November 2018 Auction

Uniting Nations 40 Year Old The Essence of Karuizawa / Ichiro Akuto Blended Malt

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 blended by Ichiro Akuto, this is a combination of a 40 year old Scottish malt and 45 year old Karuizawa. 

One of 677 bottles produced

Bottled at cask strength.

Very Old Fitzgerald 1945 Bonded 8 Year Old 100 Proof / Stitzel-Weller

An incredible old example of Very Old Fitzgerald, the 8 year old version of the brand. This was distilled in 1945, and was likely some of the first spirit to run from the still after operations resumed following the second world war.

Distilled and bottled at the Stitzel-Weller distillery while it was still being run by the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle.

These bottled in bond Old Fitzgerald from the Van Winkle era at Stitzel-Weller are incredibly sought after.

Vintage Rye 21 Year Old

Vintage Rye is a boutique brand owned byAllied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection, Wattie Boone and Very Olde St Nick. They have been sourcing whiskey and bottling it for several decades, and they are instantly recognisable from 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 at his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with the Sazerac company in the early 2000's 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 most of the well-aged rye in the KBD warehouses was the unused Cream of Kentucky distilled by Schenley at Bernheim. This is the same rye that is a constituent in some of the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve and was bottled as early versions of the Sazerac 18 year old at Buffalo Trace.

Allied Lomar opened their own Preservation distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky in 2018.

Van Winkle 13 Year Old Family Reserve Rye / 2008 Release

This is bottle A3185, and was released in 2008 (possibly early 2009) when the whiskey was actually now 19 years old, despite the label. The Van Winkle Family Reserve rye was distilled in 1985 and actually continued to age in cask until 2004 when it was eventually tanked at Buffalo Trace. They are all labelled as 13 years old regardless.

The Family Reserve Rye is presumed to have been distilled at Medley in Owensboro, with Cream of Kentucky rye from Bernheim blended through it after it was tanked in 2004. The rye was the last of the true Van Winkle family reserves to run out, in 2016. New batches have been maturing at Buffalo Trace however, and were bottled for the first time in 2018.

Van Winkle 13 Year Old Family Reserve Rye / 2008 Release

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

This is bottle A01205, and was released in 2008 when the whiskey was actually now 19 years old, despite the label. The Van Winkle Family Reserve rye actually continued to age in cask until 2004 when it was eventually tanked at Buffalo Trace. They are all labelled as 13 years old regardless.

The Family Reserve Rye is presumed to have been distilled at Medley in Owensboro, with Cream of Kentucky rye from Bernheim blended through it after it was tanked in 2004. The rye was the last of the true Van Winkle family reserves to run out, in 2016. New batches have been maturing at Buffalo Trace however, and were bottled for the first time in 2018.

Very Old Fitzgerald 1962 Bonded 8 Year Old 100 Proof 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 spring of 1962 and bottled in 1970.

Distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery while it was under the management of Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle I, and bottled a few years after his death by his son, Julian Van Winkle II.

Stitzel-Weller was eventually sold in 1972, with the Van Winkle family departing the business in the process. The 'A Collectors Item' label affixed to the shoulder therefore representing an incredible piece of foresight.

Very Olde St. Nick 15 Year Old Handmade Bourbon 107 Proof

Very Old St Nick is a boutique bourbon brand owned by Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection, Wattie Boone and the Vintage Bourbon and Rye bottles. They have been sourcing bourbon and bottling it for several decades, and they are instantly recognisable from 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 of Old St Nick were contracted to him at his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with 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 whiskey from Heaven Hill.

Although the source of the KBD bottling has never been confirmed, Van Winkle has strongly asserted that these Very Olde St Nick are bottled using Heaven Hill bourbon.

Allied Lomar opened their own Preservation distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky in 2018.

This 15 year old expression is from cask lot #B131. For what its worth, most Kentucky Bourbon Distillers casks marked with a \"B\" denote pre-Heaven Hill era Bernheim distillery.

Japanese import.

Uitvlugt 1997 Wild Parrot Full Proof Single Cask Rum

Distilled at Uitvlugt distillery in Guyana in 1997, three years before it was closed and its stills and stock transferred to Diamond.

This was bottled from single cask #WP97489 by Hidden Spirits and Stefano Cremaschi for their Wild Parrot brand in 2018. 

One of 150 bottles.

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to move bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2016 bottling.

Serial code: B1618219:464

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to move bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2016 bottling.

Serial code: B1618219:294

Van Winkle 12 Year Old Special Reserve

The 12 year old Special Reserve is one of the original Old Rip Van Winkle brands bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his facility in Lawrenceburg.

With stocks beginning to run thin in the early 2000s, Van Winkle came to an agreement with the Sazerac company to move bottling and future production to Buffalo Trace, who were already using the old Stitzel-Weller recipes for the Weller brand.

All Van Winkle products have been produced at Buffalo Trace since 2002. This is a 2012 bottling.

Serial code: B1514815:334.

Very Olde St Nick Lot 12 Ancient Cask Bourbon

Very Old St Nick is a boutique bourbon brand owned by Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection, Wattie Boone and the Vintage Bourbon and Rye bottles. They have been sourcing bourbon and bottling it for several decades, and they are instantly recognisable from 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 of Old St Nick were contracted to him at his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with 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 whiskey from Heaven Hill.

