October 2018 Auction

Inverleven 1968 SMWS L20.5 / French Import

A May 1968 vintage from closed Lowland distillery Inverleven, bottled by SMWS in January 1994.

A rare bottling not often seen at auction, the L before the 20.5 designates that this particular bottling was for the French market.

Irish Single Malt 1988 Shinanoya 26 Year Old / The Chess

A mystery Irish single malt, bottled at 26 years old for the 10th anniversary of Shinanoya in Japan.

Distilled in 1988 and bottled in 2015, this is part of The Chess series, the label depicts the white king being placed in \"checkmate\" by the black rook.

Bottle 12 of 193 filled from single barrel #10510

Invergordon 1974 Creative Whisky Co 43 Year Old​

Old Invergordon can be incredible. This Creative Whisky Co bottling is 43 years of age, and is part of the Exclusive Grains series.

Distilled on 12th March 1974 and matured in a refill barrel #41

One of 305 bottles.

Imperial 1976 Signatory Vintage 25 Year Old with Miniature 5cl / Silent Stills

Distilled in October 1976, matured in a single butt and bottled by Signatory Vintage in October 2001. 

Bottle number 382 of 488. 

Presented with cask bung and 5cl miniature. 

Inchgower 1974 Rare Malt 22 Year Old 75cl / 55.7%

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.

Distilled in 1974 and bottled as a 22 year old, there were only two releases of Inchgower under the Rare Malt Selection.

Bottle number 2789.

Invergordon 1964 Adelphi 41 Year Old 

If you haven't heard, old grain whisky can be fantastic!  This very well aged single cask #57637 release from Invergordon distillery was distilled in 1964 and bottled in 2005. 

Only 105 bottles of this cask strength 41 year old whisky was released.

Inchgower 1975 Sansibar 38 Year Old

An independent single cask bottling of Inchgower, bottled for Sansibar in 2013.

Distilled in 1975, this is one of 186 bottles. 

Irish Single Malt 1991 Whisky Agency 24 Year Old / Formosa Whisky Society

This Irish single malt was distilled in 1991 and bottled by The Whisky Agency in 2015. 

Bottled exclusively for the 1st anniversary of the Formosa Whisky Society.

One of 143 bottles. 

Irish Single Malt 1991 Whisky Agency 24 Year Old / Komplex

Distilled in 1991 and matured for 24 years before being bottled in 2015 for The Whisky Agency in collaboration with Komplex Whisky, Sweden.

One of only 157 bottles. 

Irish Single Malt 1991 Whisky Agency 24 Year Old

This Irish single malt was distilled in 1991 and bottled by The Whisky Agency in 2015. 

One of 157 bottles. 

I.W. Harper Carboy Bottle circa 1880s

The I.W. prefix in this whiskey's name derives from Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who founded the brand. With his brother he helped establish Louisville in Kentucky as a centre for Bourbon production. Sadly, he felt Harper was a more marketable name than his own to apply to the bottles. 

Despite having been taxed in the US at some point in the 1930s or 1940s, this is certainly much older than that. An I.W. Harper promotional poster used by then-owners of the brand, Schenley in 1963, dated the use of this bottle to the 1880s. It is known as a 'Carboy,' a type of wicker-clad demijohn which took its name from the Persian word qarābah, meaning \"big jug.\"

The Bernheim brothers were whisky \"rectifiers\" at this point in time. This means that they did not actually distil whisky themselves, but produced it by blending barrels they had procured with grain neutral spirits and often flavourings. The profitability of this provoked much ire from legitimate distillers, and the Bottled in Bond act of 1897, spearheaded by EH Taylor Jr eventually put an end to the practice. The Bernheim's and other rectifiers like WL Weller and Sons would go on to become some of Kentucky's greatest producers of bourbon, despite their opposition to the bill.

In the days of the rectifying business, the 'whiskey' was kept in barrel in shops, and customers could bring anything from a small cup, to a larger jug such as this to be filled. The Bernheim brothers were a professional outfit with an early eye for strong branding, and they likely produced these reusable bottles for their clients.

As a result of this, it is impossible to ascertain what is in this bottle, or if it is even whiskey. As such this is offered at auction as a collectible item only. We refer to I.W. Harper only by the inscription on the glass, and it should be recognised that we are in no way describing the contents as such.

Invergordon 1973 Whisky Broker 43 Year Old

An independent bottling of Invergordon grain whisky from Whisky Broker.

Distilled 1973 and bottled 2016 from a Bourbon barrel.

Invergordon 1972 Whisky Agency 43 Year Old / L'Atelier Fantasia

An independent single grain bottling from Invergordon distillery. Distilled in 1972 and matured for 43 years in a refill barrel.

Bottled in 2016 by the Whisky Agency on behalf of L'Atelier Fantasia.

One of 108 bottles.

