November 2018 Auction

Karuizawa 1965 Single Sherry Cask 50 Year Old #2372​ 

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

A special release from La Maison Du Whisky, this vintage Karuizawa was distilled in 1965 and matured in a sherry cask. 

This is bottle number 26 of 300 bottles.

Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore 42 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Arguably the most famous of all Bowmore's, one of the most collectible and most memorable whiskies on the market.  The Black Bowmore is an icon of whisky collecting, whisky drinking and whisky investing!

This is the first of the more recent releases from this famous Bowmore vintage, officially released in 2007 at 42 years of age in an impressive wooden presentation case.

The Black Bowmore was followed by the slightly older, Gold and White Bowmore.

Bottle number 720 of only 827 produced.

Bowmore 1955 40 Year Old / US Import

A very old Bowmore put into a bourbon hogshead cask on the 22nd of November 1955, then 20 years later it was transferred into a Sherry cask prior to being bottled in 1995. 

The glass decanter was hand crafted by the artists of Caithness Glass, Scotland, each being individually numbered.The presentation case has been hand made from oak by the Master Cabinet Makers of Charles Kirkby & Sons, England. 

As a combination this is an impressive liquid presented in the most elegant of styles. 

Bottle number 298 of only 306 bottles. 

Includes glass stopper and padlock key. 

Brora 1972 Cask Strength 40 Year Old

At time of launch this was both the most expensive whisky ever released by Diageo and the oldest Brora ever made.

Presented in a stunning engraved glass decanter and wooden display case  this is bottle number 160.

Distilled in 1972 this is a vintage mate to some of the most sought after and legendary Broras ever produced, including the rare malts and the slightly more recent 44 year old.

Glenfiddich 50 Year Old

This famous bottling of Glenfiddich was bottled in 1991 and limited to an incredible 500 bottles. In the early 1990's one of these bottles officially became the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold at auction selling for 99,999,999 Lira in an Italian charity auction.

The release was restricted to only nine casks laid down originally in the 1930s, one cask for each of William Grant's nine children who helped build Glenfiddich distillery in the 1880s.  After laying undisturbed, these nine casks were bottled on the 26th July 1991 and presented in a handmade oak box with a brass plaque.

Each bottle was signed by former Chairman Alexander Grant Gordon, who is also the great-grandson of the company's founder.

Bottle number 228 includes a certificate, stating that the owner of the bottle is to be appointed as a Freeman of Glenfiddich distillery.

Karuizawa 29 Year Old Sherry Cask / Murasaki Geisha

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

One of two highly sought after 'Purple Geisha' released in 2018 by Elixir distillers. This particular single cask has been matured for over 29 years in a single sherry cask.

Bottle number 14 of only 60.

Bowmore 1964 Fino Cask 37 Year Old / US Import

1964 is often refered to as the golden year from Bowmore as there has been a high number of iconic releases from the vintage. The iconic Black Bowmore hails from this year along with other awesome Bowmores, these are no differtent. 

This famous range contains three single cask releases, one from a bourbon cask, one Oloroso cask and a Fino sherry cask.

The Fino is a 37 Year old limited to 300 bottles. 

Bottle number 227 of 300 Bottles.

Bowmore 1964 Oloroso Cask 38 Year Old / US Import

1964 is often referred to as the golden year for Bowmore, as there have been a high number of iconic releases from the vintage.

This 38 year old Oloroso sherry casked gem is no different. A single cask that comes from the same batch as that of the esteemed Black Bowmore releases.

This famous release was part of the Trilogy Series which also contained single cask bottlings from a bourbon cask and a Fino sherry cask. The three whiskies were presented in these stunning wooden cabinets.  

Bottle number 86. 

Bowmore 1964 Bourbon Cask 38 Year Old / US Import

Distilled on the 11th of November 1964, this hails from the era of epic Bowmores. 

Matured in a Bourbon cask for 38 years this bottle has been presented in a lockable wooden box.

Bottle number 64 of 300 Bottles.

Glen Cawdor 1964 Samaroli / Springbank

A legendary bottling from the great Silvano Samaroli.

