November 2018 Auction

Bowmore 1973 Cask Strength 20 Year Old / German Exclusive

A very rare bottling of Bowmore, distilled in 1973 and bottled at cask strength 20 years later, exclusively for the German market.

Brora 1972 Gordon and MacPhail Rare Old

One of the legendary 1972 vintage Brora bottlings from Gordon and MacPhail, the majority of which have scored well into the 90's on Whisky Fun.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door, and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

This Rare Old bottling was distilled in 1972 and bottled in 1997.

Bowmore 1976 Kranna Dubh 30 Year Old​

'The Celtic Legend of the Dragon.' This travel retail exclusive is named after the sea dragon Kranna Dubh, who legend has it once occupied the sea loch, Loch Indaal, which overlooks Bowmore distillery. The dragon was slain by the Scottish warrior, Fingal with his magical sword. It is said to this day the surface of Loch Indaal still turn red with the dragon's blood as the sun sets, and old Islay mothers can be heard scolding their children for disturbing the water.

Bottled in 2006.

Black Maple Hill 23 Year Old Single Barrel Rye

Black Maple Hill is owned by Californian company, CVI Brands. They do not own a distillery and contract the bottling of the brand to outside sources, initially with Julian Van Winkle in 2000, and then Kentucky Bourbon Distillers.

This was matured in a single charred White Oak cask for over 23 years, and bottled by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers from cask #9 at Willett distillery.

It is believed much of the rye whisky of this age in the KBD warehouses at the time was old Bernheim distilled Cream of Kentucky, the same whiskey Buffalo Trace blended through the much-loved Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye in 2004.

Bowmore 30 Year Old Sea Dragon 75cl / US Import

Nicknamed 'the Sea Dragon' due to the mythical beast adorning the rather pretty black ceramic bottle and box, this 30 year old Bowmore appeared in the mid 1990's and has achieved almost legendary status.

The contents of this decanter are almost entirely made up from long-aged casks from the legendary 1960's vintages.

Bruichladdich 1968 Signatory Vintage 28 Year Old / 75cl / US Import

A single cask bottling of Bruichladdich from Signatory Vintage.

Distilled in May 1968 and bottled in the same month of 1996. 

Matured in cask #2121 and bottled for the US market.

This in bottle number 17 of 250. 

Balvenie Rose 16 Year Old / First Edition 53.4%

The Balvenie Rose was created to celebrate the long history of Balvenie Castle.  Margaret Douglas 'The Fair Maid of Galloway' married in turn, two of the infamous Black Douglases.  Following the murder of William Douglas at the hands of James II the Black Douglases rebelled against the Stewart King and were defeated loosing their titles and estates.  The king however was taken by Magaret's beauty and reinstated her in Balvenie Castle with an annual rent of a single red rose.

Two batches of the Balvenie Rose were released and sold exclusively at Balvenie distillery, each batch consisted of 4 refill American oak casks which were finished in a single first fill port pipe. This is the first bottling from 2008 and has a cask strength of 53.4%.

Balvenie Rose 16 Year Old / Second Edition

The Balvenie Rose was created to celebrate the long history of Balvenie Castle.  Margaret Douglas 'The Fair Maid of Galloway' married in turn, two of the infamous Black Douglases.  Following the murder of William Douglas at the hands of James II the Black Douglases rebelled against the Stewart King and were defeated loosing their titles and estates.  The king however was taken by Magaret's beauty and reinstated her in Balvenie Castle with an annual rent of a single red rose.

Two batches of the Balvenie Rose were released and sold exclusively at Balvenie distillery, each batch consisted of 4 refill American oak casks which were finished in a single first fill port pipe.

Balvenie Rose 16 Year Old / First Edition 53.4%

The Balvenie Rose was created to celebrate the long history of Balvenie Castle.  Margaret Douglas 'The Fair Maid of Galloway' married in turn, two of the infamous Black Douglases.  Following the murder of William Douglas at the hands of James II the Black Douglases rebelled against the Stewart King and were defeated loosing their titles and estates.  The king however was taken by Magaret's beauty and reinstated her in Balvenie Castle with an annual rent of a single red rose.