Although the source of the KBD bottling has never been confirmed, Van Winkle has strongly asserted that these Very Olde St Nick are bottled using Heaven Hill bourbon.

Allied Lomar opened their own Preservation distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky in 2018.

Japanese import.

Very Olde St Nick Lot 12 Ancient Cask Bourbon

Very Old St Nick is a boutique bourbon brand owned by Allied Lomar in California, who's other products include Rare Perfection, Wattie Boone and the Vintage Bourbon and Rye bottles. They have been sourcing bourbon and bottling it for several decades, and they are instantly recognisable from 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 of Old St Nick were contracted to him at his Old Commonwealth distillery.

The Van Winkle partnership with 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 whiskey from Heaven Hill.

Although the source of the KBD bottling has never been confirmed, Van Winkle has strongly asserted that these Very Olde St Nick are bottled using Heaven Hill bourbon.

Allied Lomar opened their own Preservation distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky in 2018.

Japanese import.

Vega 1977 North Star 40 Year Old

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

Distilled in October 1977 and bottled in January 2018

One of only 400 bottles, bottled at cask strength.

Unknown 1980 Whisky Agency 35 Year Old / Nectar

A 35 year old blended malt by Whisky Agency in collaboration with the Nectar.

Distilled in 1980, matured in a butt and bottled in 2015.

Vega 1993 North Star 23 Year Old

From North Star Spirits, this is a limited edition 23 year old blended malt from Speyside distilleries.

Distilled in October 1993 and bottled in May 2017 at cask strength; One of only 400 bottles.

VAT 69 4.5 Litre 1970s

Vat 69 was originally bottled in Port bottles, it maintained this iconic look for over 100 years.

This is an older bottling from the 1970s, and its enormous. There are not measurements for volume or strength visible on the faded rear label, however it is approximately 4.5 litre.

This lot has a 6 bottle shipping fee.

Velier Royal Navy Very Old Rum

'The oldest blend of rums of British Caribbean rums of the 21st century.'

This is a Velier produced blend of rum from Trinidad, Guyana and Jamaica, including a 20 year old from the lost Caroni distillery.

This has a 'weighted average age' of 17.42 years and was produced by Velier master blended Luca Gargano using vintages from between 1990 to 2005.

Uitvlugt 1998 Whisky Agency 14 Year Old / Nectar

Distilled in 1998 in Guyana at Uitvlugt distillery.

This was bottled in 2012 from a single barrel by the Whisky Agency in collaboration with Nectar.

One of 253 bottles.

Vat 69 Reserve 12 Year Old Decanter 1980s

​The deluxe release of the popular Scotch blend. Produced in the 1980s and aged 12 years.

Vat 69 was originally bottled in Port bottles, an iconic look which it maintained for over 100 years. This however is an unusual decanter bottling.

Uitvlugt 1999 Transcontinental Rum Line 17 Year Old / LMDW

Part of the \"Transcontinental Rum Line\" series, this was distilled on the column stills of Uitvlugt distillery in Guyana in 1999. The distillery would close the following year, with many of its stock and many of its stills moved to Diamond.

This was transported to Europe instead, spending only 2 years in the tropics.

This is from a batch of two casks, bottled in 2016 by La Maison du Whisky.

Vecchia Romagna 35 Year Old Trentacinque Brandy 50cl

A 35 year old brandy produced in Bologna, Italy.

Uitvlugt MPM 1999 Cadenhead's 18 Year Old

Distilled in a wooden Port Mourant still - which was moved to Uitvlugt after the closure of the original Port Mourant distillery -  1999

Bottled in August 2018 by Cadenhead's at 18 years old and cask strength.

Uitvlugt MPM 1999 Cadenhead's 18 Year Old

Distilled in a wooden Port Mourant still - which was moved to Uitvlugt after the closure of the original Port Mourant distillery -  1999

Bottled in August 2018 by Cadenhead's at 18 years old and cask strength.

Vecchia Romagna 25 Year Old Venticinque Brandy 50cl

A 25 year old brandy produced in Bologna, Italy.

Zucca Elixir Rabarbaro 1 Litre 1970s

This is an Italian produced bitter with rhubarb infusion. 

Valdespino Malt Whisky

An unusual bottling of malt whisky, distilled in Scotland and Spain before being aged in old sherry casks at Valdespino Bodega in Spain. 

Bottle number 1690 of 3000. 

Usquaebach / Grand Whisky of the Highlands Decanter​

Produced for the Twelve Stone Flagons Ltd Castle Shannon, Pennsylvania, USA, the Usquaebach Reserve refers to Scots Poet Robert Burn's immortalisation of Usquaebach.

Blended and bottled by Douglas Laing.

VAT 69 1960s

Vat 69 was originally bottled in Port bottles, it maintained this iconic look for over 100 years.

This is a late 1960s bottling.

There are no measurements for strength or capacity on the bottle.

Usquaebach 15 Year Old Pure Highland Malt

A blended Highland malt, produced using whiskies aged for 15 years. 

Vintage Soda Dispenser

A lovely old soda dispenser.

VAT 69 1960s

Vat 69 was originally bottled in Port bottles, it maintained this iconic look for over 100 years.

This is a late 1960s bottling.

There are no measurements for strength or capacity on the bottle.