The Perfect Collection Part Two

Ballindalloch Castle 1970 Private Stock

A mystery \"Pure Malt\" Scotch whisky, bottled for Ballindalloch Castle. This was distilled in 1970 and bottled in 1989 at cask strength.

Ballindalloch Castle, known as the \"pearl of the north\", is a Scottish castle located in Banffshire, Scotland.

Blair Athol 15 Year Old Manager's Dram 1996

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. The selections were taken very seriously by each distillery, a point of principle, and the result has become a series of rare, sought after and highly regarded single malts.

1996 was turn of Gordon Donoghue from Blair Athol, he selected this sherry casked 15 year old.

Blair Athol distillery is one of Scotland's oldest, dating back into the late 18th century. Its modern story begins when it was closed down by Peter Mackenzie in 1932, and was purchased by Arthur Bell & Sons the following year. Distilling recommenced in 1949, and with Blair Athol malt at its heart, Bell's became one of the world's best-selling whiskies. Despite its importance to the Bell's blend, Blair Athol was also bottled as a single malt in the 1970s and 1980s. New owner's, Guinness, were less interested in this when they took over in 1985, but their modern iteration, Diageo, brought a distillery bottling back as part of their Flora & Fauna series. One of the more popular, it has been retained as a permanent release. Other official bottlings from the Diageo era are very rare however.

Blair Athol 15 Year Old Manager's Dram 1996

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. The selections were taken very seriously by each distillery, a point of principle, and the result has become a series of rare, sought after and highly regarded single malts.

1996 was turn of Gordon Donoghue from Blair Athol, he selected this sherry casked 15 year old.

Blair Athol distillery is one of Scotland's oldest, dating back into the late 18th century. Its modern story begins when it was closed down by Peter Mackenzie in 1932, and was purchased by Arthur Bell & Sons the following year. Distilling recommenced in 1949, and with Blair Athol malt at its heart, Bell's became one of the world's best-selling whiskies. Despite its importance to the Bell's blend, Blair Athol was also bottled as a single malt in the 1970s and 1980s. New owner's, Guinness, were less interested in this when they took over in 1985, but their modern iteration, Diageo, brought a distillery bottling back as part of their Flora & Fauna series. One of the more popular, it has been retained as a permanent release. Other official bottlings from the Diageo era are very rare however.

Benrinnes 1972 Signatory Vintage 24 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until Diageo opted to continue production of the 15 year old Flora & Fauna as a permanent release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt. 

This Signatory Vintage bottling was distilled in 1972 and aged in the distillery's trademark sherry cask for 24 years.

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.

Bruichladdich 1970 Douglas Laing 28 Year Old

Douglas Laing & Co was established in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing, affectionately known as “FDL.” The company started out as a blending business, but over time their focus shifted towards independently bottlings single malts. Fred died in 1982, leaving the business to his two sons, Stewart and Fred Jr, who eventually carved it up in 2013, with Stewart leaving to establish Hunter Laing. Fred Jr and his daughter Cara now run Douglas Laing, which continues to bottle single malt and has also revived its blending business. Additionally, the company has recently moved into distilling as well, announcing plans to construct the new Clutha distillery in Glasgow, and taking over Strathearn in Perthshire in 2019.

The Old Malt Cask series is one of the most established independent labels on the market. It was launched by Douglas Laing in 1998 and bottled by them until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

This 1970 vintage Bruichladdich bottling is from May 1999.

Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it. The last of these was Whyte and Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements. They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008. A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there. 

Bowmore Blair Castle Horse Trials 2002

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1993. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year after (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.

This is a special limited edition Bowmore, bottled to celebrate the 2002 Blair Castle International Horse Trials which was held between the 22nd and 25th August that year. The distillery produced these annually between 1996 and 2005.

Bowmore Blair Castle Horse Trials 2003

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1993. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year after (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.

This is a special limited edition Bowmore, bottled to celebrate the 2003 Blair Castle International Horse Trials which was held between the 21st and 24th August that year. The distillery produced these annually between 1996 and 2005.

John Begg's Gold Cap circa 1920s

Gold Cap was a premium blend produced by John Begg, the founder and at this time, proprietor of Royal Lochnagar distillery. This was bottled around the 1920s, and bears the royal warrant of King George V, and a Betts & Co foil capsule, patented the decade previously. Lochnagar distillery's royal connections date back as far as Queen Victoria, who awarded it its first Royal Warrant after just three years of operation, in 1848.