Two batches of the Balvenie Rose were released and sold exclusively at Balvenie distillery, each batch consisted of 4 refill American oak casks which were finished in a single first fill port pipe. This is the first bottling from 2008 and has a cask strength of 53.4%.

Balvenie Rose 16 Year Old / First Edition 53.4%

The Balvenie Rose was created to celebrate the long history of Balvenie Castle.  Margaret Douglas 'The Fair Maid of Galloway' married in turn, two of the infamous Black Douglases.  Following the murder of William Douglas at the hands of James II the Black Douglases rebelled against the Stewart King and were defeated loosing their titles and estates.  The king however was taken by Magaret's beauty and reinstated her in Balvenie Castle with an annual rent of a single red rose.

Two batches of the Balvenie Rose were released and sold exclusively at Balvenie distillery, each batch consisted of 4 refill American oak casks which were finished in a single first fill port pipe. This is the first bottling from 2008 and has a cask strength of 53.4%.

Bowmore 1975 SMWS 21 Year Old 3.28

Distilled in March 1975 and bottled in October 1996, this 21 year old Bowmore has been given the title \"Sticky toffee pudding without the sweetness\".

Brora 1977 Rare Malt 21 Year Old / 56.9%

The Rare Malt Selection is an historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005.

Brora closed in 1983 and over the years has contributed to 13 different Rare Malt releases. 

This bottle was distilled in 1977 and bottled in October 1998 as a 21 year old.

Bottle number 4131.

Bunnahabhain 1965 Single Cask 35 Year Old

A limited edition single cask release from Islay's Bunnahabhain distillery.

Distilled in November 1965 and matured in single cask #7159 for 35 years until being bottled in April 2001. 

One of 594 bottles. 

Brora 38 Year Old 2016 Release

Released in 2016 by Diageo as part of their ongoing annual super premium releases.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door, and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

This was one of the oldest official bottled Brora at the time!

Number 337 of 2984 bottles. 

Bowmore 1984 Samaroli Single Cask

A very rare Samaroli bottling of Bowmore, distilled in 1984 and matured in a Fino sherry puncheon #61930.

Bottled by Samaroli at Rutherglen in 2000.

Samaroli is perhaps Italy's most revered independent bottler of Scotch whisky. With an impeccable taste in single cask whiskies, and an eye for aesthetics (if not English spelling at times!), he is regarded by many as a visionary. Many of his bottles now occupy deserved sports on the pantheon of whisky greats.

Bottle number 560 of 798.

Brora 38 Year Old 2016 Release

Released in 2016 by Diageo as part of their ongoing annual super premium releases.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door, and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

This was one of the oldest official bottled Brora at the time!

Number 1513 of 2984 bottles. 

Brora 32 Year Old 2011 Release

The 2011 release of Brora by Diageo, was the first official bottling of Brora over the age of 30.

This is bottle number 790 of 1,500.

Bowmore 1972 21 Year Old

A rare bottling of Bowmore 21 year old carrying the vintage 1972, released in the early 1990s after maturation in a single sherry butt. 

Released at a cask strength of 49.1%, this is bottle number 147.

Black and White circa 1910/20s

A fantastic old bottling of Black & White, with reference to HM the King. 

The back label bears the endorsements of the Medical Magazine from 1905 which persisted into the 1920s. 

Based on the bottle and closure style we would estimate this bottle dates from the middle to end of this possible range.

There are no measurements present but the bottle is full sized. 

Brora 37 Year Old 2015 Release

Another fantastic release from Diageo as part of their ongoing annual super premium releases.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door, and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

Released in 2015 this was one of the oldest official bottled Brora at the time.

Bottle number 2086 of 2976.

Ben Wyvis 1972 Munton & Fison

A very unusual bottling of this lost Highland malt.

