The Perfect Collection Part One

Linkwood 1984 Glenhaven 11 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Linkwood single malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In 1982 it was selected for the Ascot Malt Cellar range by DCL, an early precursor to the Classic Malts range later launched by United Distillers. It had been on the short-list for the subsequent range at the time, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore as the Speyside representative instead, later opting to revive the 12 year old under the Flora & Fauna brand. That remains the only permanent distillery bottling, but independent releases like this are more common however. 

This is a particularly rare bottling, produced by the Glenhaven Scotch Whisky Co. for the US market.

Glenhaven was a short-lived independent bottler, mostly exporting their releases to America. Their bottlings appeared between 1994 and 1997, when their founder Bill Thompson sadly passed away, halting operations at the firm.

Linkwood 12 Year Old Flora and Fauna

Following on from the successful introduction of the Classic Malts range in 1988 (at the time only six expressions), United Distillers sought to build on this by releasing a further 22 single malts in 1991. These became affectionately known as the Flora & Fauna series, a term coined by whisky writer, Michael Jackson, in reference to their labels. The range showcased the lesser-seen distilleries from the company’s extensive portfolio at the time, with the intent of using collective branding to help them raise each other’s profiles. Despite four further additions in 2001, only a handful of these are still permanent distillery bottlings, making it a highly collectible series.

Official bottlings of Linkwood are scarce. Its malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In 1982 it was selected for the Ascot Malt Cellar range by DCL, an early precursor to the Classic Malts range later launched by United Distillers. It was on the short-list at the time, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore as the Speyside representative instead, later opting to revive this 12 year old under the Flora & Fauna brand, and it remains the only permanent distillery bottling available.

Linkwood 1987 D&M 15 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Linkwood single malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In 1982 it was selected for the Ascot Malt Cellar range by DCL, an early precursor to the Classic Malts range later launched by United Distillers. It had been on the short-list for the subsequent range at the time, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore as the Speyside representative instead, later opting to revive the 12 year old under the Flora & Fauna brand. That remains the only permanent distillery bottling, but independent releases like this are more common however. 

This is an independent single cask, bottled for the Connoisseurs' Club at D&M Wine & Spirits in California.

Laphroaig 1988 Blackadder 12 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Laphroaig is the largest of the three heavyweight Islay distilleries in Kildalton, out-stripping the production capacity of neighbours, Ardbeg and Lagavulin, by over 1 million litres per annum. Despite its traditional appearance, Laphroaig was always a forward-thinking distillery. It was bottled as a single malt as early as the 1920s, an unfashionable option at the time, especially for a peated whisky. They were also shrewd in capitalising on post-Prohibition America to add trademark sweetness to their spirit through the use of imported ex-bourbon casks, and hired Scotland’s first ever female distillery manager, Bessie Williamson, in 1954. Laphroaig is one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland to still use in-house maltings, providing them with 20% of their annual requirements, and contributing to the distillery’s unique flavour profile. 

This is an independent single cask from Blackadder, bottled for the US market in 2000.

Blackadder International were founded in 1995 by whisky writers, Robin Tucek and John Lamond, authors of the 1987 publication, The Malt Whisky File: The Essential Guide for the Malt Whisky Connoisseur. The company has gained great affection from whisky enthusiasts for its Raw Cask series, which is deliberately drawn un-filtered from the cask so as to retain all cask sediment along with any natural oils and fats. The company is credited with a key role in the popularisation of cask strength whiskies since its inception.

Longmorn 12 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail 1980s

Longmorn is a popular Speyside distillery, and an essential component in many blends over the years. As such, much of its production is reserved for this purpose and although distillery bottlings first appeared in the 1980s, it was rarely seen before the 15 year old expression was relaunched in 1993. The distillery has long been prominent on the independent scene however, and has cult following in Japan, perhaps in no small part to its connection with Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, who modelled the stills at Yoichi on those at Longmorn.   

Longmorn was one of the distilleries that licensed its brand to Gordon & MacPhail to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high quality casks, and subsequently, high quality releases.

