#446

Three sherry butts
#11439
#13439
#763

Bowmore 1997 Distillery Manager's Selection

A fantastic single cask Bowmore, distilled in 1997 and matured exclusively in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads which were selected by distillery manager David Turner.

It was released in 2019 and is one of only 3000 bottles.

Balvenie 1974 Single Barrel 25 Year Old #15193

The popular 25 year old single barrel release from Balvenie.

Distilled on 12th November 1974 and bottled by hand on 3rd November 2000 from single cask #15193.

Bottle number 232. 

Brora 1981 Chieftain's 23 Year Old

Distilled in November 1981 and bottled in December 2004, this 23 year old Brora was matured in single PX sherry butt #1511. This is a Chieftain's release from Ian MacLeod & Co.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983, after a new distillery was built next-door in 1967, and assumed the Clynelish name and eventually sole distilling responsibilities. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

One of 300 bottles.

Balvenie 1974 Single Barrel 25 Year Old #14989

A 25 year old single barrel from Balvenie distillery.

The single cask was filled on 7th November 1974 and bottled on 13th October 2000.

Bottle number 20.

Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #2

A marriage of 7 American Oak casks and 3 European Oak Sherry casks went into creating Batch 2, a limited release of 2,226 bottles. A very highly sought after range from Balvenie.

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

This particular bottling comes with the rare outer packaging.

The expression consists of the casks shown below.

Traditional Whisky Casks   
#9916
#16114
#5215
#17751
#15348
#5820
#6993

Sherry butts
#13251
#3543
#3701

Benrinnes 1974 Gordon and MacPhail Reserve

A single cask botttling from the Reserve series by Gordon & MacPhail.

Distilled in 1974 and bottled in 2004 from single cask #3871.

One of 219 bottles.

Bunnahabhain 1968 Whisky Agency 43 Year Old / Three Rivers

A fantastically well-aged Bunnahabhain.

Distilled in 1968 and matured 43 years in bourbon hogshead before being bottled by the Whisky Agency and Three Rivers Tokyo in 2011

One of 211 bottles.

Balblair 1975 1st Release

The first  release of a vintage from Balblair. This 1975 replaces the 1978 as the oldest and most prestigious vintage from the distillery's core product range.

Matured in European sherry casks and bottled in 2007.