The Glen Cawdor name was in part borrowed by Silvano Samaroli from Shakespeare; Castle Cawdor of course being the setting for MacBeth. Samaroli used the Glen Cawdor name to disguise the the real name of certain distilleries, most commonly Springbank. When researching this bottle you will notice that some retailers and auctioneers refer to this as a Springbank, while if you look elsewhere you would read it is actually from Glen Ord. Emmanuel Dron, Samaroli's great friend has speculated that Silvano mis-remembered this bottles as the 1962 Glen Ord he bottled for the LELE restaurant. Either way, we don't think it matters. All that matters is that it is an exceptional bottling from an exceptional bottler.

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.

Distilled in 1964 and bottled in 1983 from a single sherry cask by R.W. Duthie.

Bottle number 353 of 360.

Bowmore 1964 White Bowmore 43 Year Old 75cl / US Import

The second in this famous series, the White Bowmore was matured exclusively in Bourbon casks to create a comparison to the more famous Oloroso sherry-casked Black Bowmore.

Bottled at 42.8%

Bottle 679 of 732.

Bowmore 1964 Gold Bowmore 44 Year Old 75cl / US Import

The third and final in this famous series, the Gold Bowmore was matured in a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks, to provide a comparison to the more famous Oloroso casks.

Bottled at 42.4%.

Bottle number 151 of 701. 

Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore 30 Year Old 2nd Edition 75cl / US Import

An icon of the whisky world, it's hard to fathom where whisky collecting would be today without the Black Bowmore. 

The second release of three, all distilled in 1964 and matured within single Oloroso sherry casks before being bottled in the mid-nineties. Sherry casks were used far more regularly in the 1960's than they are now, and this bottle is testament to the quality of these casks.

The Black Bowmore not just a whisky but a true artefact from the history of the spirit, representing a turning point for single malts. Appearing at a zenith in the popularity of sherry-casked whisky, which was for the first time creating a fashionable buzz around single malt whiskies, seeing it replace cognac as the after dinner drink of choice at banqueting tables, and customers now willing to pay the heady sum of £120 for a bottle. We may look back and scoff at this now but this was a princely fee back in the early 90's when the Black Bowmore was first stocked by Oddbins in the UK.

Speaking of the Black Bowmore, Dave Broom writes:

\"If you look at Black Bowmore as fiction, you see it grow from being a simple tale about a product into something which acquires the trappings of legend and myth. What was once ‘Islay’ had been condensed into distilleries; distilleries compressed into specific peculiarities – in Black Bowmore’s case, the magical, never fully explicable weirdness of the conditions in No 1 Vaults, one of walls of which sits below the level of the loch outside; a place of cold and damp, where evaporation is minimal, where elements are both preserved and warped into new shapes, where time slows and things deepen.\"

This is bottle number 1713 of 2000.

Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore Final Edition 75cl / US Import

An icon of the whisky world, it's hard to fathom where whisky collecting would be today without the Black Bowmore. 

Distilled in 1964 and matured within Oloroso sherry casks before bottling in 1995. This is the last of three Black Bowmores released in the mid-nineties. 

This is bottle number 543 of 1812.

Glen Garioch 1971 Samaroli Sherry Wood Full Proof

This is one of Silvano Samaroli's earliest forays into the realm of independent bottling, following his successful collaboration with Cadenhead's in 1979. This was bottled in the same year. As an official Italian distributor for Glen Garioch, Samaroli had great access to top quality casks and it shows here.

Glen Garioch was a peaty single malt in the 1970s, and this is considered one of the finest examples of balancing the strong characters produced by peat and sherry casks, along with another Samaroli classic, the Laphroaig 1967.

This is the first of two 1971 vintage Glen Garioch released by Silvano, bottled at full proof. The second was single cask homage to this, bottled much later in 1997 at a lighter 43%.

Bottle number 1851 of 2280 produced.

Karuizawa 1978 Single Cask 35 Year Old #8383 / Wealth Solutions

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. 

This is a single cask release from a single ex-bourbon cask #8383, distilled in December 1978 and bottled in July 2014.

