The Perfect Collection Part One

Aberfeldy 1978 Whyte and Whyte 15 Year Old 75cl / Spirits Library

Aberfeldy distillery was built in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons to provide whisky for their famous blends. Although the capacity of the distillery was doubled in 1973, it was still rarely seen as a single malt, appearing only occasionally in limited releases while part of what is now the Diageo stable. It was only in 1999 that it was marketed under its own single malt brand, when a 12 year old was released by new distillery owners, Bacardi. Despite being so prized by its ownership, there are a number of fantastic casks that have made their way to market via independent bottlers over the years, like this one. 

This was bottled for Whyte and Whyte, a Chicago-based independent spirits distributor in the US. The company had a UK arm that sourced casks of single malt from a variety of specialist firms, including Signatory Vintage and Wm. Cadenhead. This bottle is part of a sought after series the company imported for the Spirits Library, a Scotch and Cognac retailer in the US. Whyte and Whyte ceased trading in 1998, and these bottles are an increasing rarity.

Allt-A-Bhainne 1981 Whyte and Whyte 12 Year Old Cask Strength 75cl / Spirits Library

A lesser seen single malt, Allt-A-Bhainne is an unglamorous looking structure built by Seagram in 1975. Primarily a constituent in blends, Chivas Brothers bottled an official single malt for the first time in 2018. 

This was bottled for Whyte and Whyte, a Chicago-based independent spirits distributor in the US. The company had a UK arm that sourced casks of single malt from a variety of specialist firms, including Signatory Vintage and Wm. Cadenhead. This bottle is part of a sought after series the company imported for the Spirits Library, a Scotch and Cognac retailer in the US. Whyte and Whyte ceased trading in 1998, and these bottles are an increasing rarity.

Aberfeldy 1978 Cooper's Choice 17 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Aberfeldy distillery was built in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons to provide whisky for their famous blends. Although the capacity of the distillery was doubled in 1973, it was still rarely seen as a single malt, appearing only occasionally in limited releases while part of what is now the Diageo stable. It was only in 1999 that it was marketed under its own single malt brand, when a 12 year old was released by new distillery owners, Bacardi. Despite being so prized by its ownership, there are a number of fantastic casks that have made their way to market via independent bottlers over the years, like this one. 

A 1978 vintage bottling, this is part of the premium Cooper's Choice series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Co.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company is a family-owned firm in Glasgow, founded in 1992 by Brian Crook. In addition to their Cooper's Choice series, they also bottle number of their own single malt brands, such as Finlaggan (an Islay) and Tantallan (a Highland), using whisky sourced from unspecified distilleries.

Allt-A-Bhainne 1979 Cadenhead's 16 Year Old 75cl / US Import

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.

A lesser seen single malt, Allt-A-Bhainne is an unglamorous looking structure built by Seagram in 1975. Primarily a constituent in blends, Chivas Brothers bottled an official single malt for the first time in 2018. 

This was distilled on 1979 and bottled in December 1995.

Aultmore 1989 Signatory Vintage 13 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Aultmore distillery was procured by John Dewar & Sons in 1925. So key is it to their blends, that it has been part of their outfit ever since, and has rarely been bottled as an official single malt. United Distillers included in the Flora & Fauna range of the 1990s, but it was not until after Bacardi acquired Dewar's in 1998 that the distillery's excellent spirit was rewarded with its own fully fledged single malt brand. Thankfully, casks have always been made available for independent bottlings like this

This is a Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled in 1989 and bottled from a sherry butt in June 2002.

Signatory Vintage were established in 1988 by Andrew Symington and are one of Scotland's most prolific independent bottlers. Their offices and bottling facility are located next to Edradour distillery, which they have also owned since 2002.

Old Fettercairn 1970s

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, known as \"Old Fettercairn\" until 2002 when the prefix was dropped. 

This is the earliest example of Whyte & Mackay's Old Fettercain single malt, launched in the 1970s after a popular response to their initial Fettercairn 575 and 875 releases, particularly in Italy. This non-age statement distillery bottling was produced into the 1980s, before being discontinued in favour of a 10 year old.

Old Pulteney 8 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail 1980s

The Pulteney distillery in Wick was built in 1826, and for a long time was the northernmost distillery on the Scottish mainland. Acuired by John Dewar & Sons in 1924, the distillery was quickly forced to close down in 1930, as Prohibition in its hometown was enacted to attempt to curb drunkenness among its maritime society. When it re-opened in 1955, the majority of its output was reserved for blending, although Gordon & MacPhail were licensed to bottle a single malt by Allied Breweries (later Allied Domecq). Its single malt was known as \"Old Pulteney\" on their labels, and this tradition remained when Inver House, who acquired the distillery in 1995, released Pulteney's first distillery bottlings.