John Begg has been acquired by John Dewar & Sons by the time this was produced, and was shortly to becoe part of the DCL fold, who's modern iteratiom, Diageo, still run Royal Lochnagar to this day.

Jack Daniel's '1914' Gold Medal Series 2001

Jack Daniel's is the best-selling American whiskey in the world. Despite that fact it can legally be categorised as a straight bourbon, it has always shunned this title, preferring to market itself as a Tennessee Whiskey. These are similar to straight bourbons but have the additional requirement of having been filtered through maple wood charcoal, a practice known as the Lincoln County Process. History has not always given the distillery an easy ride though. Tennessee was an early adopter of Prohibition in 1910, and one of the last to repeal it in 1938 (five years later than the repeal at Federal level). Even today the distillery is still located in a \"dry\" county, meaning none of its products are sold in its hometown or those around it. The distillery was then only operational for four years before being forced to close again during the second world war. Ten years later it was purchased by the Brown-Forman corporation and its fortunes turned for good. Its classic black-labelled Old No.7 brand (named after the distillery’s original DSP number) is now a globally recognised product.

This is a limited bottle of Jack Daniel's, released in 2001 as the fourth part of the Gold Medal Series, which celebrated each of those won buy the distillery.

This is the 1914 version, celebrating the medal won at the Anglo-American Exposition that year. Despite the state of Tennessee being an early adopter of Prohibition, Lem Motlow (Jack Daniel's nephew) still had high hopes for the distillery. His faith was rewarded by the batch he sent to competition in London that year.

Blair Athol 1973 Signatory Vintage 26 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Blair Athol distillery is one of Scotland's oldest, dating back into the late 18th century. Its modern story begins when it was closed down by Peter Mackenzie in 1932, and was purchased by Arthur Bell & Sons the following year. Distilling recommenced in 1949, and with Blair Athol malt at its heart, Bell's became one of the world's best-selling whiskies. Despite its importance to the Bell's blend, Blair Athol was also bottled as a single malt in the 1970s and 1980s. New owners, Guinness, were less interested in this when they took over in 1985, but their modern iteration, Diageo, brought a distillery bottling back as part of their Flora & Fauna series. One of the more popular, it has been retained as a permanent release. Other official bottlings from the Diageo era are very rare, however the distillery has regularly provided casks to independent companies, many of whom have bottled some exceptional releases. 

This is a Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled in 1973 and bottled in May 2000.

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.

Banff 1978 Signatory Vintage 18 Year Old Silent Stills

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years.

Distilled on 21st December 1978, this was bottled within Signatory Vintage's Silent Stills range, which at the time showcased Scotland's finest discontinued single malts (some, such as Glenglassaugh, have since returned).

Cask #4618 produced 260 bottles.

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.

Burberrys 1968 Single Malt 75cl

A 1968 vintage single malt from an undisclosed distillery, bottled for British fashion house, Burberry, using a hand-blown glass bottle.

The rehabilitation of the brand following its unfortunate alignment with British \"chav\" culture in the early 2000s has seen the company distance itself from association with alcohol, and no bottlings like this have been seen in some time.

Ben Nevis 1977 Cadenhead's 15 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.

This 1977 vintage Ben Nevis was bottled in October 1993 for the US market.

Ben Nevis distillery was built by \"Long\" John MacDonald in 1825, and was so popular by the end of the 19th century that at one point the estate employed over 200 people. After a series of closure and re-openings at the beginning of the 20th, it was eventually bought by former Canadian bootlegger, Joseph Hobbs. He installed a coffey still there in 1955, making Ben Nevis Scotland's first dual-operation distillery, and began to blend its malt and grain before filling it to cask. Sporadic closures again followed Hobb's death, with stability finally ensured in 1989 when it was bought by long-term customers, Nikka Whisky of Japan. Its turbulent history means there were few distillery bottlings until the launch of the 10 year old single malt in 1996, but casks had long been making their way to independent labels, and many of them are very highly praised. 