Titled Koishikawa-Kōrakuen, this was named after am 17th century garden in the Tokyo. Work on the garden was begun by Mito Yorifusa in 1629 and was completed by his son Mito Mitsukuni. The garden was cretaed on the advice of Chinese scholar Zhu Shun Shui, and incorporates elements of Japanese and Chinese culture.

The bottle, produced by Wealth Solutions features a depiction of the garden gilded on it.

This is one of just 24 bottles.

Karuizawa 1980 Single Cask 35 Year Old #8283 / Moon Above the Sea at Daimotsu Bay

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

This limited bottling was distilled in 1980 and bottled in 2015 at an impressive 35 years old..

Produced from single bourbon cask #8283, which yielded only 401 bottles.

Bottled at cask strength, this is stunning bottling presents  Moon above the Sea at Daimotsu Bay, part of theTsukioka Honen's \" One Hundered Aspects of the Moon series on the box and label art

Presented in a stunning lock and key presentation box.

Karuizawa 35 Year Old Bourbon Cask #8518 / Emerald Geisha​

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

This is another sought after single cask release from Elixir Distillers, the bottling arm of London's The Whisky Exchange. Here's what they had to say:

\"The distinctive emerald labels combine beautiful Japanese art forms with complex hot foil and intricate embossing embellishments, giving the bottles a sculptured finish. They were designed by The Whisky Exchange’s creative director Raj Chavda, who is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Art.\"

Number 3 of only 265 bottles drawn from single Bourbon cask #8518. Released in February 2018.​

Brora 1972 Rare Malt 22 Year Old / 58.7%

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

It is often said that 1972 Brora is exceptional, and this is one of five Rare Malts of that vintage. The 1972 continued to be an important vintage when Diageo also released a 40 year old of the same vintage. 

Since its closure in 1983 the popularity of Brora has soared, this is a fantastic opportunity to own an historic bottle.

Karuizawa 1981 Single Cask 35 Year Old #171 / Eight Headed Dragon

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

This limited bottling was distilled in 1981 and bottled in 2016 at an impressive 35 years old..

Produced from single sherry cask #171, which yielded only 530 bottles.

Bottled at cask strength, this is one of several 35 year old releases depicting Japanese mythology on their labels. The Eight Headed Dragon on this label is borrowed form the cover of a popular series of stories published by Hasegawa Takejiro in the 18th century. The dragon is named Yamata no Orochi.

Presented in a stunning lock and key presentation box.

Karuizawa 31 Year Old Sherry Cask #3667 / Golden Geisha

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

This is one of two highly sought after 'Golden Geisha' releases, which were available to purchase by winners of a ballot hosted by The Whisky Exchange.

Aged for 31 years in sherry cask #3667 this bottle is number 209 of 225. 

Bottled at cask strength.

Bowmore 31 Year Old Hart Brothers Dynasty Decanter

A very rare and impressive independently bottled Bowmore. 

This is decanter number 100 of 850, with the decanter itself produced by the world's leading crystal glass manufacturer, Atlantis. 

Each of the six sides of the decanter features a silver gilt medallion of a member of the Royal House of Stewart. 

No capacity or strength stated. 

Karuizawa 1981Single Cask 35 Year Old #7427 / Snow Scene

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

This limited bottling was distilled in 1981 and bottled after 35 years in the cask.

Cask number #7427 yielded only 208 bottles.

Presented in a striking blue box which depicts The Tale of Genji in Snow Scenes by Edo era Ukiyo-e artist, Utagawa Hiroshige.

Karuizawa 1981 Single Cask 35 Year Old #164 / The Great Battle of Yashima

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

A new impressive bottling, bottled last year 2016.  Distilled in 1981 and matured exclusively in sherry butt #164.

The box represents half of a scene from The Great Battle of Yashima.

Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore 29 Year Old 1st Edition 75cl / US Import

An icon of the whisky world, it's hard to fathom where whisky collecting would be today without the Black Bowmore.  

The first release of three, all distilled in 1964 and matured within single Oloroso sherry casks before being bottled in 1993. Sherry casks were used far more regularly in the 1960s than they are now, and this bottle is testament to the quality of these casks.