This is one of the early Gordon & MacPhail releases, bottled in the 1980s.

This is part of what is now known as the Gordon & MacPhail Distillery Labels series, which replicates the livery the Elgin-based bottlers used in the mid-20th century when they produced the only official bottlings (under license) for many distilleries like this.

Orkney Single Malt 1989 John Milroy

Milroy's of Soho is a legendary bottle shop located on Greek Street in London. The store was foundered by John & Mary Milroy in 1964, but it was not until John's brother Wallace joined the company four years later that their focus on whisky was to catch up with their interest in wine. In that year alone, their single malt catalogue increased from just three to well over 30. Their dedication to this unfashionable style of whisky (at the time) continues to be rewarded today, with the Greek Street store still a cornerstone of London's whisky world.

This is a single cask Orkney single malt, distilled at either Highland Park or Scapa distillery in 1989, and bottled at cask strength in 1997.

Old Pulteney 8 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail 1980s

The Pulteney distillery in Wick was built in 1826, and for a long time was the northernmost distillery on the Scottish mainland. Acuired by John Dewar & Sons in 1924, the distillery was quickly forced to close down in 1930, as Prohibition in its hometown was enacted to attempt to curb drunkenness among its maritime society. When it re-opened in 1955, the majority of its output was reserved for blending, although Gordon & MacPhail were licensed to bottle a single malt by Allied Breweries (later Allied Domecq). Its single malt was known as \"Old Pulteney\" on their labels, and this tradition remained when Inver House, who acquired the distillery in 1995, released Pulteney's first distillery bottlings.

This is one of the early Gordon & MacPhail releases, bottled in the 1980s.

This is part of what is now known as the Gordon & MacPhail Distillery Labels series, which replicates the livery the Elgin-based bottlers used in the mid-20th century when they produced the only official bottlings (under license) for many distilleries like this.

Old Bannockburn Scotch Malt Whisky 1970s

Deanston distillery opened in 1965, and its first single malt was called in Old Bannockburn, first bottled in 1971. Invergordon Distillers procured the distillery two years later, and introduced the first Deanston-named single malt in 1974. Sadly, a lack of interest in it saw the distillery mothballed in 1982, and it was not until 1990 when it was procured by Burn Stewart that it was revived and began to flourish. Now part of the Distell group, Deanston has become a global single malt brand.  

When Invergordon Distillers rebranded the distillery's single malt, the Old Bannockburn name was retained for this blended malt that they produced through the 1970s into the early 1980s.

Aultmore 1989 Cadenhead's 9 Year Old

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 1989 vintage Aultmore was bottled for the US market in December 1997.

Aultmore distillery was procured by John Dewar & Sons in 1925. So key is it to their blends, that it has been part of their outfit ever since, and has rarely been bottled as an official single malt. United Distillers included in the Flora & Fauna range of the 1990s, but it was not until after Bacardi acquired Dewar's in 1998 that the distillery's excellent spirit was rewarded with its own fully fledged single malt brand. Thankfully, casks have always been made available for independent bottlings like this

Old Grand-Dad Bottled in Bond Kentucky Bourbon 1 Litre 2001

Featuring the image of Basil Hayden, Old Grand-dad is a classic of the bourbon world. This was bottled at the Bottled in Bond in 1973.

Old Grand-dad is a high-rye recipe bourbon, distilled and bottled by Jim Beam. This was bottled by the rules set out by the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act, which dictates that the whiskey bottled must all have been produced within the same distilling season, but with no dates given it is unclear if that is the case here. 

Jim Beam purchased National Distillers and the Old Grand-dad brand in 1987, and although they have moved production to their Clermont distillery, the Old Grand-dad site still exists as a warehouse and bottling plant, and this was filled there in 2001.

Arran Scottish Painters / William Miller Frazer

Although the Isle of Arran was once a hot-bed of distilling activity, there were no distilleries on the island for the majority of the 19th and 20th centuries. Arran distillery opened in 1995, and quickly became a firm favourite. They bottled their first single malt in 1998, a limited edition 3 year old in a glass decanter. Today the distillery also produces a peated single malt called Machrie Moor, and their parent company have opened a second distillery called Lagg on the other side of the island. 

This is the first release in the Arran Scottish Painters Collection, produxced in conjunction with Glasgow School of Art. This release celebrates the work of William Miller Frazer, and is labelled with his painting of Lochranza, the distillery's home.

