November 2018 Auction

Remy Martin Louis XIII Rare Cask 42.6 Cognac

Remy Martin is perhaps the most well known of all Cognac producers and has established a reputation for quality that very few others can relate to.

This is a spectacular example of the Louis XIII Tres Vieille Cognac Baccarat decanter which holds Grande Champagne cognac aged between 40 and 100 years.

This is the second edition of the Rare Cask series, and was hand-selected by Cellar Master, Pierrette Trichet.

Number 649 of 738 black crystal Baccarat decanters.

The 42.6 in the title refers to the liquid's un-altered, cask strength ABV.

Remy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl Cognac / Anniversary Edition

Remy Martin is perhaps the most well known of all Cognac producers and has established a reputation for quality that very few others can relate to.

This is a spectacular example of the Louis XIII Tres Vieille Cognac Baccarat decanter which holds Grande Champagne cognac aged between 40 and 100 years.

The Black Pearl Anniversary edition was bottled to celebrate 140 years of the Maison, from 1874 until 2014.

This is decanter 441 of 775.

Orkney Single Malt 1977 Samaroli / Fragments of Scotland

Distilled in 1977, this is a single malt from an undisclosed Orkney distillery, so either Highland Park or Scapa. Bottled by Samaroli in 1988 as part of the the Fragments of Scotland series.

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.

The Fragments of Scotland series was bottled in 1988, and each of them feature artworks depicting different elements of Scotland, all painted by Samaroli's friend, Agostino Perrnini.

Bottle number 186 of only 648 bottles.

Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac Tres Vieille 1950s

Remy Martin is perhaps the most well known of all Cognac producers and has established a reputation for quality that very few others can relate to.

This is a spectacular 1950s example of the Louis XIII Tres Vieille Cognac Baccarat decanter which holds Grande Champagne cognac aged between 40 and 100 years.

Old Mock 1916 A Ph Stitzel 18 Year Old Pint / Prohibition Era Bottling

A fantastic old Prohibition era bottling of Kentucky straight bourbon whisky. Although the Volstead Act of 1919 had banned the production and sale of alcohol throughout the US, a certain number of distilling companies were permitted to continue bottling existing stock, mostly for medicinal use, but also for weekly baking rations.

One such company was A. Ph. Stitzel Inc, who procured this particular barrel from the Davies County Distillery (registered distillery 2 in the 2nd district of KY). This distillery was one of the majority that were forced to close after prohibition was enacted. Records show that most of their stock was purchased by the American Medicinal Spirits Company, but some reached smaller companies like A. Ph. Stitzel as well, who bottled this using their Old Mock  brand.

A. Ph. Stitzel survived Prohibition, and was one of the few to emerge with a functioning distillery, refinancing themselves after the difficult 13 dry years by contract distilling for other companies as well, including the juggernaut Schenley corporation. They would of course would go on to merge with Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle's W.L. Weller company to create the legendary Stitzel-Weller. The \"18 Summers Old \" phrase on this label was a persistent motif on Stitzel-Weller bottlings too, and can also be seen on some modern Van Winkle bottlings.

Bottled in 1933, shortly before repeal, this includes the standard \"medicinal purposes\" only label, guaranteeing a pre-January 1920 distillation date.

Overholt 1909 Rye Whiskey 1 Quart / Pre-Prohibition

More commonly known as 'Old' Overholt, this brand of Rye whiskey is very old, even more so than this particular bottle. Overholt Rye was first produced in the early 1800s, with this bottle appearing over a century later. Bottled just before Prohibition, this 1909 vintage was apparently a reserve of the Mellon family, who stockpiled it for fear of running out in the wake of the Prohibition legislation banning all production and consumption in 1920. The whiskey is believed to be aged around 10-14 years.

As it turns out, Overholt distillery owner, Andrew Mellon was a close friend of Warren G. Harding, then secretary of the Treasury, a connection that provided him with a license to continue selling \"medicinal\" whiskey during Prohibition. The original West Overton distillery however closed down, and with stocks running out, the brand was sold to National Distillers in 1932. National Distillers were consolidating interests in as much of the industry as possible with the repeal of Prohibition expected the following year, most notable was their acquisition of the Wathen family's American Medicinal Spirits Co.

Old Overholt still exists today, produced alongside Old-Grandad by Jim Beam, who acquired both of 'The Olds' from National Distillers in 1987.

This is a fascinating artefact from a long and storied whiskey history, and tastes fantastic too. Serge Valentin of Whiskyfun.com rated this 93 points.

Richard Hennessy Cognac / Including Glasses

Richard Hennessy is the pinnacle of 200 years of Cognac producing experience, knowledge and passion of Maison Hennessy, with a special blend of exceptionally delicious and rare eaux-de-vie aged from 40 years to nearly 200 years old.

Each carafe is numbered and crafted from pure hand-blown crystal and this lot includes two tulip glasses and two matching metal plates on which to stand said glasses.

