March 2019 Auction

Port Ellen 1983 Scott's Selection

Distilled in 1983, the final year of production at Islay's iconic Port Ellen distillery.

This classic Islay malt was bottled at natural cask strength by Robert Scott & Co in 2001.

Port Ellen 1976 First Cask 18 Year Old

An independent bottling from Direct Wines, part of their First Cask series.

Distilled at the closed Port Ellen distillery on Islay on 18th September 1976 and bottled as an 18 year old.

This is bottle number 104, which was drawn from cask #4777.

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old 90 Proof

The 10 year old Handmade Bourbon is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to move bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2011 bottling and one of the early releases using the tall cognac-style bottles re-introduced in 2010. It is also bottled at the unusual lower 90 US proof for the export market.

Laser code: N2731110:56

Oban 1968 Gordon and MacPhail 17 Year Old / Meregalli Import

A desirable independent bottling of Oban, distilled in 1968 and bottled as a 17 year old by Gordon & MacPhail.

Part of the long-running Connoisseurs Choice range.

Imported by Meregalli, who remain the official Italian distributor for Gordon & MacPhail to this day.

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.

Port Ellen 1982 Gordon and MacPhail 25 Year Old

This Port Ellen was distilled in September 1982 and bottled in November 2007 by Gordon and MacPhail as part of their Connoisseurs Choice range. 

Matured in a refill sherry butts.

Port Ellen 1983 Scott's Selection

Distilled in 1983, the final year of production at Islay's iconic Port Ellen distillery.

This classic Islay malt was bottled at natural cask strength by Robert Scott & Co in 1998.

Old W.L. Weller 7 Year Old Special Reserve Half Pint 1971 / Stitzel-Weller

An older 'Special Reserve' release of the original wheated bourbon.

This was likely distilled in the early 1960s when Stitzel-Weller was still under the management of the legendary Julien 'Pappy' Van Winkle. It was bottled in 1971 by his son, Julian II, just a year before the distillery was sold to Somerset Imports with the Van Winkle family departing the business for good.

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old

The 10 year old Handmade Bourbon is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to move bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2017 bottling.

Bottling code is B1705508:347

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old

The 10 year old Handmade Bourbon is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to mov e bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2017 bottling.

Bottling code is B1705308:017

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old

The 10 year old Handmade Bourbon is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to mov e bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2016 bottling.

Bottling code is B1618308:254

Pure Single Malt 1964 Berry Brothers and Rudd / Soc. Best Import

A bit of a rarity, this 1964 mystery single male was bottled by BBR in 1975 and imported to Italy by Society \"Best\" Milan.

Old Pulteney 1983 Vintage

Distilled in 1983 this Old Pulteney single malt was initially matured in American oak before being finished in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks.

Bottled in the classic still-shaped bottle, the liquid boasts a truly stunning rich colour.

Port Ellen 1983 Signatory Vintage 14 Year Old

This is a Port Ellen bottled by Signatory Vintage, distilled on 16th March 1983 and matured in butts #266 and #690.

Bottled on 31st July 1997. 

Port Ellen 1983 Signatory Vintage 13 Year Old

Port Ellen bottled by Signatory Vintage, distilled on the 20th January 1983 and matured in butt #24 before bottling in November 1996. 

This is bottle number 801 of 830.

Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 24 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

Diageo plan's to release one batch of this series per year to show the effect of maturation time. The process began in 2014 with this 20 year old release.

The whisky was distilled somewhere in Kentucky, but like all Orphan Barrel releases, was bottled at Cascade Hollow distillery in Tennessee.

Old Taylor Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1970s / Cinzano Import

A 1970s produced bourbon from Old Taylor distillery, built by Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr, grand-nephew of former US president Zachary Taylor, and generally considered to be the father of modern bourbon. E.H. Taylor is also referred to as Colonel Taylor due to his holding of the honourary title of Kentucky Colonel. He shares the title with many famous sons of Kentucky, perhaps none more so than a famous fried chicken vender though....

This would have been distilled and bottled by National Distillers at the long defunct Old Taylor Castle distillery in Frankfort.

National Distillers and their portfolio was acquired by Jim Beam in 1987, who then sold the Old Taylor brand to the Sazerac company in 2009. They now produce it at Buffalo Trace. The Old Taylor distillery was re-opened in 2016 as Castle & Key, but has no affiliation to its former name or brands.

Cinzano import for the Italian market.

Preston's Jameson 10 Year Old Half Bottle 1960s

​Bottled before Grants of Ireland took over Preston's in 1964, this whisky was distilled at the Bow Street distillery in Dublin.

Old Grand-Dad 114 Barrel Proof Bourbon

Featuring the image of Basil Hayden, Old Grand-dad is a classic of the bourbon world. 

This was bottled in the early 1990s and distilled at at the Old Grand-dad distillery in Frankfort.

