March 2019 Auction

Port Ellen 12 Year Old / Queen's Visit 1980

We are honoured to present at auction one of the most iconic whiskies ever produced, and one of the most sought-after bottlings amongst collectors: the Port Ellen Queen's Visit. 

Thought to be the only official bottling of Port Ellen released while the distillery was active, it was produced to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the island on 9th August 1980. 

The exact number of bottles is unknown, but it is accepted that enough were bottled so that the Queen and all senior staff present on the day could have one. Estimates are that around 40 were made. 

In terms of taste, it was the reputation of being a truly outstanding dram. Indeed, this is the only whisky to score a near-perfect 99/100 on WhiskyFun.com, the highest rating Serge Valentin has ever awarded. 

With it currently being unavailable in even the most specialist of whisky retailers, this is genuinely a 'money can't buy' opportunity for any whisky enthusiast. 

Glass stopper included.

Please note that the strength is not stated. 

Port Ellen 1969 Gordon and MacPhail 15 Year Old Celtic Label / Intertrade Import

A vintage Port Ellen, distilled in 1969 and bottled as a 15 year old, two years after the distillery's closure.

This is part of the Celtic Label series, an Italian exclusive range bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for Italian importers Giuseppe Meregalli, Donini and Nadi Fiori's Intertrade.

This is an Intertrade bottling from 1985. The Intertrade and Donini imports are the rarer bottles, with Meregalli taking over as the sole distributor for Gordon & MacPhail later that year, a relationship which continues to this day.

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.

Johnnie Walker The Directors Blend 2008

Never available at retail, the Johnnie Walker Directors Blends were only given to very important Diageo types. Very few bottles made it to the secondary market and collectors have fought to get hold of these essential parts of Johnnie Walker history.

Bottle number 429 of 450. 

Port Ellen 1981 Casks of Distinction 37 Year Old #1297

Filled into single hogshead #1297 on the 15 April 1981, and then matured for over 37 years. 

One of the oldest bottles of Port Ellen ever released, this is an incredible 37 year old expression and one of only 174 produced.  A rare offering that becomes rarer still when you consider the increasing scarcity of Port Ellen stocks since the distillery closed in 1983. 

The whisky, bottled at 48.9% ABV, has been drawn from single cask #1297, which is part of Diageo's Casks of Distinction programme. Casks of Distinction is the private sale of individual casks of rare and exceptional Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Diageo’s extensive stocks in Scotland. Hand selected by a team of whisky experts under guidance from Master Blender Dr. Craig Wilson, each cask is entirely unique and incredibly rare. Each Cask of Distinction is chosen on the basis of their quality, representing the most exceptional and singular expression of the distillery’s character.

With the announcement of plans to reopen the legendary lost distillery there is hope that in years to come we will once again see outstanding whisky produced at Port Ellen. Until then it is safe to assume that this exceptional 37 Year Old is amongst the last of its kind.

Bottle number 114 of only 174

Port Ellen 1981 Single Cask / Feis Ile 2008

Arguably one of the rarest Port Ellen's around, this official bottling was released for the Feis Ile in 2008 and as you can imagine sold out instantly.

This 1981 vintage is the only official single cask offering from Port Ellen, distilled on 15th April 1981 and bottled in 2008.

This single ex-refill American oak cask #1301 yielded only 220 bottles.

This is bottle number 84.

Port Ellen 1981 Single Cask 33 Year Old #1295

Filled into single hogshead #1295 on the 15 April 1981 and then matured for over 33 years. 

One of the oldest bottles of Port Ellen ever released, this is an incredible 33 year old expression and one of only 210 produced.  A rare offering that becomes rarer still when you consider the increasing scarcity of Port Ellen stocks since the distillery closed in 1983. 

The whisky, bottled at 50.5% ABV, has been drawn from single cask #1295. Released in 2015 this bottling was only made available to World Duty Free.

With the announcement of plans to reopen the legendary lost distillery there is hope that in years to come we will once again see outstanding whisky produced at Port Ellen. Until then it is safe to assume that this exceptional 33 year old is amongst the last of its kind.

John Walker and Sons 30 Year Old Master Blenders Collection / Art Deco Era

This spectacular presentation is part of the John Walker and Sons premium releases from Johnnie Walker.

Part of the Master Blenders Collection, this 30 year old Scotch pays tribute to Sir Alexander Walker, former Master Blender and son of Johnnie himself.

This is the Art Deco Era release, and comes in an exquisite lock and key box with art deco detailing, and a crystal decanter.

One of 1438 bottles.

Released exclusively to Johnnie Walker House stores in the Asian market.

Port Ellen 1981 Single Cask 33 Year Old #1295

Filled into single hogshead #1295 on the 15 April 1981 and then matured for over 33 years. 

One of the oldest bottles of Port Ellen ever released, this is an incredible 33 year old expression and one of only 210 produced.  A rare offering that becomes rarer still when you consider the increasing scarcity of Port Ellen stocks since the distillery closed in 1983. 

The whisky, bottled at 50.5% ABV, has been drawn from single cask #1295. Released in 2015 this bottling was only made available to World Duty Free.