Shipping will be charged for 2 bottles

Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac

Remy Martin is perhaps the most well known of all Cognac producers and has established a reputation for quality that very few others can relate to.

This is a spectacular example of the Louis XIII Tres Vieille Cognac Baccarat decanter which holds Grande Champagne cognac aged between 40 and 100 years.

In attractive red leather presentation case, with brochure and includes 4 branded glasses.

Bottled 13th July 2010. 

Shipping will be charged at 2 bottles on this lot

Old Overholt 1914 Bottled in Bond 14 Year Old Pint / Prohibition Era Bottling

The Old Overholt brand is a legend in the world of American whisky, established all the way back 1810. This bottle was distilled over 100 year later (and over 100 years ago!) in 1914 at West Overton distillery in Pennsylvania. The Rye whisky was then bonded at the distillery, where it was stored and, thankfully, protected from the Prohibition Act of 1920 which banned all production and consumption of the alcohol in the US for the next 13 years.

As it turns out, Overholt distillery owner, Andrew Mellon was a close friend of Warren G. Harding, then secretary of the Treasury, a connection that provided him with a license to continue selling \"medicinal\" whiskey during Prohibition. This whiskey was bottled in bond at the distillery warehouses in 1929.

Prohibition did however cause the original West Overton distillery to cease production, and with stocks running out, the brand was sold to National Distillers in 1932. National Distillers was the resurrection of the infamous pre-Prohibition Whiskey Trust, who resumed their aims of consolidating as many interests in the industry as possible, starting with the American Medicinal Spirits Co, with the repeal of Prohibition expected the following year.

Old Overholt still exists today, produced alongside Old Grand-dad by Jim Beam, who acquired both of 'The Olds' from National Distillers in 1987.

Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac

Remy Martin is perhaps the most well known of all Cognac producers and has established a reputation for quality that very few others can relate to.

This is a spectacular example of the Louis XIII Tres Vieille Cognac Baccarat decanter which holds Grande Champagne cognac aged between 40 and 100 years.

In attractive red leather presentation case, with brochure. 

Bottled 30th August 2012. 

Rosebank 1974 Douglas Laing 30 Year Old / The Whisky Fair

A single sherry cask bottling from closed Lowland distillery, Rosebank.

Distilled in March 1974, this is a Douglas Laing era Old Malt Cask release, bottled especially for The Whisky Fair in Germany in 2004.

One of 212 bottles.

Redbreast 32 Year Old Dream Cask 50cl

Redbreast is a single pot still whiskey from Midleton in Ireland. A combination of malted and unmalted barley are triple distilled in copper pot stills. 

This highly sought-after expression was matured in an American oak ex-bourbon barrel for 26 years, and then finished in an Oloroso sherry-seasoned butt.

Originally unveiled as part of a Facebook Live Whiskey tasting event in 2017, its popularity led to it being released for purchase a year later. 

Charged from cask #41207, this is bottle number 807 of 816. 

In presentation box with one branded tumbler and badge. 

Redbreast 32 Year Old Dream Cask 50cl

Redbreast is a single pot still whiskey from Midleton in Ireland. A combination of malted and unmalted barley are triple distilled in copper pot stills. 

This highly sought-after expression was matured in an American oak ex-bourbon barrel for 26 years, and then finished in an Oloroso sherry-seasoned butt.

Originally unveiled as part of a Facebook Live Whiskey tasting event in 2017, its popularity led to it being released for purchase a year later. 

Charged from cask #41207, this is bottle number 201 of 816. 

This lot includes two branded tumblers, as well as both the original and updated presentation boxes. 

Old Kentucky 1913 Bottled in Bond Straight Whiskey Quart / Pre-Prohibition

A fine example of pre-Prohibition American whisky, distilled in 1913 and bottled in 1917, just three years before the production, sale and consumption of alcohol in the US was to be banned for the next 13 years.

Old Kentucky was a brand produced at the distillery of the same name. The site was built in the later 19th century, and was historically known as the Mayflower distillery before it was purchased by German immigrant, Dietrich Meschendorf in 1892, who changed the name to Old Kentucky. Meschendorf is an important figure in the history of American distilling, managing the historic Old Times plant in Louisville for 7 years prior to his ownership of Old Kentucky, and serving as an advisor to two Presidents, Roosevelt and Taft during the early 20th century discussions about the legal terminology of what constituted \"whiskey.\" He argued successfully for his blended products to retain their status as whiskey, against fierce opposition from the likes of Colonel E.H. Taylor who believed only straight whiskies deserved the title.

Taylor had campaigned successfully for the Bottled in Bond Act in 1897, and this is a product of that legislation. A straight whiskey with both the year of bottling and distillation stated, as well as the site of both. It is also the legally required 100 US proof.

The Old Kentucky distillery was eventually shut down by Prohibition in 1920, with its stocks removed and warehouses razed. The distillery building itself was retained, although badly damaged in a fire in 1925. It then served as a riding school for many years before it was finally demolished in 1960.