This is a 12 year old old, part of what is nowadays referred to as the Distillery Labels range.

Ledaig 1990 Gordon and MacPhail 8 Year Old 75cl / US Import

This is a rare single malt from the Isle of Mull's Tobermory distillery. Opened way back in 1798, it was originally known as Ledaig, which was the case for much of its history. It was dormant for the majority of the 20th century, shut down by DCL in 1930, and when it re-opened in 1972, it did so as again as Ledaig distillery. Its revival was only brief however, and it closed down again in 1975. When the distillery was again re-opened in 1979, it was now known as Tobermory. Its production in former years had generally been peated whisky, and this single malt was still bottled as Ledaig. However the newly revived company also began producing non-peated as well, for the provision of a blended malt which they marketed under the Tobermory name. Burn Stewart discontinued the blend when they took over in 1993, opting to continue the production of both styles as two distinct single malt brands. The un-peated single malt took over the Tobermory name, while the traditional peated style fittingly retained the historic Ledaig name.

This is a 1990 vintage peated single malt. It was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 1999.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

Linkwood 15 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail 75cl / US Import

Linkwood single malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In 1982 it was selected for the Ascot Malt Cellar range by DCL, an early precursor to the Classic Malts range later launched by United Distillers. It had been on the short-list for the subsequent range at the time, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore as the Speyside representative instead, later opting to revive the 12 year old under the Flora & Fauna brand. That remains the only permanent distillery bottling, but independent releases like this are more common however. 

Linkwood was one of the distilleries that licensed its brand to Gordon & MacPhail to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high quality casks, and subsequently, high quality releases. 

This is a 15 year old. The continued use of these old licensed liveries by Gordon & MacPhail is now known as their Distillery Labels range.

Loch Dhu 10 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Mannochmore was built in 1971 by DCL (now Diageo) on the site of its sister distillery, Glenlossie, to assist with the increasing demand for blended Scotch in the international market. Its output remains blend focussed to this day, and as such is more commonly bottled as a single malt by independent labels. Occasional official releases have appeared over the years though, in the Flora & Fauna and Rare Malts series, and as the infamous “black whisky,” Loch Dhu. 

Enter the villain, this is said Loch Dhu. The whisky divided opinion when first released on account of its obvious use of colouring, but has since become a very collectible bottle.

Lammerlaw 10 Year Old Single Malt

Willowbank distillery was built in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1974 by the Baker family, and primarily produced blends such as Wilson's and 45 South. In the 1980s it was bought by Canadian giants, Seagram, who provided it with a global distribution network and began to market its single malt under the Lammerlaw brand. Sadly, with Seagram begininning to struggle in the lae-1990s, the distillery was sold to the Fosters brewing company, who mothballed it in 1997 and sent the stills to the South Pacific distillery in Fiji to produce rum. The remaining 443 barrels of Willowbank whisky were bought procured by a company called the New Zealand Whisky Collection, who have been bottling them ever since.

This is an old 1990s bottling of Lammerlaw, which is named after a mountain close to the distillery.

Fettercairn 1985 Glenhaven 10 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Fettercairn distillery was built in 1825 and aside from a brief period in mothballs in the 1930s, has been in operation ever since. It was re-opened from that closure in 1939 by Associated Scottish Distilleries, the Scotch arm of the post-Prohibition drinks giant in the US, National Distillers. When ASD ceased trading in 1954 the distillery passed through various hands before being bought by Whyte & Mackay in 1973. Despite being an important contributor to their blends, they also pushed Fettercairn as a single malt brand, as well as making casks available to independent companies for bottlings like this. 

Glenhaven was a short-lived independent bottler, mostly exporting their releases to America. Their bottlings appeared between 1994 and 1997, when their founder Bill Thompson sadly passed away, halting operations at the firm.