Arran 1997 Single Sherry Cask 75cl / US Import

Although the Isle of Arran was once a hot-bed of distilling activity, there were no distilleries on the island for the majority of the 19th and 20th centuries. Arran distillery opened in 1995, and quickly became a firm favourite. They bottled their first single malt in 1998, a limited edition 3 year old in a glass decanter. Today the distillery also produces a peated single malt called Machrie Moor, and their parent company have opened a second distillery called Lagg on the other side of the island. 

This is an early example of an Arran single cask, bottled in 2003 from sherry hogshead #115

Askaig 1983 Master of Malt 13 Year Old Islay Single Malt

A 1983 vintage Islay single malt, bottled at 13 years old by Master of Malt. If the chosen name of Askaig is intended to be a clue as to the origin of this heavily peated whisky, you would imagine that this is a Caol Ila.

Orkney Single Malt 1989 John Milroy

Milroy's of Soho is a legendary bottle shop located on Greek Street in London. The store was foundered by John & Mary Milroy in 1964, but it was not until John's brother Wallace joined the company four years later that their focus on whisky was to catch up with their interest in wine. In that year alone, their single malt catalogue increased from just three to well over 30. Their dedication to this unfashionable style of whisky (at the time) continues to be rewarded today, with the Greek Street store still a cornerstone of London's whisky world.

This is a single cask Orkney single malt, distilled at either Highland Park or Scapa distillery in 1989, and bottled at cask strength in 1997.

Aultmore 1983 Cooper's Choice 13 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Aultmore distillery was procured by John Dewar & Sons in 1925. So key is it to their blends, that it has been part of their outfit ever since, and has rarely been bottled as an official single malt. United Distillers included in the Flora & Fauna range of the 1990s, but it was not until after Bacardi acquired Dewar's in 1998 that the distillery's excellent spirit was rewarded with its own fully fledged single malt brand. Thankfully, casks have always been made available for independent bottlings like this

A 1983 vintage bottling, this is part of the premium Cooper's Choice series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Co.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company is a family-owned firm in Glasgow, founded in 1992 by Brian Crook. In addition to their Cooper's Choice series, they also bottle number of their own single malt brands, such as Finlaggan (an Islay) and Tantallan (a Highland), using whisky sourced from unspecified distilleries.

Old Man of Hoy 10 Year Old Blackadder Orcadian Single Malt 75cl / US Import

Named after the famous cliff on the Isle of Orkney, Blackadder's The Old Man of Hoy is a single malt from one of its two distilleries, Highland Park or Scapa.

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.

Aberfeldy 1982 Cooper's Choice 14 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Aberfeldy distillery was built in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons to provide whisky for their famous blends. Although the capacity of the distillery was doubled in 1973, it was still rarely seen as a single malt, appearing only occasionally in limited releases while part of what is now the Diageo stable. It was only in 1999 that it was marketed under its own single malt brand, when a 12 year old was released by new distillery owners, Bacardi. Despite being so prized by its ownership, there are a number of fantastic casks that have made their way to market via independent bottlers over the years, like this one. 

A 1982 vintage bottling, this is part of the premium Cooper's Choice series from The Vintage Malt Whisky Co.

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company is a family-owned firm in Glasgow, founded in 1992 by Brian Crook. In addition to their Cooper's Choice series, they also bottle number of their own single malt brands, such as Finlaggan (an Islay) and Tantallan (a Highland), using whisky sourced from unspecified distilleries.

Allt-A-Bhainne 1979 Whisky Castle 13 Year Old / The Castle Collection

A lesser seen single malt, Allt-A-Bhainne is an unglamorous looking structure built by Seagram in 1975. Primarily a constituent in blends, Chivas Brothers bottled an official single malt for the first time in 2018. 

This is the first release in The Castle Collection, a series bottled for The Whisky Castle in Tomintoul.

Aged for 13 years in single cask #026329 and bottled in 1993.

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, owned nowadays by Pernod Ricard. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

The Scottish Millennium Celebrations releases were bottled from a series of specially reserved 1989 vintage hogsheads, for a variety of private individuals and companies. They were all bottled in 1999 to commemorate the turn of the century.

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations 75cl / US Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, owned nowadays by Pernod Ricard. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

The Scottish Millennium Celebrations releases were bottled from a series of specially reserved 1989 vintage hogsheads, for a variety of private individuals and companies. They were all bottled in 1999 to commemorate the turn of the century.

Aberfeldy 1975 Gordon and MacPhail Spirit of Scotland 

Aberfeldy distillery was built in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons to provide whisky for their famous blends. Although the capacity of the distillery was doubled in 1973, it was still rarely seen as a single malt, appearing only occasionally in limited releases while part of what is now the Diageo stable. It was only in 1999 that it was marketed under its own single malt brand, when a 12 year old was released by new distillery owners, Bacardi. Despite being so prized by its ownership, there are a number of fantastic casks that have made their way to market via independent bottlers over the years, like this one. 