Braes of Glenlivet 1979 Signatory Vintage 16 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Braes of Glenlivet was built by Seagram in 1973, who reportedly were seeking to replicate the quality of the neighbouring Glenlivet distillery. So much so in fact, that the distillery name needed to be changed to Braeval in 1994 to avoid any confusion between the two. Pernond-Ricard acquired the distillery in 2001 after Seagram collapsed, and promptly mothballed it until 2008. Occasional distillery bottlings have appeared since, but there has never been a permanent range, and most of its single malt has been bottled by independent labels like this. 

This is a Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled in 1979 when the distillery was still called Braes of Glenlivet. Bottled in 1995.

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.

Bowmore Voyage Port Casked 75cl / US Import

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1993. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year after (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.

This limited edition was released in 2000 and was matured in bourbon casks before being finished in port pipes.

Blair Athol 1973 Blackadder Raw Cask 75cl / US Import

Blair Athol distillery is one of Scotland's oldest, dating back into the late 18th century. Its modern story begins when it was closed down by Peter Mackenzie in 1932, and was purchased by Arthur Bell & Sons the following year. Distilling recommenced in 1949, and with Blair Athol malt at its heart, Bell's became one of the world's best-selling whiskies. Despite its importance to the Bell's blend, Blair Athol was also bottled as a single malt in the 1970s and 1980s. New owners, Guinness, were less interested in this when they took over in 1985, but their modern iteration, Diageo, brought a distillery bottling back as part of their Flora & Fauna series. One of the more popular, it has been retained as a permanent release. Other official bottlings from the Diageo era are very rare, however the distillery has regularly provided casks to independent companies, many of whom have bottled some exceptional releases. 

This is a 1973 vintage Blair Athol, drawn from a single hogshead in 2001.

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.

Bladnoch 1974 Signatory Vintage 25 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years. 

This was distilled on24th February 1974 and bottled in November 1999 from sherry cask #1430.

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.

Banff 1974 Gordon and MacPhail 13 Year Old

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years. 

This 1974 vintage was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as a 13 year old.

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.

Bladnoch 1980 Signatory Vintage 19 Year Old Silent Stills

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years. 

Distilled on 30th June 1980, this was bottled within Signatory Vintage's Silent Stills range, which showcased Scotland's finest discontinued single malts. Bladnoch at the time, was one of these.

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.

One of 262 bottles drawn from cask #89/591/31.

Bowmore 1983 Douglas Laing 17 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Douglas Laing & Co was established in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing, affectionately known as “FDL.” The company started out as a blending business, but over time their focus shifted towards independently bottlings single malts. Fred died in 1982, leaving the business to his two sons, Stewart and Fred Jr, who eventually carved it up in 2013, with Stewart leaving to establish Hunter Laing. Fred Jr and his daughter Cara now run Douglas Laing, which continues to bottle single malt and has also revived its blending business. Additionally, the company has recently moved into distilling as well, announcing plans to construct the new Clutha distillery in Glasgow, and taking over Strathearn in Perthshire in 2019.

The Old Malt Cask series is one of the most established independent labels on the market. It was launched by Douglas Laing in 1998 and bottled by them until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

This is a 17 year old from Bowmore, bottled for the US market in July 2000.

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1993. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year after (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements. The unique microclimate in their iconic No.1 vaults shares very little with the angels, meaning casks are readily available for independent labels like this, many of which are spectacular.

Banff 1974 Gordon and MacPhail 13 Year Old

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years. 

This is a rare Gordon & MacPhail bottling, distilled in 1974 and bottled as a 13 year old.

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.

Banff 1978 Signatory Vintage 18 Year Old Silent Stills

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years.

Distilled on 21st December 1978, this was bottled within Signatory Vintage's Silent Stills range, which at the time showcased Scotland's finest discontinued single malts (some, such as Glenglassaugh, have since returned).

Cask #4618 produced 260 bottles.

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.

Braes of Glenlivet 1979 Signatory Vintage 19 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Braes of Glenlivet was built by Seagram in 1973, who reportedly were seeking to replicate the quality of the neighbouring Glenlivet distillery. So much so in fact, that the distillery name needed to be changed to Braeval in 1994 to avoid any confusion between the two. Pernond-Ricard acquired the distillery in 2001 after Seagram collapsed, and promptly mothballed it until 2008. Occasional distillery bottlings have appeared since, but there has never been a permanent range, and most of its single malt has been bottled by independent labels like this. 

This was distilled on 29th November 1979 and matured for 19 years in sherry butt #9294.

