March 2019 Auction

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Vintage Rye 21 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.

Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1957 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 1957.

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 in 1970, two years before he was forced to sell to Somerset Imports, with his family departing the business.

These pure Van Winkle era Stitzel-Weller bottlings are rare gems and incredibly sought after, with the \"A Collector's Item\" shoulder label continuing to prove a remarkable piece of foresight.

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.

Very Very Old Fitzgerald 12 Year Old Bonded 100 Proof 1980s / Stitzel-Weller

An old bottling of the 12 year old Very Very Old Fitzgerald for the Italian market.

Bottled around 1987 at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery, at this point operated by United Distillers (now Diageo) and still trading under the name Old Fitzgerald distillery, which the previous owners, Somerset Imports, had changed it to.

The distillery was closed down five years later, making the \"A Collector's Item\" shoulder label, that was formerly present here, a particularly astute proclamation.

Bottled in bond at the requisite 100 US proof.

Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald 1958 Bonded 10 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 1958 and bottled in 1969 at 10 years old.

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

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.

John Jameson and Son's Redbreast 12 Year Old 1968 / Gilbey's

An old bottle of Redbreast 12 year old Irish whiskey, bottled by Gilbey's of Ireland Ltd. 

The practice of merchant bottlings was common throughout Ireland and indeed, many of the most recognisable Irish whiskies today started out as such. Jameson in particular did not officially bottle their own whiskey until 1968, after the Irish Distillers merger with Powers and Cork Distillers. The then Dublin-based distillers offered their products only by the barrel, which is how this Gilbey's bottling came about.

Distilled at the closed Bow Street distillery which ceased production 1971 and now houses the Jameson visitor's centre. 

We estimate this bottle to be from or slightly after 1968 based on the bottle press date.

No strength or capacity stated. 

John Jameson and Son 10 Year Old circa 1936 / A Millar & Co

An old bottle of Jameson 10 year old Irish whiskey, bottled by Adam Millar & Co. in what appears to have been around the 1930s, or possibly earlier. Adam Millar established a distillery at 10-13 Thomas Street in Dublin's Liberties in the 1890s, and despite competition from the much larger Roe distillery across the road, operated until the mid-20th century. The Dublin Civic Trust Thomas Street Study in 2001 however found that wine was being produced on the still these until the late 1970s. The Millars whiskey brand was revived by Cooley distillery in the 1980s.

The practice of merchant bottlings was common throughout Ireland and indeed, many of the most recognisable Irish whiskies today started out as such. Jameson in particular did not officially bottle their own whiskey until 1968, after the Irish Distillers merger with Powers and Cork Distillers. The then Dublin-based distillers offered their products only by the barrel, which is how this bottling came about.

Distilled at the closed Bow Street distillery which ceased production 1971 and now houses the Jameson visitor's centre. 

No strength or capacity stated. 

John Jameson and Son 10 Year Old circa 1966 / P & H Egan

An old bottle of Jameson 10 year old Irish whiskey, bottled by P. & H. Egan of Tullamore. 

The practice of merchant bottlings was common throughout Ireland and indeed, many of the most recognisable Irish whiskies today started out as such. Jameson in particular did not officially bottle their own whiskey until 1968, after the Irish Distillers merger with Powers and Cork Distillers. The then Dublin-based distillers offered their products only by the barrel, which is how this bottling came about.

Distilled at the closed Bow Street distillery which ceased production 1971 and now houses the Jameson visitor's centre. 

We estimate this bottle to be from or slightly after 1966 based on the bottle press date.

No strength or capacity stated. 

John Jameson and Son 10 Year Old circa 1930s/40s / W A Scott

An old bottle of Jameson 10 year old Irish whiskey, bottled by W.A. Scott of O'Curry Street, Kilkee. There's a still a Scott's Bar in the same location today. 

The practice of merchant bottlings was common throughout Ireland and indeed, many of the most recognisable Irish whiskies today started out as such. Jameson in particular did not officially bottle their own whiskey until 1968, after the Irish Distillers merger with Powers and Cork Distillers. The then Dublin-based distillers offered their products only by the barrel, which is how this bottling came about.

Distilled at the closed Bow Street distillery which ceased production 1971 and now houses the Jameson visitor's centre. 

We estimate this bottle to be from around the 1950s, but it may be older.

No strength or capacity stated. 

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.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2007 Edition

A very well respected and rare Jameson, including some of their oldest and rarest vintages. Some of which is pot-still whisky matured in a Port Pipe. 

James Martin 30 Year Old Fine and Rare

A well aged blend produced primarily for the French Market.

Many of the James Martin blends have been highly acclaimed by whisky authors such as Michael Jackson and Dave Broom.

Johnnie Walker Honour

An extremely rare Johnnie Walker. This special edition blend was blended in \"honour\" of the achievements of John Walker, the founder of the World's leading Scotch whisky - Johnnie Walker. 

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve 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 2018 bottling.

Laser code is L181290111:09

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve 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.

Laser code is L172510100:427

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve 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 2016 bottling.

Laser code is B1618219:464

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve 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 2000's, 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.

2008 bottling.

Laser Code: K1230808:39

Very Olde St. Nick Lot 15 Ancient Cask Bourbon

Very Old St Nick is a boutique bourbon brand owned by Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection, Wattie Boone and the Vintage Bourbon and Rye bottles. They have been sourcing bourbon 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 of Old St Nick were contracted to him at his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with in the early 2000s 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 KBD were sourcing most of their whiskey from Heaven Hill.

Although the source of the KBD bottling has never been confirmed, Van Winkle has strongly asserted that these Very Olde St Nick were bottled using Heaven Hill bourbon. Palatella concedes that her company were \"cut off\" by KBD in the 2000s, so it is unclear which Kentucky distillery the source of these more modern bottlings is.

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

Japanese import.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare 1st Edition​ / Brora​

A limited release of Johnnie Walker's most premium brand. The Ghost and Rare blends will focus on Scotland's lost and sorely missed distilleries, with this first release built around malt from the legendary Brora. Other \"Ghosts\" rearing their welcome heads from the annals of whisky history is malt from lost Speyside distillery Pittyvaich and Cambus grain, which closed in 2002 and 1993 respectively.

Given that Brora shut its doors in 1983, we're talking about whisky that was distilled at least 34 years ago!

Speaking of the Ghost and Rare series, master blender Jim Beveridge had the following to say:

“Whiskies from these ghost distilleries are becoming increasingly rare. From our library of irreplaceable casks that we keep exclusively for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, I've chosen a few uniquely full-bodied expressions of these precious malts and grains to let people explore, in a new way, the extraordinary richness found in our pinnacle whisky.”​

Jameson Limited Edition 15 Year Old / US Import 75cl

All Triple distilled pot still whiskey with no grain added, this was created as a special edition for the millennium.

Johnnie Walker Excelsior 75cl

Johnnie Walker Excelsior is an incredibly hard to find Johnnie Walker distilled in 1947 and released at around 50 years old in 1997.