March 2019 Auction

Laphroaig 1967 Samaroli 15 Year Old Sherry Wood / Silver Cap

Meetings between the Islay distilleries and the legendary Italian bottler, Silvano Samaroli, have produced an absolutely stellar selection of whisky over the years. No star in this constellation of greats shines quite as brightly however, as the Laphroaig 1967 sherry wood. Revered by whisky connoisseurs the world over, this is generally regarded as the best whisky ever committed to bottle. The bottle is part of the sought after Silver Cap series, which includes another spectacular sherry cask from Tormore. This is also the first appearance of the label used by Samaroli for his Distillery Drawing\" series of Laphroaig releases.

This periodically trades the pole position in WhiskyBase.com's Top 1000 Whiskies of All Time with Samaroli's other Islay epic, the Bowmore 1966 Bouquet. Both of these whiskies are rare gems. Open bottles of both at Singapore's the Auld Alliance Bar in 2016 drew visitors from all over the world for a rare opportunity to sample the liquid gold contained within them. One such lucky individual is Serge Valentin of WhiskyFun.com. His seasoned taste buds were treated to a dram of the Laphroaig at the Lindores Festival in Belgium in 2007, prompting him to award it an absolutely staggering 98 points. Not normally lost for words, all he managed on the subject was: 

\"Nose: even more of everything plus a fantabulously chocolaty and smoky sherry. I’m sorry, the rest will be censored by the anti-maltoporn brigade. Mouth: my god. Finish: my god. Comments: this is why we’re into whisky. We’re approaching perfection here.\" And what else is there to say, really?

The Laphroaig 1967 Samaroli is is an example of two heavyweights of the whisky world at the very top of their game. The 1960's was a golden era in production for many Islay distilleries, with the south-east coast's Laphroaig no exception. Today it is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries with its own in-house malting floor, and this vintage dates to the time when this provided 100% of the malt they used. Modern Laphroaig uses only a small percentage of its own malt, the rest sourced from Port Ellen, making this a truly pure example of what the distillery can produce, and a rare one at that.

While it takes a great distillery to produce a legendary whisky, it equally requires a keen eye, mind and palate to select the right cask, and Samaroli had all of these in spades. Renowned for hand-selecting his own barrels, this one was bottled by the man, widely regarded as a visionary, at the moment his raw talent was crystallising into something spectacular. He released his first bottles in 1979, followed by the acclaimed Flowers series in 1981. Then, just a year later as Samaroli was riding the crest of a wave of excitement and approval, came this, the Laphroaig 1967. The perfect moment. The perfect whisky.

This is bottle number 563 of 720.

Laphroaig 14 Year Old circa 1953 / Carlton Import, US

A spectacular old bottling of Laphroaig single malt from the Isle of Islay.

Aged 14 years and bottled, around 1953 for the US market. This was imported by longtime partners, The Carlton Company of Baltimore, MD.

Yamazaki 1984 Single Cask #WE2005

A stunning thirty-four year old single cask Yamazaki distilled in 1984 and bottled in 2018.

Rumoured to be one of the last releases in Suntory's single cask series.

Yamazaki 1984 Suntory Vintage Malt

This is a 1984 vintage single malt whisky from Yamazaki distillery.

Part of the Suntory Vintage Malt series that aimed to bottle a whiskies to be enjoyed by those with sentimental attachments to the years in which they were distilled.

This was bottled in 2005.

Laphroaig 1970 Samaroli

A truly legendary Laphroaig, distilled in 1970 and bottled in 1986 by R.W. Duthie for Silvano 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.

Emmanuel Dron, whisky collector and owner of the Auld Alliance bar has stated that, \"if I had to bring only one bottle to a desert island, it would be [this] Laphroaig 1970 bottled in 1986.\" This is part of the 'Distillery Drawing' collection of Laphroaig bottlings from Samaroli, which includes the legendary 1967 Sherry Cask.

Bottle number 694 of only 720 produced.

Laphroaig 1974 Sherry Cask 31 Year Old

A legendary official release of Laphroaig, distilled in 1974 and bottled 31 years later for La Maison Du Whisky.