Old W L Weller 7 Year Old Special Reserve Quart 1971 / Stitzel-Weller

An older 'Special Reserve' release of the original wheated bourbon.

This was likely distilled in the early 1960s when Stitzel-Weller was still under the management of the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle. It was bottled in 1971 by his son, Julian II, just a year before he was forced to sell the distillery to Somerset Imports, and the Van Winkle family departing the business.

Old Elgin 1939 Gordon and MacPhail

Named after Speyside's largest town, which is home to Gordon and MacPhail who produced this blended malt. 

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.

Rosebank 21 Year Old Speciality Drinks / The Roses Edition #2 'Innocence'​

\"Innocence\" is an independent bottling of 21 year old Rosebank from Speciality Drinks.

This is Edition #2 in The Roses series.

One of 661 Bottles.

Rosebank 1989 SMWS 14 Year Old 25.33

An older Rosebank release from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society distilled in April 1989 and bottled in September 2003.

Carrying the SMWS tasting note/name 'Barley, sugar, and vanilla'

Rittenhouse 21 Year Old Single Barrel Straight Rye

A wonderful Rye, appreciated greatly for it's use within Manhattan's and other Rye based cocktails.

Aged for 21 years in barrel #3.

Bottle number 9.

Rittenhouse was once the flagship product of of Pennsylvania's Continental Distilling Corp, produced at their Publicker distillery. Modern iterations of the brand, such as this one, are produced by Heaven Hill. At 21 years old, this would have been distilled at the original Heaven Hill plant in Bardstown before a fire there necessitated a relocation to Bernheim distillery in 1999.

Rosebank 1992 21 Year Old 

One of the 2014 special releases by Diageo.

Distilled in 1992 and matured in refill American oak.

Bottle number 1140 of 4530.

Rosebank 1992 21 Year Old 75cl / US Import

One of the 2014 special releases by Diageo.

Distilled in 1992 and matured in refill American oak.

Bottle number 4388 of 4530.

Rosebank 1979 Rare Malt 20 Year Old / 60.3%

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.

This Rosebank was distilled in 1979 and bottled 20 years later in October 1999.

Bottle number 1039.

Rare Perfection 16 Year Old Rye

Rare Perfection is a boutique brand owned by Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Very Olde St. Nick, Wattie Boone and the Old Man Winter Rye bottles. They have been sourcing bourbon and bottling it for several decades, and they are all easily identified by 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 in his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with Sazerac 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 bourbon from Heaven Hill. This rye is likely Cream of Kentucky from Bernheim, the same whiskey that was blended through the much-loved Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye in 2004.

Allied Lomar recently opened the Preservation distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, which started producing in 2018.

The Rare Perfection range was exclusive to the Japanese market and imported by Sake-Net.

Redbreast 1991 All Sherry Single Cask 25 Year Old #42972 / 60th Anniversary of LMdW

A single pot still whiskey produced at Midleton, matured in a single sherry cask #42972 and bottled for the 60th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky. 

One of 624 bottles

Oban 19 Year Old Manager’s Dram 1995

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.

Released in 1995 from a refill cask, this Oban was bottled for United Distillers (Diageo) and chosen by John Williams.

Octomore Orpheus 2.2 

Similar to the Comus, the Orpheus release was peated to the same degree as its counter-part Octomore 2.1, at 140ppm. The Orpheus was finished using Château Pétrus Bordeaux casks, recognised as one of the world’s top vineyards. Matured for only 5 years, this alongside the Comus have proven to be quite desirable bottlings.

One of 15,000 bottles.

Old Pulteney World's Best Whiskies Pack 2 x 70cl / 21 Year Old & 1989 Vintage

A nicely presented twin pack containing 'the world's best whiskies'. 

Jim Murray named Old Pulteney 21 Year Old as his World Whisky of the Year in 2012, whilst the 1989 Vintage (bottled 2015) won the World's Best Single Malt award at the World Whiskies Awards in 2016. 

This is twin pack number 112 of 276. Both bottles are 46% ABV.

This lot has a 2 bottle shipping fee. 

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.

Royal Brackla 10 Year Old Flora and Fauna / White Cap

One of the rare releases from the Flora and Fauna series, the Royal Brackla 10 year old which was only bottled in 1995.

The white capped bottles are especially rare.

Redbreast 1999 All Sherry Single Cask #30088 / Celtic Whiskey Shop

Redbreast is a single pot sill whiskey from New Midleton distillery in Ireland. A combination of malted and un-malted barley are triple distilled in copper pot stills. 

This is an unusual single sherry cask, specially bottled for the The Celtic Whiskey Shop

Cask Number #30088.

One of 534.

Old Pulteney 35 Year Old

Released last year this 35 year old has been matured in Ex-bourbon American oak and ex-sherry Spanish oak selected by distillery manager Malcolm Waring. 

The ornate wooded box has a porthole and a depiction of a classic herring drifter which has become a symbol of the brand.