Distilled in 1975, this was bottled in the 1980s by Gordon & MacPhail under their Speymalt pseudonym for the Spirit of Scotland label.

Old Grand-Dad Kentucky Straight Bourbon 2002

The stories behind America's bourbon brands are some of the greatest in whisky history, and no other traces the narrative of Kentucky distilling as closely as Old Grand-dad. Bourbon historian Chuck Cowdery describes the brand's story as \"one of the richest in bourbon country,\" with distilling dynasties such as the Beam, Dant, Hayden, Taylor, Medley and Wathen families all having a hand in its production over the years.

The original old Grand-dad was Basil Hayden, who's second generation descendents named their primary brand in his honour (he still features on the label today). They built the original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station, not far from where Jim Beam's Clermont distillery now sits today. They bought the Hobbs Station distillery its brands in 1899, and developed a successful business out of it. Even with the Prohibition Act looming on the horizon, the Wathen family were shrewd, and re-organised their company as the American Medicinal Spirits Co. This allowed them to exploit a loophole in the Prohibition laws, which had banned the production and sale of alcohol, but permitted the continued bottling of whiskey for medicinal purposes and as a weekly baker's ration. Otto Wathen consolidated much of Kentucky's distilling, filling his warehouses with bonded stock and acquiring brands such as Hill & Hill, Bourbon de Luxe and Old Crow.

The AMS Co were eventually bout over by National Distillers, who went on to become one of the biggest post-repeal distilling companies in the US. The original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station never re-opened after Prohibition however, with National Distillers buying what is the more familiar Old Grand-dad distillery in Frankfort in 1933. It and National Distillers were acquired by Jim Beam in 1987, who produced this at Clermont, a return (almost) to its spiritual home. The National Distillers era Old  Grand-dad distillery is now a Beam bottling plant. This was likely filled there in 2002.

Oriana 12 Year Old Single Malt Decanter

A mystery 12 year old single malt Scotch, elegantly packaged here under the Oriana brand in an ornate glass decanter.

These were produced for retail on P&O cruise ships.

Old Man of Hoy 10 Year Old Blackadder Orcadian Single Malt 75cl / US Import

Named after the famous cliff on the Isle of Orkney, Blackadder's The Old Man of Hoy is a single malt from one of its two distilleries, Highland Park or Scapa.

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.

Aberlour As We Get It Cask Strength

These days \"As We Get it\" is a mystery malt produced by Ian Macleod Distillers, but in the past they stated where the whisky was from. 

This is a bottling of 100 proof Aberlour, produced by J.G. Thoson & Co.

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, owned nowadays by Pernod Ricard. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after. 

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, owned nowadays by Pernod Ricard. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

The Scottish Millennium Celebrations releases were bottled from a series of specially reserved 1989 vintage hogsheads, for a variety of private individuals and companies. They were all bottled in 1999 to commemorate the turn of the century.

Aberlour 15 Year Old Sherry Wood Finish 75cl / US Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, owned nowadays by Pernod Ricard. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after. 

This distillery bottling is a former part of the Aberlour core range. It was replaced by a 16 year old in 2008.

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, owned nowadays by Pernod Ricard. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

The Scottish Millennium Celebrations releases were bottled from a series of specially reserved 1989 vintage hogsheads, for a variety of private individuals and companies. They were all bottled in 1999 to commemorate the turn of the century.

Old Man of Hoy 10 Year Old Blackadder Orcadian Single Malt 75cl / US Import

Named after the famous cliff on the Isle of Orkney, Blackadder's The Old Man of Hoy is a single malt from one of its two distilleries, Highland Park or Scapa.

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.

Aultmore 1990 Hart Brothers 10 Year Old

Aultmore distillery was procured by John Dewar & Sons in 1925. So key is it to their blends, that it has been part of their outfit ever since, and has rarely been bottled as an official single malt. United Distillers included in the Flora & Fauna range of the 1990s, but it was not until after Bacardi acquired Dewar's in 1998 that the distillery's excellent spirit was rewarded with its own fully fledged single malt brand. Thankfully, casks have always been made available for independent bottlings like this

This is an independent bottling however, distilled in 1990 and bottled by Hart Brothers as a 10 year old.

The Hart Brothers bottling company was founded in 1964 when Iain and Donald Hart incorporated as a wine and spirit merchant and Scotch whisky blenders. They have been bottling independent single malts since the 1980s.