With the announcement of plans to reopen the legendary lost distillery there is hope that in years to come we will once again see outstanding whisky produced at Port Ellen. Until then it is safe to assume that this exceptional 33 year old is amongst the last of its kind.

Port Ellen 1970 Intertrade 16 Year Old Magnum 1.5 Litre

A 16 year old Port Ellen, distilled in December 1970 and bottled by Intertrade in November August 1987. This is one of many vintage Port Ellen bottled by Nadi Fiori with this label style.

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 61 of 240 magnums produced.

This lot has a 2 bottle shipping fee.

Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald 1955 Bonded 10 Year Old 100 Proof / Stitzel-Weller

We don't see vintage Old Fitzgerald very often, so we are particularly excited about this bottle which was distilled in 1955 and bottled in 1965.

Distilled at Stitzel-Weller distillery when it was under the management of the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle and bottled in the year of his death by his son, Julian II who had taken over the year prior.

These pure Van Winkle era Stitzel-Weller bottlings are rare gems and incredibly sought after.

Presented in a lockable fel-lined box with two glasses.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Gods of Wealth Collection 5 x 75cl / Taiwan Edition

The \"Five Gods of Wealth\" in Chinese culture represent wisdom, vision, integrity, fortune, and luck.

Each bottle in this collection depicts a different god, engraved in 18k gold.

Produced to celebrate Lunar New Year, one of only 1000 sets.

This lot has a 5 bottle shipping fee.

Van Winkle 1985 Family Reserve Rye / Un-Chillfiltered European Exclusive

Blink and you might miss it, but this is not the standard 13 year old Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye that at first glance it may appear. Labelled simply as the 1985 vintage, this was released in 2001 when the Family Reserve was actually 15 years old. Although it is commonly known as a 13 year old, the rye actually continued to age in cask until 2004 when it was eventually tanked at Buffalo Trace. 

The Family Reserve Rye is presumed to have been distilled at Medley in Owensboro, with Cream of Kentucky rye from Bernheim blended through it after it was tanked in 2004. More recent bottlings are also expected to contain whiskey distilled at Buffalo Trace. This however is the unblended Medley liquid.

Bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at Old Commonwealth distillery in Lawrenceburg, he has personally confirmed that this un-chillfiltered version was an experiment for the European market, at the request of a French customer. Un-chillfiltering is unheard of with bourbon in the US, but is the preference here. Van Winkle also noted that he believes this release does have some flavour lost in the regular chillfiltered product.

Bottled at the higher strength of 100 proof, this is a particularly rare gem.

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Family Reserve / Stitzel-Weller

The teenager of this family of world renowned American whiskies, now in incredibly high demand!

Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 year old replaced the Old Rip Van Winkle of the same age in 2004. Van Winkle has been bottled at Buffalo Trace since 2002.

This is a pre-2007 Buffalo Trace bottling, meaning it was one of the last 15 Year Old Family Reserves bottled exclusively using stock distilled and barrelled at Stitzel-Weller before it closed in 1992. The Van Winkle family had been continuing to source their bourbon from Stitzel-Weller despite parting ways with the business in 1972.

Pre-2007 releases do not have bottle codes.

Fratelli Rinaldi import.

Van Winkle 1985 Family Reserve Rye / Un-Chillfiltered European Exclusive

Blink and you might miss it, but this is not the standard 13 year old Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye that at first glance it may appear. Labelled simply as the 1985 vintage, this was released in 2001 when the Family Reserve was actually 15 years old. Although it is commonly known as a 13 year old, the rye actually continued to age in cask until 2004 when it was eventually tanked at Buffalo Trace. 

The Family Reserve Rye is presumed to have been distilled at Medley in Owensboro, with Cream of Kentucky rye from Bernheim blended through it after it was tanked in 2004. More recent bottlings are also expected to contain whiskey distilled at Buffalo Trace. This however is the unblended Medley liquid.

Bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at Old Commonwealth distillery in Lawrenceburg, he has personally confirmed that this un-chillfiltered version was an experiment for the European market, at the request of a French customer. Un-chillfiltering is unheard of with bourbon in the US, but is the preference here. Van Winkle also noted that he believes this release does have some flavour lost in the regular chillfiltered product.

Bottled at the higher strength of 100 proof, this is a particularly rare gem.

Bottle number A2580. 

Johnnie Walker Commemorative 1920 Edition

The fifth instalment of Johnnie Walker's Epic Dates Collection the Commemorative 1920 Edition celebrates the year in which Johnnie Walker was shipping to 120 countries across the world.

One of only 540 bottles and is said include whiskies from silent distilleries such as Rosebank.

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 at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Limited to 6,000 bottles, this is number 2196.

Van Winkle 13 Year Old Family Reserve Rye / 1999 Release

As sought after as the other members of this 'family'.

This is bottle A1857, and was released in 1999 when the whiskey was actually now 14 years old, despite the label. The Van Winkle Family reserve rye actually continued to age in cask until 2004 when it was eventually vatted. They are all labelled as 13 years old regardless.

