March 2019 Auction

Bowmore 1968 32 Year Old

An early 2000s bottling of Bowmore, distilled back in 1968 and bottled at 32 years old.

This was bottled by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Stanley P Morrison Company. It was personally selected by Brian Morrison.

Number 219 of 1860 bottles.

Balvenie 1992 DCS Compendium 26 Year Old Chapter #4 / Signed by David Stewart

This bottle forms part of the second release of Balvenie's five-part DCS Compendium, which is a tribute to renowned malt master David Stewart.

Distilled on 23rd January 1992.

Bottled on 3rd May 2018.

One of 240 bottles from Cask #608; 26 Years Old.

This particular bottle is signed by the eponymous DCS himself

Bowmore 1968 32 Year Old

An early 2000s bottling of Bowmore, distilled back in 1968 and bottled at 32 years old.

This was bottled by Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Stanley P Morrison Company. It was personally selected by Brian Morrison.

Number 227 of 1860 bottles.

Brora 1971 Douglas Laing 28 Year Old

One of Brora's legendary vintages. This was distilled in 1971 and bottled 28 years later by Douglas Laing.

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.

The original Clynelish distillery, what we now know as Brora was re-opened in 1969 to produce heavily peated spirit to make up for a shortfall of Islay whisky due to a drought on the island. Brora vintages from 1973 onwards reverted to the lightly peated Highland style.

Bowmore Sherriff's 1 Litre 1970s

A legendary Bowmore, the Sherriff's bottling was originally released during the 1960's and created before the distillery was sold to Stanley P Morrison.

This early 1970s bottling is highly sought after.

Balvenie Rose 16 Year Old / 1st Edition 53.1%

The Balvenie Rose was created to celebrate the long history of Balvenie Castle.  Margaret Douglas 'The Fair Maid of Galloway' married in turn, two of the infamous Black Douglases.  Following the murder of William Douglas at the hands of James II the Black Douglases rebelled against the Stewart King and were defeated loosing their titles and estates.  The king however was taken by Magaret's beauty and reinstated her in Balvenie Castle with an annual rent of a single red rose.

Two batches of the Balvenie Rose were released and sold exclusively at Balvenie distillery, each batch consisted of 4 refill American oak casks which were finished in a single first fill port pipe.

This is the second bottling of the first release at the slightly lower 53.1%

Bowmore 30 Year Old Sea Dragon

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-aged casks from the legendary 1960's vintages.

Bunnahabhain 1968 Auld Acquaintance 34 Year Old

Distilled on Hogmanay (31st December) 1968 this rare limited edition Bunnahabhain was bottled in 2002.  

It has been highly acclaimed receiving 93 points from Serge Valentin on WhiskyFun.com

It is now a very sought after bottle and is increasingly difficult to find with only 2,002 bottles released.

Bowmore 30 Year Old Sea Dragon

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-aged casks from the legendary 1960s vintages.

Bowmore 30 Year Old Sea Dragon

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-aged casks from the legendary 1960's vintages.

Bowmore 30 Year Old Sea Dragon 75cl

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

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

Bunnahabhain 1968 Malts of Scotland Sherry Butt

A fantastically well-aged Bunnahabhain.

Distilled in 1968 and matured for circa 50 years in a single sherry butt. Bottled by German bottlers, Malts of Scotland for their Diamond labelled premium range in 2018.

Bottle 77 of 167.

Bowmore 1972 Prestonfield 36 Year Old

A 1972 vintage sherry butt matured 36 year old Bowmore. Drawn from single cask #3881.

Bottled for The Prestonfield House hotel in their livery depicting the famous peacocks that roam their grounds. This is one of several sougtht after Bowmore under the Prestonfield banner.

These are exceptionally rare to see as full sized bottles.

Bowmore Sherriff's 1970s

A legendary Bowmore, the Sherriff's bottling was originally released during the 1960's and created before the distillery was sold to Stanley P Morrison.

This early 1970s bottling is highly sought after.

Bowmore 1969 Sherry Casks

A 1969 vintage sherry cask matured Bowmore... 1960s Sherry Cask Bowmore Vintages come highly reccomended by those lucky enough to try them. 

Bottled in the 1980s. 

Benromach 1967 Samaroli 14 Year Old / Flowers 1981

A 1967 vintage bottling from well-regarded Speyside distillery, Benromach. Bottled at 14 years of age.

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.

This is part of Silvano's first ever solo series of bottlings, a follow up to his 1979/1980 collaboration with Cadenhead's. It is rather cumbersomely titled 'The Never Bottled Top Quality Whisky' series, however is better known as the Flowers range. The bottlings all have hand-drawn labels by Samaroli himself, and a second series was released in 1990 as an homage to them.

Bottle number 288 of 300. 

Brora 30 Year Old 2004 Release

The third release of 30 year old Brora released as part of the 'special release' series in 2004 by Diageo.

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.

Bottle number 2703 of 3000.

Bowmore 1974 Moon Import / The Birds II

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.

Moon Import released two The Birds series, the first in 1987 and the second in 1990. This is the 1974 vintage Bowmore is one of two from the distillery in the second releases.

Bottle 336 of 600.

Brora 30 Year Old 2006 Release

The fifth release of 30 year old Brora released as part of the Special Release series in 2006 by Diageo.