Distilled in 1972 and bottle for maltsters Munton & Fison in 1989

Belle of Marion 1914 Bottled in Bond Whiskey Pint / Prohibition Era

Distilled in 1914, this bourbon was protected in bond from Prohibition Act of 1920, which made alcohol production and consumption illegal. The Volstead Act was in place between 1920 and 1933, and during this period, some distillers were bale to continue to bottle their whiskey as a medicinal product. Only doctors could prescribe these 1 pint bottles, and bakers were also given a weekly ration of whiskey and rum to use in their cooking.

The Belle of Marion was a bourbon brand belonging to the William Tarr company, who were a powerful distilling organisation in the late 19th century. An ill-advised foray into the world of railroad building however, weakened Tarr's financial position and he was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1897. His distillery, bourbon and brands were acquired two years later by the Kentucky Distilling & Warehouse Co, better known as the infamous Whiskey Trust. Members of the trust included a certain E.H. Taylor Jr and his W.A. Gaines company. This whiskey was distilled at their E.L. Miles distillery in New Hope in 1914. It was bottled in bond in the 'fall' of 1927.

The Whiskey Trust was accused of engaging in several illegal activities, including intimidation of distillery owners who did not want to sell up to them. Although it had been far from at its height by the time Prohibition was enacted, it had never fully gone away, and quietly resurfaced in 1924, now manifest as the National Distillers Corporation (trusts were illegal by this point). This was likely one of their early bottlings. National Distillers continued to use the W.A. Gaines branding on bottles of Old Crow up until 1987 when they were purchased by Jim Beam.

Bunnahabhain 1980 Canasta Cask Finish 36 Year Old

An impressively presented official release from Bunnahabhain distillery on Islay.

Distilled in 1980, this is a small batch bottling of Oloroso sherry cask whisky that has been finished in sweet Canasta sherry oak.

This was a limited release of 1220 bottles.

Bowmore 1973 21 Year Old

A rare bottling of Bowmore 21 year old carrying the vintage 1973 and released in the early/mid 1990s. 

Italian import.

Brora 32 Year Old 2011 Release

The 2011 release of Brora by Diageo, was the first official bottling of Brora over the age of 30.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door, and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

This is bottle number 0131 of 1,500.

Bowmore 1974 Sherry Cask

A 1974 vintage sherry cask matured Bowmore.

1970's sherry cask Bowmore vintages come highly recommended by those lucky enough to try them. 

Bunnahabhain 1966 Celtic Heartlands 37 Year Old

A Murray McDavid bottling of Bunnahabhain, part of Jim McEwan's acclaimed Celtic Heartlands series

Distilled in 1966 and matured in Oloroso sherry casks for 37 years. This is described in the accompanying leaflet as \"ARMAGEDDON\" for sherry matured whisky lovers.

Bottle number 95 of 726.

Brora 35 Year Old 2014 Release 75cl / US Import

An official Brora release from Diageo. Matured for 35 years in a combination of European and America oak casks.

Brora distillery - formerly known as Clynelish - has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

Limited to only 2964 bottles, this is bottle number 2629. 

Bowmore 1984 No.1 Vaults 28 Year Old

A stunning single cask vintage Bowmore distilled on the 24th April 1984 and bottled on 20th March 2013, matured exclusively in Bowmore's legendary No.1 Vaults.

Brora 30 Year Old Cask Strength 2010 Release

The 9th release of Brora 30 year old from Diageo, bottled in 2010 as part of their annual Super Premium releases.

Brora distillery, formerly known as Clynelish has been closed since 1983 when a new distillery was built next-door and assumed the Clynelish name. The original distillery bottlings are now increasingly sought after.

Bottle number 0808 of 3,000.

Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish

A fantastic special release from Islay's oldest distillery, matured in Japan's rarest casks. This Bowmore has been fully matured in Mizunara oak, which has travelled 6000 miles from Japan to the distillery warehouses.

One of 2000 bottles. 

Bunnahabhain 1963

A 1963 vintage Islay malt from Bunnahabhain, bottled in 1997.