October 2018 Auction

Bowmore 1964 Single Cask 35 Year Old / with Miniature 5cl

Released for Oddbins in the year 2000, this was bottled from single cask #3709. This sherry hogshead was from the same batch of casks as the legendary Black Bowmore series. 

Unsurprisingly for such a limited release, this is extremely rare. 

Bottle number 98 of just 99 Bottles.

Presented with a matching 5cl sample miniature and a stunning wooden lock-and-key box.

Bowmore 1961 50 Year Old​

Distilled way back in 1961, this 50 year old is the oldest publicly available Bowmore ever bottled (there are a few bottles of 54 year old available to procure from the distillery). The spirit was distilled in December of that year and laid down to rest for half a century in two ex-bourbon hogsheads. The \"angel's share\" in these casks left only enough for a limited 200 bottles.

The presentation of this 50 year old celebrates more than just the craftsmanship of whisky. The bottle was hand-blown and engraved by two of Scotland's foremost glass artists, Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns. The wooden cabinet and stand were carved and carpented by acclaimed woodsmith Peter Toaig, who used highly-prized burr elm grown in the Scottish Highlands. Finally, the presentation is completed with a solid silver neck collar and 50-year perpetual calendar, allowing you to \"look into the future\" as you savour the past, both fashioned by sixth generation silversmiths, Thomas Fattorini.

This is bottle 83 of 200. 

Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore 30 Year Old 2nd Edition

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 1267 of 2000.

Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore / Final Edition / Leaking

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 1374 of 1812.

Italian import. 

Please note this bottle is leaking and is only available for collection from our offices in Perth, Scotland.

Refer to condition report and images for further details.

Bowmore 1964 Duthie for Corti 22 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Another outstanding 1964 vintage Bowmore, bottled in 1986 by R.W Duthie & Co of Aberdeen for the Corti Brothers of Sacramento. 

Despite the understated labels, these bottlings have become highly sought-after at auction. 

Bowmore 1965 Prestonfield 22 Year Old

A 1965 vintage sherry cask matured 22 year old Bowmore.

Drawn from cask number #47, this is bottle number 66. 

The Prestonfield House Hotel had several bottles produced for them by Morrision Bowmore in the 1980s. 

Bowmore 1964 Sherry Cask / Soffiantino Import

A 1964 vintage sherry cask matured Bowmore.

1960's sherry cask Bowmore vintages come highly recommended by those lucky enough to try them. 

Soffiantino import for the Italian market.

Bowmore 1973 43 Year Old​

A 2016 super-premium Bowmore bottling.

Vatting the last 6 remaining bourbon hogsheads of 1973, this joins the ranks of some impressive bottles from that vintage. 

Casks 3883-3888 were distilled on the 10th of May 1973 and bottled on the 2nd of June 2016 at a staggering 43 years old.

Bowmore 1973 43 Year Old​

A 2016 super-premium Bowmore bottling.

Vatting the last 6 remaining bourbon hogsheads of 1973 this joins the ranks of some impressive bottles from that vintage. 

Casks 3883-3888 were distilled on the 10th of May 1973 and bottled on the 2nd of June 2016 at a staggering 43 years old.

Due to the strip of ribbon on this bottle not travelling well, Bowmore wax dipped some of the seals. This is one such bottle. 

Bowmore 1973 43 Year Old​

A 2016 super-premium Bowmore bottling.

Vatting the last 6 remaining bourbon hogsheads of 1973 this joins the ranks of some impressive bottles from that vintage. 

Casks 3883-3888 were distilled on the 10th of May 1973 and bottled on the 2nd of June 2016 at a staggering 43 years old.

HKDNP

Bowmore 1973 43 Year Old​

A 2016 super-premium Bowmore bottling.

Vatting the last 6 remaining bourbon hogsheads of 1973 this joins the ranks of some impressive bottles from that vintage. 

Casks 3883-3888 were distilled on the 10th of May 1973 and bottled on the 2nd of June 2016 at a staggering 43 years old.

Benromach 1949 Classic 55 Year Old

An incredible offering from the storied Speyside distillery. This is an early post-war vintage, distilled all the way back in 1949. Since then the distillery has changed hands twice, and closed down in the intervening 55 years between then and bottling.

Closed in 1983, the distillery lay silent for 10 years before being re-opened by Gordon & MacPhail in 1998 after a year of restoration. Despite all of this upheaval, this whisky lay patiently maturing in refill bourbon barrel #706 until it was bottled in 2004.

This 55 year old is one of only 83 bottled in hand-blown glass bottles, and presented in an individually numbered burnished copper tube.

This is bottle 34.

Each set also includes a copy of the cask's \"Brewing Report.\"

Bowmore 1971 34 Year Old​

A cask strength 34 Year Old Bowmore matured in sherry oak.

Bottle number 377 of 960.

Balvenie 1968 Vintage Cask

The vintage cask range of whiskies from Balvenie are a fantastic insight into single casks released from this popular Speysider.

Distilled in June 1968 and bottled in September 2000, this is a specially selected single cask Balvenie, from cask #7294. 

Bottle number 155 of 180 bottles. 

Bowmore 1968 Signatory Vintage 31 Year Old / Millennium Edition

Distilled on the 8 of October 1968 and bottled on the 20th November 1999 from single oak cask #3820

This Signatory Millennium Edition is bottle 101 of 252.

Bowmore 8 Year Old Sherriff's 1 Litre 1960s

A legendary Bowmore, the Sherriff's bottling was originally released during the 1960s and created before the distillery was sold to Stanley P Morrison.

This is an unusual Duty Free bottling, featuring early metric measurements and a US proof as well as the traditional UK version.

Purchased from a Hills Duty Free shop.

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%.

Brora 38 Year Old 2016 Release 75cl / US Import

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 2492 of 2984 bottles. 

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%.

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

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 553 of 2976.

Brora 1972 Gordon and MacPhail

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 Connoisseur's Choice bottling was distilled in 1972 and bottled in 1993.

Ben Nevis 1966 Single Cask 44 Year Old #3654 / Alambic Classique

A Ben Nevis single malt whisky, distilled in 1966 then matured in sherry cask #3654. 

Matured for 44 years and bottled exclusively for Alambic Classique in Germany.

Number 130 only 193 bottles.  

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 5646.

Bunnahabhain 1963 40 Year Old

A 1963 vintage Islay malt from Bunnahabhain bottled in 2003 at 40 years old. 

One of 743 bottles.

Banff 1966 Blackadder 36 Year Old Raw Cask 75cl / US Import

A rare Blackadder bottling of Banff, distilled on 16th November 1966 and bottled in September 2003.

The Raw Cask series from Blackadder are single casks that are completely unfiltered, ensuring all sediment and natural oils and fats from the barrel and retained. The cask in cask in question here was sherry butt #3439.

One of just 519 bottles

US Import

Brora 35 Year Old 2012 Release

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

Released in 2012 this was the oldest official bottled Brora at the time, only more recently beaten by the single cask 40 year old available at Travel Retail for no less than £6,995 which makes these bottlings seem a bargain!

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.

Matured in ex-bourbon casks filled in 1976 and 1977, this 35 year old Brora is bottle number 1363 of 1566.

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 671 of 1,500.

Bowmore 1973 21 Year Old

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

Bowmore 1983 Feis Ile 2011

A very rare Bowmore, released in celebration of the Feis Ile 2011.

Bowmore release only 100 bottles of this 1983 vintage and it quickly sold out (as you can no doubt imagine).

This is bottle 26 of 100.

Brora 35 Year Old 2014 Release

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 946.