Ledaig 15 Year Old 75cl / US Import

This is a rare single malt from the Isle of Mull's Tobermory distillery. Opened way back in 1798, it was originally known as Ledaig, which was the case for much of its history. It was dormant for the majority of the 20th century, shut down by DCL in 1930, and when it re-opened in 1972, it did so as again as Ledaig distillery. Its revival was only brief however, and it closed down again in 1975. When the distillery was again re-opened in 1979, it was now known as Tobermory. Its production in former years had generally been peated whisky, and this single malt was still bottled as Ledaig. However the newly revived company also began producing non-peated as well, for the provision of a blended malt which they marketed under the Tobermory name. Burn Stewart discontinued the blend when they took over in 1993, opting to continue the production of both styles as two distinct single malt brands. The un-peated single malt took over the Tobermory name, while the traditional peated style fittingly retained the historic Ledaig name.

This is a mid-1990s bottling, and will contain single malt produced in the brief production period between 1979 and 1982. 

Longmorn 15 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Longmorn is a popular Speyside distillery, and an essential component in many blends over the years. As such, much of its production is reserved for this purpose and although distillery bottlings first appeared in the 1980s, it was rarely seen before the 15 year old expression was relaunched in 1993. The distillery has long been prominent on the independent scene however, and has cult following in Japan, perhaps in no small part to its connection with Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, who modelled the stills at Yoichi on those at Longmorn.   

This 15 year old was the inaugural distillery bottling, first appearing in the 1980s. This is the revamped version, introduced in 1993, and it was incredibly popular. It was replaced by a 16 year old expression in 2007.

Loch Drunkie 10 Year Old Single Malt

A 12 year old single malt named after the Loch Drunkie, a non-fictitious (you may be surprised to hear) body of water near the village of Aberfoyle in the Trossachs region of Scotland.

This was bottled by Flavour of Scotland in 1999 to mark the centenary of steamship, the SS Sir Walter Scott. The distillery in question in undisclosed.

Lombard's 12 Year Old Single Malt

Lombard was a company originally based on the Isle of Man. Although blending was their chief concern, they began to acquire stocks of well-selected single malt in the 1960s, the legacy of which has provided some fantastic independent releases.

This is a 12 year old single malt from The Lombard Collection, distilled at an undisclosed distillery.

Ferintosh 10 Year Old Speyside Single Malt

A mystery single Speyside malt, bottled by Invergordon Distillers.

This is named after the long-lost Ferintosh distillery, which was destroyed by fire in 17th century. The likely source for this whisky will be one of the Speyside distilleries in the Whyte & Mackay portfolio, such as Tamnavulin.

Longmorn 12 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail Miniature 1970s

Longmorn is a popular Speyside distillery, and an essential component in many blends over the years. As such, much of its production is reserved for this purpose and although distillery bottlings first appeared in the 1980s, it was rarely seen before the 15 year old expression was relaunched in 1993. The distillery has long been prominent on the independent scene however, and has cult following in Japan, perhaps in no small part to its connection with Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, who modelled the stills at Yoichi on those at Longmorn.   

Longmorn was one of the distilleries that licensed its brand to Gordon & MacPhail to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high quality casks, and subsequently, high quality releases. 

This is an old 1970s bottling of the 12 year old.

Locke's Pure Pot Still Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Formerly known as Brusna, Locke's distillery in Kilbeggan, Ireland was founded in 1757. It became Locke's Distillery in 1843 when it was acquired by John Locke, who oversaw an early period of flourishing for the business. It remained in his family until 1893, when it was converted to a limited stock company known as John Locke & Co. The distillery continued to thrive until the outset of the Irish wars of independence, which halted production between 1924 and 1931, leaving the company in financial strife. Prohibition in the US had not helped matters either. After struggling for many years to recover, the distillery was put up for sale in 1947, but after struggling to find a buyer, eventually shut down in 1953 with the company folded 5 years later, bringing a 201 year legacy to an end. All was not lost though. After re-opening as a museum in the 1980s, the site was acquired by the owners of Cooley distillery who have since revived it as a working distillery, now known as Kilbeggan. The first sprit ran from its stills in 2010. 