The Black Bowmore not just a whisky but a true artifact from the history of the spirit, representing a turning point for single malts. Appearing at a zenith in the popularity of sherry-casked whisky, which was for the first time creating a fashionable buzz around single malt whiskies, seeing it replace cognac as the after dinner drink of choice at banqueting tables, and customers now willing to pay the heady sum of £120 for a bottle. We may look back and scoff at this now but this was a princely fee back in the early 90s when the Black Bowmore was first stocked by Oddbins in the UK.

Speaking of the Black Bowmore, Dave Broom writes:

\"If you look at Black Bowmore as fiction, you see it grow from being a simple tale about a product into something which acquires the trappings of legend and myth. What was once ‘Islay’ had been condensed into distilleries; distilleries compressed into specific peculiarities – in Black Bowmore’s case, the magical, never fully explicable weirdness of the conditions in No 1 Vaults, one of walls of which sits below the level of the loch outside; a place of cold and damp, where evaporation is minimal, where elements are both preserved and warped into new shapes, where time slows and things deepen.\"

Bottle number 312 of 2000 produced.

This example comes with the more common foil seal, due to the poor design of the original wax seal, they were recalled and re-sealed. 

Glen Grant 27 Year Old Samaroli Sherry Wood / Silver Cap

The Silver Cap series from Samaroli are some of the most highly prized bottles in history. They were all bottled in 1982, and alongside this 27 year old Glen Grant is a Legendary 1966 vintage Tormore, and the 1967 Laphroaig, considered by many to be the finest whisky ever bottled.

It is not stated on the label, but this is a 1955 vintage, and was bottled by R.W. Duthie on behalf of Samaroli. They were long time partners until the early 1990s.

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.

This is bottle 99 of 120.

Glenfiddich 1964 Hart Brothers 48 Year Old / Dynasty Decanter

A very rare, independently bottled Glenfiddich. 

Distilled on 15th September 1964 and matured in a first fill Sherry Hogshead for over 48 years before being bottled in Glasgow on the 10th October 2012.

Cask #10796. 

Bottle number 234 of only 300. 

Presented in an attractive glossy black presentation box and silver plated decanter. 

\"The Dynasty Decanter was created to commemorate the last seven independent monarchs of the ancient kingdom of Scotland.\"

Interestingly, the booklet accompanying the bottle suggests that 500 decanters were produced. We presume this is incorrect.

Glenfarclas 1952 Family Cask #1712 / Release I

The Family Cask range was launched early in 2007 with a cask for each year from 1952 until 1994.

This is the first release of the 1952 vintage, bottled on 30th November 2006 after maturation in plain hogshead #1712.

One of 110 bottles. 

Bowmore 22 Year Old Cadenhead's 1980s

An unusual non-vintage single cask Bowmore from Cadenhead's.

This was aged 22 years and bottled at some point in the 1980s.

Glenfarclas 1963 Family Cask #179 / William & Son Cabinet

A very exclusive item containing Glenfarclas 1963 Family Cask presented in a rifle and shotgun cleaning kit created by William & Son, London.

William & Son are crafters of shotguns and rifles and this kit has been created to their exceptional standards. 

The Glenfarclas Family Cask was distillled in 1963 and bottled in October 2011, matured in in Sherry Hogshead number 179. 

Only 20 of these stunning cabinets were produced.

Please note this item will have the postage charge of 4 bottles, due to the weight.

Karuizawa 1972 Single Cask #7038

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many of which have received international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks which are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars.

This limited bottling was distilled in 1972 and bottled on 4th October 2011.

Produced from single cask #7038 and bottled at cask strength.

Glenfarclas 1955 50 Year Old / Bicentenary

A incredibly special bottle of Glenfarclas, selected by George Grant to celebrate the bi-centenary of the distillery's founder, and his great, great, great Grandfather, John Grant.

Only 110 were produced of this 50 Year Old, which comes in an attractive presentation box with certificate / scroll. Distilled on 30th September 1955 and bottled on the same day in 2005.

Bottle Number 105 of 110.