May 2018 Auction

Old Rip Van Winkle 12 Year Old Old Time Rye / Rinaldi Import

The old style Rip Van Winkle 12 Year Old which is extremely rare. This was bottled in 1997 using whisky from Medley distillery and bottled by Julien Van Winkle III in Lawrenceburg. The following year, the same reserves were bottled as the 13 year old Family Reserve Rye, which became an annual release with the same age statement, despite continuing to age in cask for a further five years before being tanked at 19 years old in 2004. Later releases of Van Winkle rye are blended with Bernheim's Cream of Kentucky, and Buffalo Trace distilled whiskey, making this original release incredibly sought after.

As popular and impressive as the older members of this legendary family of whiskies.

This 70cl was imported to the US market by Fratelli Rinaldi.

Old Vandegrift 1917 Pure Whisky 1 Pint / Pre-Prohibition​

This was distilled in the Spring of 1917 at Hammond Distillery in Indiana, and was presumably some of their last whiskey given they were forced to close down when Prohibition was enacted in April that year.

Hammond Distillery has an infamous subsequent history of association with illicit bootlegging and smuggling, attributed to none other than Al Capone.

The whiskey used for this was likely saved from the hands of prohibition gangland by the Pennsylvania Distillery Inc, who bonded it in New York and bottled it in 1934 under a special medicinal license, despite the fact prohibition had already been repealed a year earlier.

Talisker 1951 Gordon and MacPhail 21 Year Old​ / Pinerolo​

This Talisker was distilled on Skye in 1951 and bottled as 21 year old by Gordon and MacPhail using their Connoisseur's Choice branding in the 1970s.

Bottle number 293.

Pinerolo Italian Import. These particular bottlings all scored between 90 and 94 points when reviewed by Serge Valentin for Whiskyfun.com. Very impressive indeed!

Please note condition of lot as shown, including Italian and British Tax Stamps.

The liquid in this particular bottle has been carbon dated by Oxford University's Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. The information corresponds with the vintage of this bottling. A pdf copy of the certificate is available on request.​

Old Heaven Hill 28 Year Old / Japanese Import

An old Japanese import of some impressively aged Kentucky bourbon.

Bottled in the very early 1990s at 28 years old, this is named Old Heaven Hill, and was distilled (although they could not have known at the time) what is now Old Heaven Hill distillery. The original Heaven Hill site would tragically burn down around 5 years after this was produced.

A new Heaven Hill distillery was then established through the purchase and renaming of Bernheim distillery from United Distillers.

Talisker 1953 Gordon and MacPhail 24 Year Old​ / Pinerolo​

This Talisker was distilled on Skye in 1953 and bottled as 24 year old by Gordon and MacPhail using their Connoisseur's Choice branding in the 1970s.

Bottle number 1725.

Pinerolo Italian Import. These particular bottlings all scored between 90 and 94 points when reviewed by Serge Valentin for Whiskyfun.com. Very impressive indeed!

Please note condition of lot as shown, including Italian and British Tax Stamps.

The liquid in this particular bottle has been carbon dated by Oxford University's Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit. The information corresponds with the vintage of this bottling. A pdf copy of the certificate is available on request.

Taketsuru 25 Year Old Pure Malt

A very rare bottling of Taketsuru, originally introduced in 2012 this blended malt contains casks from Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries.

It is extremely limited and only 120 bottles were available throughout Europe, this bottle was released in Asia. 

Old Fitzgerald Bonded 6 Year Old Classic Decanter / Stitzel-Weller​

We don't see vintage Old Fitzgerald very often, so we are particularly excited about this bottle which was distilled and bottled at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery, before it closed and production of 'Old Fitz' was moved to Heaven Hill. 

The distillation date on the tax seal is badly faded, however the bottling date appears to be 1972, making the distillation year roughly 1966, consistent with other examples of this bottle. If this is the date, the whiskey was likely barreled by Julien Van Winkle II, who took over as master distiller following the death of his father in 1965.

Imported to the Italian market by D&C, Bologna.

Oban 16 Year Old Manager's Dram Bicentenary 1994

The Manager’s Dram series of whiskies were bottled exclusively for employees of what is now known as Diageo.  These whiskies were selected by the respective distillery managers within Diageo malt distilling and bottled at natural cask strength.

Bottled to celebrate Oban’s 200th anniversary, 1794 – 1994  this 16 year old was released exclusively from sherry casks by distillery manager John William and his employees listed on the rear of the bottle.

Bottled July 1994.

Taketsuru 25 Year Old Pure Malt

A very rare bottling of Taketsuru, originally introduced in 2012 this blended malt contains casks from Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries.

It is extremely limited and only 120 bottles were available throughout Europe, this bottle was released in Asia. 

Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Old Prime Bourbon Half Pint 1970s

A popular bourbon produced at Stitzel Weller distillery. This is an older bottling of the 7 year old product from the 1970's. At this time the distillery was still run by the Van Winkle family and this would have been barreled by Julien Van Winkle II.

The Old Fitzgerland brand is now owned and produced by Heaven Hill, with these older Stitzel-Weller productions becoming real collector's items.

Old Weller Antique Original 107 Brand 7 Year Old 1980s

W L Weller is the original wheated bourbon, produced at the famous Stitzel-Weller distillery.

Imported for the Italian market.

Old Parr Elizabethan / includes The Golden Age Book

A very rare and stunning bottle of Old Parr Elizabethan, presented in a hand blown bottle, each side showing a different historical figure; Thomas Parr, James I, Elizabeth I and Henry VIII.

Bottled to commemorate the Elizabethan era of British history.