This stunning whisky was limited to only 910 bottles and is renowned for its incredible sherry influence.

Another highly acclaimed and award-winning whisky, this was given an impressive 95 points from Serge Valentin on WhiskyFun, not to mention its Gold Medal and Non Plus Ultra award from the Malt Maniacs!

Bottle number 288 of 910

Yamazaki 1984 Single Cask #WM002 / Sherry Butt

A stunning distillery bottling of 18 year old sherry matured Yamazaki. Bottled at cask strength from a sherry butt stored at the Suntory Ohmi Ageing Cellar, this bottle is number 14 of 324

Part of the The Cask of Yamazaki series.

Yamazaki 25 Year Old

As we all know, Yamazaki has ascended into the position of one of the most desirable and sought after whiskies in the world.

This 25 year old is matured exclusively in the finest Oloroso sherry casks and presented in a very elegant, simple box.

Bottle number 12579.

Yamazaki 25 Year Old

As we all know, Yamazaki has ascended into the position of one of the most desirable and sought after whiskies in the world.

This 25 year old is matured exclusively in the finest Oloroso sherry casks and presented in a very elegant, simple box.

Bottle number 27977.

Yamazaki 25 Year Old

As we all know, Yamazaki has ascended into the position of one of the most desirable and sought after whiskies in the world.

This 25 year old is matured exclusively in the finest Oloroso sherry casks and presented in a very elegant, simple box.

Bottle number 23689.

Yamazaki 25 Year Old

As we all know, Yamazaki has ascended into the position of one of the most desirable and sought after whiskies in the world.

This 25 year old is matured exclusively in the finest Oloroso sherry casks and presented in a very elegant, simple box.

Yamazaki 25 Year Old

As we all know, Yamazaki has ascended into the position of one of the most desirable and sought after whiskies in the world.

This 25 year old is matured exclusively in the finest Oloroso sherry casks and presented in a very elegant, simple box.

Yamazaki 25 Year Old

As we all know, Yamazaki has ascended into the position of one of the most desirable and sought after whiskies in the world.

This 25 year old is matured exclusively in the finest Oloroso sherry casks and presented in a very elegant, simple box.

Laphroaig 1966 Signatory Vintage 31 Year Old

A spectacular Laphroaig, distilled on 4th April 1966 and bottled 31 years later on 15th May 1997.

Matured in cask #1094, this is bottle number 2 of 210. 

Ardbeg 1972 Kingsbury 28 Year Old / Hand Writing

This is a fantastic independently bottled Ardbeg, from Japan's Kingsbury.

Kingsbury are Japan's most sought after independent bottler. They were founded in 1989 by Eaglesome, the high-end deli in Campbeltown that was purchased by J & A Mitchell & Co of Springbank distillery, and turned into one of the region's finest whisky merchants. They initially bottled Kingsbury's exclusively for the Japanese market using their Cadenhead's stock, before the label was acquired by native firm, the Japanese Import System. They have released a number of some of the most collectible whiskies, including a Bowmore 1966, and two dark sherry casked Ardbeg.

This is part of a beautifully labelled series called Hand Writing, perhaps an affectionate nod to a similar Samaroli series around 10 years earlier?

Distilled in 1972 and bottled at natural cask strength after 28 years.

Ardbeg 1974 Provenance 4th Release 75cl / US Import

One of the legendary Ardbeg Provenance bottlings, distilled in 1974 and matured for around 25 years before bottling in September 2000.

This is the hard to come by 4th release in the series, and was exclusive to the US and Asian markets.

These whiskies are highly acclaimed and desirable, including certificate and tartan insert.

Bottle number 6086.

Ardbeg 1974 Samaroli 15 Year Old

One of two releases of a 1974 vintage Ardbeg bottled for Silvano Samaroli. At 240 bottles, this is the much rarer of the two.

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 in pantheon of whisky greats.

This bottling was bottled for Samaroli in Scotland by R.W. Duthie & Co. in 1990, and is bottle number 97.

Longrow 1973 Samaroli Natural Strength

A 1973 vintage bottling of Longrow, the peated single malt produced by Springbank distillery in Campbeltown. This was independently bottled for Samaroli at a natural strength of 53%.