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.

Bottle 1569 of only 2130 bottles.

Bruichladdich 1968 Intertrade 16 Year Old

A 16 year old Bruichladdich bottled at cask strength after 16 years of maturation. 

Intertrade was established in Italy in the early 1980s by Nadi Fiori, a contemporary of Silvano Samaroli and Moon Import's Pepi Mongiardino. His company is perhaps less well known than theirs, but bottled some of the most well-regarded and collectible whiskies on the market.

Bowmore 1980 Moon Import / The Birds II

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.

Moon Import released two The Birds series, the first in 1987 and the second in 1990. This is the 1980 vintage Bowmore is one of two from the distillery in the second releases.

Bottle 323 of 600.

Bowmore 1979 Samaroli / Flowers 1990

A 1979 vintage Bowmore, bottled by R.W. Duthie for Samaroli

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

The Flowers series was bottled in 1990, and is a revival of the aesthetic used on Samaroli's acclaimed (if cumbersomely named) 'The Never Bottled Top Quality Whisky Series' from 1981, his first independent series following the Cadenhead's collaboration a few years before. That, and this Flowers series, all feature labels with hand-drawn art nouveau illustrations by Silvano himself.

This is one of two Bowmore in the series, the other being a sherry casked.

Bottle number 272 of 480. 

Brora 37 Year Old 2015 Release

Another fantastic release from Diageo as part of their ongoing annual super premium releases.

Brora distillery (formerly known as Clynelish) has been closed since 1983. 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.

Released in 2015 this was one of the oldest official bottled Brora at the time.

Bottle number 465 of 2976.

Bowmore 1991 Keizo Saji's Cask 21 Year Old

Mr Keizo Saji - then president of Suntory - visited Bowmore distillery in 1991 and oversaw the filling of a single sherry cask.  After the death of Mr Saji, his son visited Bowmore distillery (now owned of course by Suntory) and donated his father's cask to the employees of the company. 

The single sherry cask was distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2012, this 21 year old Bowmore was only available to employees. 

Bottle number 418.

Bowmore Sherriff's 1970s

A legendary Bowmore, the Sherriff's bottling was originally released during the 1960's and created before the distillery was sold to Stanley P Morrison.

This early 1970's bottling is highly sought after.

Bowmore 1984 Samaroli Single Cask

A very rare Samaroli bottling of Bowmore, distilled in 1984 and matured in a Fino sherry puncheon #61930.

Bottled by Samaroli at Rutherglen in 2000, one of the last in the tall clear bottles before the change to the current squat black glass design.

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.

Bottle number 190 of 798.

Bowmore 8 Year Old Sherriff's 1970s

A legendary Bowmore, the Sherriff's bottling was originally released during the 1960s and created before the distillery was sold to Stanley P Morrison.

Italian Import

Brora 1977 Douglas Laing 26 Year Old

A rare single cask Brora distilled in 1977 and bottled in 2003 by Douglas Laing.

This is part of the Old & rare series. It was bottled by Douglas Laing until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

Number 182 of only 228 bottles. 

Brora 35 Year Old 2014 Release

An official Brora release from Diageo. Matured for 35 years in a combination of European and America oak casks.

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.

Limited to only 2964 bottles this is bottle number 34.

Bowmore 15 Year Old Sestante for Il Carato

A very rare Bowmore bottled by famous Italian bottlers, Sestante, for Ristorante il Carato, an enoteca in the town of Brescia. Sestante bottled several whiskies for Il Carato, including the Van Gogh and Flowers series.

The Sestante import company was founded in the 1970s by Ernesto Mainardi, and he bottled his first single casks under the name in 1985. Alongside his contemporary, Silvano Samaroli, Mainardi pioneered giving his customers a choice of both standard 40-46% bottlings, and cask strength releases from the same casks. Along with his other brand, Silver Seal, Mainardi's bottlings are incredibly sought after.

Bowmore 15 Year Old Sestante for Il Carato

A very rare Bowmore bottled by famous Italian bottlers, Sestante, for Ristorante il Carato, an enoteca in the town of Brescia. Sestante bottled several whiskies for Il Carato, including the Van Gogh and Flowers series.

The Sestante import company was founded in the 1970s by Ernesto Mainardi, and he bottled his first single casks under the name in 1985. Alongside his contemporary, Silvano Samaroli, Mainardi pioneered giving his customers a choice of both standard 40-46% bottlings, and cask strength releases from the same casks. Along with his other brand, Silver Seal, Mainardi's bottlings are incredibly sought after.

Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish

From Bowmore's Website: 

\"East Meets West

Mizunara oak casks embarked on the 6,000 mile journey from Japan to Islay.

Cultures and languages differ but master craftsmanship is admired the whole world over. Combining the best of the east and the west in a first for scotch malt whisky, Bowmore Mizunara cask finish is an intriguing marriage of Scottish strength and passion with Japanese elegance and refinement.

Here, in a first for scotch malt whisky, these legendary Mizunara casks became home to Bowmore’s celebrated single malt, resting peacefully in the infamous No.1 Vaults. A remarkable creation has emerged which is a rare masterpiece indeed, merging the skills of the great whisky distilling nations.\"

One of 2000 bottles.