May 2018 Auction

Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald 1956 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 the Fall of 1956 and bottled in 1966.

Distilled by Julian Van Winkle I at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery, and bottled a year after his death by his son, Van Winkle II.

Presented in a felt lined, lock-and-key leather box with two 1 oz. glasses.

Very Very Old Fitzgerald 1966 Bonded 12 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 the Spring of 1966 and bottled in 1978.

Distilled by Julian Van Winkle II at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery.

Vintage Rye 23 Year Old

A well-aged Kentucky rye at 23 years old. This was produced at Willett by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers using very similar bottles and labels to that on the Very Olde St. Nick, and may have been similarly distilled at Heaven Hill.

Very Olde St. Nick 20 Year Old Barrel Proof

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

This Very, Very Rare, Ancient Reserve is 20 winters, or 240 moons old and was bottled at a barrel proof of 116.4.

Japanese Import

Very Olde St. Nick 17 Year Old Cask Strength

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

This Very Very Olde and Rare 17 year old was bottled at a cask strength of 116.2 US proof.

Japanese Import

Very Olde St. Nick 1973 Ancient Estate Reserve 25 Year Old

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

This Ancient Estate Reserve was distilled on 19th December 1973 and bottled on the 29th of April 1999.

Bottle #494

Japanese Import

Very Old Fitzgerald 1960 Bonded 8 Year Old Half Pint / Stitzel-Weller

We don't see vintage Old Fitzgerald very often, so we are particularly excited about this bottle which was distilled in the Fall of 1960 and bottled in 1968.

Distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery by Julien Van Winkle I, and bottled a few years after his death by his son, Van Winkle II.

Vintage Bourbon 17 Year Old

A well-aged Kentucky bourbon at 17 years old. This was produced at Willett by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers using very similar bottles and labels to that on the Very Olde St. Nick, and may have been similarly distilled at Heaven Hill.

Very Olde St. Nick 1974 Ancient Estate Reserve 23 Year Old

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

This Ancient Estate Reserve was distilled on 9th September 1974 and bottled on the 14th of October 1999, although is labelled at a 23 year old.

Bottle #19

Japanese Import

Very Olde St. Nick 1974 Ancient Estate Reserve 24 Year Old

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

This Ancient Estate Reserve was distilled on 9th September 1974 and bottled on the 14th of October 1998.

Bottle #259

Japanese Import

Very Olde St. Nick 24 Year Old Ancient Estate Reserve​

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

Japanese Import

Very Olde St. Nick 17 Year Old Rare Bourbon

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

Japanese Import

Ichiro's Malt & Grain Takashimaya Blend / 180th Anniversary

An exclusive blend produced by Ichiro Akuto - the owner of Chichibu distillery, and the man responsible for bringing Hanyu and Karuizawa casks to the market.

This blend was produced for Takashimaya - a Japanese department store chain with outlets throughout Pacific Asia -  for their 180th anniversary and is a blend of grain whisky from the closed Kawasaki distillery with malt whisky from either Hanyu or Chichibu.  There is no age statement, but this bottle was released in the autumn of 2011.

Bottle No. 6 of only 500.

Ichiro`s Malt Gasai Cask Strength Blend / Hanyu and Chichibu

A cask strength vatting of the closed Japanese distillery of Hanyu with that of the relatively young distillery of Chichibu, where this whisky was matured, married and bottled.

Bottled exclusively for the Isetan Mitsukoshi group of Japanese department stores.

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

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

Produced in very limited quantities by Buffalo Trace distillery.

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

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

Produced in very limited quantities by Buffalo Trace distillery.

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

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

Produced in very limited quantities by Buffalo Trace distillery.

Imperial 1979 SMWS 11 Year Old 65.2​

Imperial distilled in October 1979 and matured for 11 years until being bottled in July 1991. 

Bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. 

Very Olde St Nick Lot 12 Ancient Cask Bourbon

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

Japanese Import

Vega 1977 North Star 40 Year Old

A limited edition 40 year old blended malt whisky produced by North Star ltd.

Distilled in October 1977 and bottled in January 2018

One of only 400 bottles, bottled at cask strength.

Vega 1977 North Star 40 Year Old

A limited edition 40 year old blended malt whisky produced by North Star ltd.

Distilled in October 1977 and bottled in January 2018

One of only 400 bottles, bottled at cask strength.

Very Olde St Nick Lot 12 Ancient Cask Bourbon

Very Olde St Nick was a bourbon brand designed for the Japanese export market.

The original bottlings of Very Olde St Nick were produced by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg, using whiskey procured from Heaven Hill distillery. When his stock ran out, the brand was purchased by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers who began to bottle it at Willett distillery. Although the supply for for these newer releases has never been confirmed as continuing to be Heaven Hill stock, it is where most of KBD barrels were procured from, and Van Winkle himself has strongly hinted at the continued connection.

Vega 1977 North Star 40 Year Old

A limited edition 40 year old blended malt whisky produced by North Star ltd.

Distilled in October 1977 and bottled in January 2018

One of only 400 bottles, bottled at cask strength.

Ichiro's Malt and Grain Limited Edition​

A blended whisky produced by the celebrated Ichiro Akuto. 

This is his World Blended Whisky. 

Irish Single Malt #1 That Boutique-y Whisky Company 24 Year Old Batch #1

The first Irish whisk(e)y to be bottled by That Boutique-y Whisky Company / Master of Malt.

One of 264 bottles.

Imperial 1989 Carn Mor / Celebration of the Cask

A single cask Imperial, distilled in December 1989 and matured in bourbon barrel #2892.

One of 200 bottled on 26th July 2017 by Carn Mor as part of their Celebration of the Cask series.

Irish Single Malt #1 That Boutique-y Whisky Company 24 Year Old Batch #1

The first Irish whisk(e)y to be bottled by That Boutique-y Whisky Company / Master of Malt.

One of 264 bottles.

I.W. Harper President's Reserve Decanter

The I.W is named after Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who founded the brand. With his brother he helped establish Louisville, Kentucky as a centre for Bourbon production. 

This President's Reserve bottling is a great example of a well aged Bourbon. Although Bernheim is now owned by Heaven Hill, Diageo continued to produce the brand using whisky distilled there. It was aged in Stizel-Weller warehouses and then bottled at their George Dickel plant at Cascade Hollow in Tennessee.

Islay Mist 8 Year Old 1980s / Laphroaig

Islay Mist was originally created on Islay in 1922 to celebrate the 21st birthday of Lord Margadale.

The theory was that the intensity of the Islay malts might be too much for all the guests to handle, so some Speyside whisky and a grain whisky were blended with some Islay malts to create Islay Mist.

Bottled by D Johnston, who owned Laphroaig at the time so there a good chance this bottle contains some lovely 1970s/80s single malt from the distillery.

Imperial 1995 Signatory Vintage 21 Year Old Cask Strength

Distilled in 18th September 1995 and bottled on 13th January 2017, this closed speyside is gaining a lot of attention!

Matured in two hogsheads #50250+50251

One of 429.

Invergordon 1972 The Whisky Angel 43 Year Old

Distilled in 1972 and matured for 43 years until being bottled on the 26th of April 2016.

35cl.

Ichiro's Malt Mizunara Wood Reserve

Rumored to be a vatting of the closed Japanese distillery of Hanyu with that of the relatively young distillery of Chichibu, where this whisky was matured, married and bottled.

The whiskies were matured in Mizunara Oak casks (Japanese Oak). 

Given that this was first released in 2010 and and Hanyu has become thinner on the ground since, we can only assume the Hanyu content has or will eventually be removed.

When that will happen or if it has already happened is unclear.