Jim Beam purchased National Distillers in 1987. Old Grand-dad is now silent, although Beam continue to use it as a warehouse for ageing barrels, and they still sell Old Grand-dad as part of their \"The Olds\" bottlings with Old Overholt and Old Crow.

Port Ellen 1979 Gordon and MacPhail Spirit of Scotland

Another gem from the silent stills of Port Ellen distillery on Islay.

Distilled in 1979 and bottled by Gordon and MacPhail under their Speymalt guise as part of the Spirit of Scotland series.

Old Crow Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1.94 Litre 1960s

Old Crow is one of Kentucky's earliest bourbon brands, created in the 1830's by Scottish immigrant, James C. Crow, Master Distiller at the Old Oscar Pepper distillery. He pioneered the use of scientific methods to ensure continuity in the quality of his whiskey. The brand was purchased by W.A. Gaines who opened the Old Crow distillery. Both were then procured by National Distillers during prohibition, who produced the brand until 1987 when they were purchased by Jim Beam who shut the distillery and moved production to their Clermont facility.

This is the National Distillers era version, bottled in the 1960s.

Rumour has it, in the process of enlarging the Old Crow distillery in the 1960s, National Distillers accidentally altered the percentage of setback they were using to condition the mash there, altering the flavour of the final bourbon. Production was required in such volume at such pace that it was nearly 20 years before the error could be rectified. This is likely some of the last bourbon to be distilled prior to that incident and will be well worth investigating.

Old Pulteney 1982 Gordon and MacPhail

An independently bottled Old Pulteney from Gordon and MacPhail.

Distilled in 1982 and bottled in 2014

Oban Bay Reserve Game of Thrones 3 x 70cl / The Night's Watch

A special release of Oban single malt.

Diageo's 2018 collaboration with HBO sees their Classic Malts range reimagined as being somehow related to the landed houses of the Game of Thrones television series.

It may be tenuous, but we love it all the same. 

This lot has a shipping fee for 3 bottles. 

Parker's Heritage Collection Master Distiller's Blend of Mashbills

The Parker's Heritage Collection from Heaven Hill is always highly anticipated. This is the sixth edition in the artisan series and has been created using a blend of all the different mashbills that comprised the first five releases.

The bourbon used to produce this has been ageing in Heaven Hill warehouses since 2001.

Old Pulteney 1985 Single Cask #202 / Travel Retail Exclusive

​A fantastic Old Pulteney single cask, distilled in 1985 and bottled exclusively for travel retail in 2017.

Bottle number 139 of only 168.

Port Dundas 1974 Creative Whisky Co 43 Year Old

This Port Dundas was distilled in June 1974 and matured in refill hogshead #71704. 

One of 228 bottles. 

Old Pulteney 1977 Duncan Taylor 29 Year Old

Distilled in July 1977 and bottled November 2006 by Duncan Taylor. 

This is bottle number 30 of 205. 

Prometheus 26 Year Old Speyside Single Malt / Cache 1

A single cask Speyside single malt bottled by the Singular Fine & Rare Whiskies company, a subdivision of the Glasgow distillery.

Glasgow distillery is still new, only releasing its first single malt in 2018. The source of this independent bottling is undisclosed, but is heavily rumoured to be a Macallan.

The Cache 1 release is a 26 year old, and was followed by Cache 2 at 27 years old.

Prometheus 26 Year Old Speyside Single Malt / Cache 1

A single cask Speyside single malt bottled by the Singular Fine & Rare Whiskies company, a subdivision of the Glasgow distillery.

Glasgow distillery is still new, only releasing its first single malt in 2018. The source of this independent bottling is undisclosed, but is heavily rumoured to be a Macallan.

The Cache 1 release is a 26 year old, and was followed by Cache 2 at 27 years old.

Old Pulteney 1989 Lightly Peated

An award winning whisky, the Old Pulteney 1989 achieved the title of World's Best Single Malt from the 2016 World Whisky Awards, which are awarded by Whisky Magazine.

This expression was bottled in 2015 at approximately 25 years of age. 

Old Pulteney 15 Year Old Sherry Wood Cask #927

A nice bottling of Old Pulteney single malt, matured in sherry cask number #927.

Distilled in 1982 and bottled at a hefty 60.5%.

Bottle number 324. 

Old Charter 7 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1960s / Summit Import

An old 1960s bottle of Old Charter, produced by Schenley at Bernheim distillery.

Schenley were acquired by United Distillers in 1987, with both the brand and distillery in question here finding new owners in 1999. Diageo sold Bernheim distillery to Heaven Hill, and the Old Charter brand to the Sazerac company, who still produce it at Buffalo Trace today.

This is an Italian import bottling.

Port Dundas 1973 Duncan Taylor 37 Year Old

A single grain whisky from the now closed Port Dundas. Distilled in January 1973 and bottled in December 2010. 

Matured sherry cask.

Bottle number 56 of 374.