Only 252 bottles of this elegant decanter were produced.

Lot includes a hardbacked book called The Golden Age, with brief chapters on Elizabethan music, literature and sport, among others.

Tullibardine 1966 

Distilled in 1966 and bottled in April 2006 from a single sherry butt.

Cask #1112 yielded 436 bottles.

Old Fitzgerald 6 Year Old 1970s

A popular bourbon produced at Stitzel Weller distillery. This is an older bottling of the 6 year old product from the 1970s. At this time the distillery was still run by the Van Winkle family and this would have been barreled by Julien Van Winkle II.

86 Proof as 100 proof was not a requirement for bottles exported out of the United States.

Bottle in bond for export.

Orphan Barrel Old Blowhard 26 Year Old ​

Part of the Diageo's Orphan Barrel series which is produced from casks of Bourbon that have been forgotten about in the many Rickhouses and Distilleries that cover the United States.

This bottle consists of liquid rescued from the Stitzel-Weller warehouse but apparently distilled at Bernheim. 

Talisker 1979 Cadenhead's Cask Strength

A legendary single cask Talisker distilled in 1979 and bottled by Cadenhead's at cask strength.

Bottle number 185.

Cask #4.

Old Fitzgerald 10 Year Old 1849 Bourbon 1970s

A premium bourbon currently distilled at Heaven Hill, and highly rated by Dave Broom in Whisky Mag. This 1970's bottling however would have been distilled and bottled at the old Stitzel-Weller distillery.

Imported for the Italian market.

Otard 1917 Vintage Cognac​

​A very old Cognac, distilled in 1917 and bottled at some point in the 1960's or 70's by Threlfalls Ltd of Liverpool.

Old Fitzgerald 1849

A premium bourbon distilled at Heaven Hill and highly rated by Dave Broom in Whisky Mag.

Japanese import.

Old Fettercairn 1978 30 Year Old​

Part of a series of very well aged bottlings from this lesser known Highland distillery. 

Distilled on 25th October 1978 and bottled 30 years later. 

Tomintoul 1966 Stillman's Dram 33 Year Old​ 75cl / US Import

An independently bottled Tomintoul, part of Invergordon Distillers' The Stillman's Dram series.

Distilled in 1996 and matured for 33 years in single cask #4176 until 200.

One of 438 bottles, this is number 2.

Talisker 1982 Cask Strength 20 Year Old

A 1982 vintage cask strength Talisker that was matured in Bourbon casks, and bottled at 20 years old in 2003. A really under-rated dram.

One of 12,000 bottles.

Uitvlugt 1996 Modified GS 18 Year Old Guyanan Rum 

Bonded in 1996 and bottled July 2014 from four barrels.

One of 1,124 bottles.

Old Pulteney 1982 Sherry Wood Cask 15 Year Old #1525​

A single cask Old Pulteney, distilled in December 1982 and matured for 15 years in sherry cask #1525.

Specially selected by distillery manager, Don Raitt and bottled in March 2008.

Bottle number 521.

Tamdhu 1963 50 Year Old Miniature 5cl

This incredible single malt scotch whisky was drawn from a single first-fill European oak Sherry butt which was filled in November 1963​ and bottled 50 years later, making this the oldest ever Tamdhu to be released!

Tamdhu is always matured in sherry casks, the rarest of which can often at best hold the liquid for 25 years. To have yielded 100 bottles after 50 years, cask #4678 must have been something truly special, and the whisky it produced equally so.

Speaking of the cask, Leonard Russel, managing director of Tamdhu owners Ian MacLeod distillers said:

\"There was a time, before we bought and reopened Tamdhu, when some thought it was gone forever. This cask, which may never have been released had the distillery remained closed, can be now opened and savoured, and that is something we want to celebrate.\"

This lot is the 5cl miniature that was included with the full sized bottles, these miniatures were released without a seal.

Tamnavulin 33 Year Old Stillman's Dram

A Tamnavulin, bottled by Invergordon Distillers for the Stillman's Dram range at 33 year old. 

Overholt '1810' Straight Rye Whiskey 1970s / Giovinetti Import​

This brand of Rye whiskey is very old, established as the label suggests, over 150 years ago.

This was produced in Pennsylvania at the Old Overholt Distillery by National Distillers. The brand is now bottled by Fortune Brands (owners of Jim Beam) in Kentucky.

Imported to the Italian market by Gioventti, Milan.

Talisker 1982 Cask Strength 20 Year Old

A 1982 vintage cask strength Talisker that was matured in Bourbon casks, and bottled at 20 years old in 2003. A really under-rated dram.

One of 12,000 bottles.

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old

The 10 year old rom the Van Winkle range, this is the entry level edition. Absolutely stonking!

As popular and impressive as the older members of this legendary family of whiskies.

Orphan Barrel Lost Prophet 22 Year Old 

From the Orphan Barrel Website: 

 \"Lost Prophet speaks softly but carries a big stick. Eloquent and gentle, this Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was unearthed after spending 22 long years resting in charred American white oak barrels, tucked away in a corner of the historic Stitzel-Weller rickhouses in Shively, Kentucky. Only a small amount of Lost Prophet exists and it will only be released once. After the last bottle has been sold, it's gone for good, its nomadic journey coming to an end.\"

Timorous Beastie 40 Year Old

A very well-aged Highland vatted malt, bottled at natural cask strength.

Produced by Douglas Laing and Co Ltd.

This is one of 1080.

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old

From the Van Winkle range this is the entry level edition. Absolutely stonking!

As popular and impressive as the older members of this legendary family of whiskies.