The Family Reserve Rye is presumed to have been distilled at Medley in Owensboro, with Cream of Kentucky rye from Bernheim blended through it after it was tanked in 2004. As of 2018, the rye batches have been distilled and bottled at Buffalo Trace.

Bottled at the Old Commonwealth distillery in Lawrenceburg by Julian Van Winkle III. 

Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1955 Bonded 12 Year Old 86 Proof / Stitzel-Weller

We don't see vintage Old Fitzgerald very often, so we are particularly excited about this bottle which was distilled in the Spring of 1955 and bottled in 1967.

Distilled at the Stitzel-Weller distillery while it was still being run by the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle, and bottled at the distillery by his son, Julian II, who assumed control following his father's death in 1965.

This is an export Bottled in Bond bourbon, allowing it to be filled at a lower 86 US proof, rather than the domestic requirement of 100 proof set out by the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897.

Port Ellen 1983 32 Year Old 15th Release 75cl / US Import​

The fifteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 32 years later in 2015, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Limited to 2964 bottles, this is number 2594.

Port Ellen 1983 32 Year Old 15th Release

The fifteenth edition of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1978 and bottled 32 years later in 2015, bottled at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Limited to 2,964 bottles, this is bottle number 526.

Very Old Fitzgerald 1951 Bonded 8 Year Old / Stitzel-Weller

We don't see vintage Old Fitzgerald very often, so we are particularly excited about this bottle which was distilled in the Spring of 1951 and bottled in 1959.

Distilled at the Stitzel-Weller distillery while it was still being run by the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle, and bottled at the distillery by his son, Julian II, who assumed control following his father's death in 1965.

Bottled in bond.

Port Ellen 1978 31 Year Old 10th Release 

The tenth release of this famed Limited Edition series from Diageo. Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Distilled 1978 and bottled in 2010.

This is bottle 1703 of only 3000.

Port Ellen 1979 28 Year Old 7th Release

The seventh of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 28 years later in 2007, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Bottle number 3720 of 5274. 

Van Winkle 13 Year Old Family Reserve Rye / 2010 Release

As sought after as the other members of this 'family'.

This is bottle B544, and was released in 2010 when the whiskey was actually now 19 years old, despite the label. The Van Winkle Family Reserve rye actually continued to age in cask until 2004 when it was eventually tanked at Buffalo Trace. They are all labelled as 13 years old regardless.

The Family Reserve Rye is presumed to have been distilled at Medley in Owensboro, with Cream of Kentucky rye from Bernheim blended through it after it was tanked in 2004. The rye was the last of the remaining reserves that Julian Van Winkle III warehoused at Buffalo Trace by the time it finally ran out in 2016. A new batch, distilled at Buffalo Trace was first bottled in 2018.

Serial number is M2731018:42

Port Ellen 34 Year Old Hunter Laing Kinship / Feis Ile 2017 - Signed

To celebrate the commencement of the construction of the Ardnahoe distillery on Islay, Hunter Laing has released a selection of 6 bottles called the Kinship collection. Each celebrates a different Islay distillery.

This is Edition 6 and is a well-aged Port Ellen at 34 years old. It was American oak matured and is one of 545 bottles.

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 at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Limited to 6,000 bottles, this is number 4924.

Port Ellen 1979 28 Year Old 7th Release 75cl / US Import

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

The seventh of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases.  Distilled in 1979 and bottled 28 years later in 2007, bottled at cask strength and limited to 5,274 bottles.

Bottle number 626. 

Port Ellen 1979 32 Year Old 11th Release

The eleventh of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 32 years later in 2011 at cask strength. 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Limited to 2,988 bottles, this is bottle 2817.​

Port Ellen 1979 28 Year Old 7th Release

The seventh of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 28 years later in 2007, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

Bottle number 3112 of 5274. 

Port Ellen 1979 30 Year Old 9th Release

The ninth of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 30 years later in 2009, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

This is bottle number 3420 of 5916. 

Port Ellen 1979 30 Year Old 9th Release

The ninth of the incredibly popular Port Ellen annual releases. Distilled in 1979 and bottled 30 years later in 2009, bottled at cask strength.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in 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.

This is bottle number 972 of 5916. 

Vintage Rye 23 Year Old

Vintage Rye is a boutique brand owned by Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection, Wattie Boone and Very Olde St Nick. They have been sourcing whiskey and bottling it for several decades, and they are instantly recognisable from their uniform use of the same cursive script-style typeface. Allied Lomar president, Marci Palatella, was Julian Van Winkle III's agent in the Japanese market for many years, and their early bottlings were contracted to him at his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with the Sazerac company in the early 2000's ended this agreement however, with the production of bottles such as this moved to Willett distillery, where they were bottled by its owners, Evan Kulsveen's Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. The stills at Willett were silent at this point and most of the well-aged rye in the KBD warehouses was the unused Cream of Kentucky distilled by Schenley at Bernheim. This is the same rye that is a constituent in some of the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve and was bottled as early versions of the Sazerac 18 year old at Buffalo Trace.

Allied Lomar opened their own Preservation distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky in 2018.