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.

Longrow is one of the enduring testaments to Samaroli's genius. He was one of the spirit's earliest champions, bottling much of it in the 1980s. Longrow has since become very highly regarded amongst whisky connoisseurs.

The 1973 vintage is the first year Longrow was ever produced, and this 1985 bottling by R.W. Duthie for Samaroli is his first release of this peated Sprinbank-produced dram.

Bottle 826 of 960.

Laphroaig 12 Year Old Prime Malt Selection No.1

A fantastic old bottling of Laphroaig for the US market.

Bottled at 12 years old by Munro Watson & Co. and imported to the US by Hartley & Parker, CN.

Ardbeg 1975 Intertrade 13 Year Old Sherry Wood

A stunning vintage Ardbeg, distilled on 26th June 1975 and bottled at cask strength on 13th July 1988 for Intertrade.

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.

This is one of two cask strength 1975 vintage Arbeg bottled for Fiori. This sherry cask by Gordon & MacPhail, and another from a new oak hogshead.

Bottle number 444 of 543.

Yamazaki 1995 Owner's Cask #5J3020 / LMDW

Single cask Yamazaki are very rare and hard to find these days, particularly those with such a dark rich colour.

A single cask distilled in Japan in 1995 and matured in a single sherry butt #5J3020 until bottled exclusively for La Maison Du Whisky in 2010.

Bottle number 249.

Sure to be an absolute delight! 

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2011

Matured in Oloroso sherry casks for between 12 and 15 years , this whisky won 'Best Whisky in the World' according to Jim Murray and his Whisky Bible in the year it was released.

Approx 16,000 bottles were released.

Laphroaig 10 Year Old 1970s / Bonfanti Import​

An older bottling of Laphroaig from the 1970s, prior to the granting of the royal warrant.

Bonfanti import for the Italian market.

Lagavulin 1991 Single Cask / Bicentenary​ 

A single cask Lagavulin released in 2016 to celebrate their bicentenary year.

One of 522 bottled from a single hand-selected ex-sherry butt.

Bottle number 292. 

Ardbeg 1975 Single Cask #4718

Vintage Ardbeg is a rare find these days and we are lucky to offer this 1975 vintage.

Sing sherry cask #4718 was filled on 26th December 1975 and bottled 20th October 1999

Bottle number 8 of 238.

Ardbeg 1976 Single Cask #2392

Distilled in 1976 and matured for 24 years in a sherry butt #2392.

This bottle was hand-bottled at cask strength by distillery manager Stuart Thomson and is number 526 of 528 bottles.

Ardbeg 1976 Single Cask #2394

A very highly sought after Ardbeg, distilled on 24th November 1976 and bottled on 18th July 2000.

Exclusively bottled by hand for the Ardbeg Committee this single cask sherry butt yielded only 466 bottles, this is bottle number 441.

Signed by Stuart Thomson.

Ardbeg 1992 Single Cask #2780

A single cask Ardbeg, distilled on 1972 and bottled at over 30 years old on 2004.

Bottle number 160 of 216 drawn from single cask #2781, a bourbon hogshead.

Yamazaki 2003 SMWS 11 Year Old 119.10

\"I wish it could be Christmas every day\"

A single cask offering from Suntory's Yamazaki distillery, bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Matured in a first-fill Spanish oak sherry butt.

One of 465 bottles. 

Ardbeg 1974 Single Cask #2740

A Single Cask Ardbeg filled on 14th June 1974 and bottled at cask strength 29 years later, on the 11th August 2003

Cask No.2740, one of 120 bottles.

Ardbeg 1973 Single Cask #1143

Vintage Ardbeg is a rare commodity these days and we are lucky to offer this 1973 vintage single cask.

Distilled on the 16th of March 1973 and bottled on the 22nd of December 2006 from single bourbon hogshead #1143.

Bottle Number 48 of 216.

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2009 / First Release

The original release of Yamazaki sherry cask, released back in 2009.

Matured in Oloroso sherry casks for between 12 and 15 years , the 2013 bottling recently won 'Best Whisky in the World' according to Jim Murray and his Whisky Bible.