Invergordon 1972 Grainman 45 Year Old

Old Invergordon can be incredible, this Grainman bottling is 45 years of age.

Distilled December 1972 and matured a single bourbon barrel #13000018 before bottling January 2018.

One of 267 bottles.

Invergordon 1973 Whisky Agency 42 Year Old / Birthdays United

An independent bottling of Invergordon grain whisky from Whisky Agency.

Distilled 1973 and bottled 2016 from a single hogshead.

Selected for Birthdays United

Imperial 1996 Gordon and MacPhail

Distilled in 1996 and bottled by Gordon and MacPhail in 2015.

Mothballed in 1998, Imperial distillery has been completely demolished and is becoming increasingly sought after. 

Irish Single Malt 2001 Whisky Agency 15 Year Old / The Perfect Dram

A mystery Irish single malt, distilled in 2001 and bottled for The Whisky Agency's The Perfect Dram series.

Aged 15 years and bottled in 2016.

One of 168 bottles, all labelled with one of Czech art nouveau artist, Alphonse Mucha's famous lady portraits.

Inchgower 13 Year Old Manager's Dram 2007

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.

This 13 year old Inchgower was chosen by distillery manager Ian Breen, bottled on June 2007.

Bottle number 1011. 

Imperial 1995 Gordon and MacPhail

Distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2014 by Gordon and MacPhail.

Mothballed in 1998, Imperial distillery has been completely demolished and is becoming increasingly sought after. 

Invergordon 43 Year Old That Boutique-y Whisky Company Batch #5

The label depicts the Coffey still... or coffee still! 

This single grain whisky was bottled at a whopping 43 years old.

Bottle number 103 of 528. 

Imperial 1970 Gordon and MacPhail 1980s

Mothballed in 1998, Imperial distillery has been completely demolished and is becoming increasingly sought after.

This example was distilled in 1970 and bottled in the late 1980s by Gordon & MaPhail.

Irish Single Malt 2001 Whisky Agency 15 Year Old / The Perfect Dram

A mystery Irish single malt, distilled in 2001 and bottled for The Whisky Agency's The Perfect Dram series.

Aged 15 years and bottled in 2016.

One of 168 bottles, all labelled with one of Czech art nouveau artist, Alphonse Mucha's famous lady portraits.

Inchgower 12 Year Old De Luxe 1970s

A de luxe highland malt from The House of Bells. 

Imperial 1995 Signatory Vintage 20 Year Old Cask Strength

This closed Speyside is gaining a lot of attention!

Distilled on 18th September 1995 and bottled 7th October 2015. 

Matured in hogsheads #50224 and #50225. 

Bottle number 73 of 447. 

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries / Hanyu and Chichibu

A vatting of malt produced from Chichibu and Hanyu distilleries, bottled within the legendary Ichiro's Malt range.

Imperial 1997 Single Malts of Scotland 21 Year Old

A well-aged Imperial bottled for Speciality Drinks.

Distilled 16th April 1997 and matured in barrel #2473, before being bottled on 23rd June 2018.

This is one of 193 bottles. 

Islay Single Malt 2007 Whisky Agency 8 Year Old / Drunken Master

A mystery Islay malt bottled by the Whisky Agency distilled in 2007 and bottled 8 years later.

One of 108 bottles.

Ichiro's Malt Double Distilleries / Hanyu and Chichibu

A vatting of malt produced from Chichibu and Hanyu distilleries, bottled within the legendary Ichiro's Malt range.

Imperial 1995 Liquid Sun 17 Year Old

A well-aged Imperial bottled for Liquid Sun in 2012.

Distilled  1995 and matured in a refill bourbon hogshead and bottled at 17 years old.

One of 291 bottles. 

Ichiro's Malt Mizunara Wood Reserve / Hanyu and Chichibu

Rumoured to be a vatting of the closed Japanese distillery of Hanyu with that of the relatively young distillery of Chichibu, where this whisky was matured, married and bottled.

The whiskies were matured in Mizunara oak casks (rare Japanese oak). 

Given that this was first released in 2010 and and Hanyu has become thinner on the ground since, we can only assume the Hanyu content has or will eventually be removed.

When that will happen or if it has already happened is unclear. 

Imperial 1995 Signatory Vintage 15 Year Old 

A single vintage from Imperial distillery. Distilled on 9th October 1995 and bottled on 25th May 2011, this closed Speyside is gaining a lot of attention!

Matured in two hogsheads #50310 and #50311.

Bottle 395 of 737.

Island Miniature Selection x 5

• Talisker Gordon & MacPhail 100 proof
• Jura 10 year old 40% 5cl
• Scapa 8 year old Gordon & MacPhail 100 proof
• Highland Park 12 year old 40%
• Highland Park 8 year old Gordon & MacPhail 100 proof