This is a 1990s bottling, produced using single malt from Cooley distillery and bottled using the Locke's brand name, which they had acquired through their purchase of the then-closed site at Kilbeggan.

Cooley distillery was opened in 1987 after it was converted from a pototo alcohol plant by John Teeling. It now operates two pot and three column stills, generally double distilling as opposed the more familiar triple distillation that most Irish producers favour. It was bought by Beam Inc. in 2011, with its former owners now operating the Teeling distillery in Dublin. Cooley's core range includes the Kilbeggan blends and a peated and unpeated single malt, called Connemara and Tyrconnell, respectively. In addition to this, they have a massive contract distilling operation, providing whisky to a number of independent labels as well.

Ledaig 1972 Cadenhead's 22 Year Old Miniature 

The Authentic Collection was launched by Wm. Cadenhead in 1991, and included whiskies from several rare closed Scottish and Irish distilleries, bottled for the company's 150th anniversary. It would later go on to become a mainstay of their portfolio, as the cask strength alternative to the Original Collection, which replaced their famous \"dumpy\" bottlings in the early 1990s. The Authentic Collection is now the flagship Cadenhead brand, and one of the most recognisable independent labels on the market.

This is a rare single malt from the Isle of Mull's Tobermory distillery. Opened way back in 1798, it was originally known as Ledaig, which was the case for much of its history. It was dormant for the majority of the 20th century, shut down by DCL in 1930, and when it re-opened in 1972, it did so as again as Ledaig distillery. Its revival was only brief however, and it closed down again in 1975. When the distillery was again re-opened in 1979, it was now known as Tobermory. Its production in former years had generally been peated whisky, and this single malt was still bottled as Ledaig. However the newly revived company also began producing non-peated as well, for the provision of a blended malt which they marketed under the Tobermory name. Burn Stewart discontinued the blend when they took over in 1993, opting to continue the production of both styles as two distinct single malt brands. The un-peated single malt took over the Tobermory name, while the traditional peated style fittingly retained the historic Ledaig name.

This is the classic 1972 vintage, bottled in June 1995.

Longmorn 1969 Gordon and MacPhail Cask Strength Miniature 

Longmorn is a popular Speyside distillery, and an essential component in many blends over the years. As such, much of its production is reserved for this purpose and although distillery bottlings first appeared in the 1980s, it was rarely seen before the 15 year old expression was relaunched in 1993. The distillery has long been prominent on the independent scene however, and has cult following in Japan, perhaps in no small part to its connection with Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, who modelled the stills at Yoichi on those at Longmorn.   

Longmorn was one of the distilleries that licensed its brand to Gordon & MacPhail to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high quality casks, and subsequently, high quality releases.

This is part of the Cask Strength range, a more recent version of the Original 'Cask' series, which represented Gordon & MacPhail’s first foray into natural strength bottlings in order to keep up with the market trend in preference for these in the late 1980s.

Famous Grouse Gold Reserve 12 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Originally launched alongside The Grouse Brand in 1896, The Famous Grouse was the third blend registered by Matthew Gloag & Sons, following on from the Brig o' Perth the year earlier. Priced lowest, The Famous Grouse proved to be the most popular of the three, and was officially trademarked by the company in 1905. Today is has become one of the most recognisable brands in the whole Scotch whisky world, and under the ownership of Highland Distillers became the first blend to have its own visitor centre, formerly located at the Glenturret distillery. The brand passed from the Gloag family to Highland Distillers in 1970, and is now owned by Edrington. Despite having lost its spiritual home with the sale of Glenturret in 2019, The Famous Grouse remains as popular as ever.

The Gold Reserve expression was first released in 1996 as a premium addition to the core range, but has since been discontinued.

Frasers Reserve Islay Single Malt

A mystery Islay single malt, selected and bottled by Strathnairn Whisky Ltd of Inverness, a subsidiary company of Gordon & MacPhail. The Frasers Reserve brand appeared as a single malt from various regions over the years.