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.

Bowmore 1989 Cask Strength 16 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Islay’s oldest working distillery, Bowmore was established in 1779 and is now regarded as one of the most popular malts not only on Islay, but in the whole of Scotland. The distillery was acquired by Stanley P. Morrison in 1963, ushering in an era of iconic single malts, including the legendary Black Bowmore, credited by many as the genesis of whisky collecting, bottled in 1993. The distillery was bought under the control Suntory the year after (they had been stakeholders since 1989), and it remains one of the most collectible brands in Scotch whisky today. Bowmore is one of the few remaining Scottish distilleries to use its own floor maltings, providing them with 40% of their requirements.

This popular limited edition Bowmore was made up of 134 casks, distilled in 1989 and bottled 16 years later at cask strength.

The majority of the casks were ex-bourbon casks.

Bruichladdich 26 Year Old Stillman's Dram 75cl / US Import

Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it. The last of these was Whyte and Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements. They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008. A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there. 

This was bottled within The Stillman's Dram series of whiskies, a premium range of limited editions which showcased impressive age-statements from the Whyte & Mackay distillery portfolio, which also includes Jura, Tamnavulin and Dalmore.

Benrinnes 1969 Gordon and MacPhail

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until Diageo opted to continue production of the 15 year old Flora & Fauna as a permanent release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt. 

This 1969 vintage is a Gordon & MacPhail bottling from 1994.

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.

Benriach 1976 Gordon and MacPhail Spirit of Scotland

Benriach is a distillery with long-standing transatlantic connections. It was procured by Seagram in 1978, the former Canadian drinks empire, and is now in the hands of the Brown-Forman corporation, via Billy Walker who rescued it from a brief mothballing in 2002. Walker bottled some of the peated whisky that Seagram had begun producing there for its blends in 1983, and the positive reaction to these means the distillery now produces both a peated and unpeated single malt. Benriach is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland to still operate its own in-house floor maltings. 

This late 1980s or early 1990s bottling is from Gordon & MacPhail's independent sub-label, Spirit of Scotland, bottled under their Speymalt pseudonym. 

Bladnoch 1980 Cadenhead's 15 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.

This 1980 vintage Bladnoch was bottled for the US market in December 1995.

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years. 

Balmenach 14 Year Old Sestante Decanter

Balmenach is a rarely seen single malt distillery in Speyside. It was built in the early 19th century and for the majority of the 20th it was owned by DCL (now Diageo). Its distinctive style made it highly prized by blenders, and little of it was spared for official distillery bottlings, or independents for that matter. The distillery was closed in 1993 during the Scotch market downturn, but was revived in 1997 by Inver House who purchased it and resumed production. The focus today is still on provision for blends, and Inver House are yet to release a distillery bottling. It is however the source of the popular Carounn gin.

This is a 14 year old, bottled in a crystal decanter for Sestante.

The Sestante import company was founded in the 1970s by Ernesto Mainardi, and he bottled his first single casks under the name in 1985. Alongside his contemporary, Silvano Samaroli, Mainardi pioneered giving his customers a choice of both standard 40-46% bottlings, and cask strength releases from the same casks. Along with his other brand, Silver Seal, Mainardi's bottlings are incredibly sought after.

Mainardi was a former employee of Co. Import, Pinerolo, and was inspired to bottle these crystal decanters based on similar bottlings of Macallan that they had produced. The Sestante decanters were Edinburgh crystal, and Mainardi estimates he produced around 3500 of these over the years.

Benromach 1976 Cadenhead's 19 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.

This 1976 vintage Benromach was bottled for the US market in September 1996.

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a well-regarded and widely distributed single malt. 

Bladnoch 1977 Douglas Laing 22 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Douglas Laing & Co was established in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing, affectionately known as “FDL.” The company started out as a blending business, but over time their focus shifted towards independently bottlings single malts. Fred died in 1982, leaving the business to his two sons, Stewart and Fred Jr, who eventually carved it up in 2013, with Stewart leaving to establish Hunter Laing. Fred Jr and his daughter Cara now run Douglas Laing, which continues to bottle single malt and has also revived its blending business. Additionally, the company has recently moved into distilling as well, announcing plans to construct the new Clutha distillery in Glasgow, and taking over Strathearn in Perthshire in 2019.

The Old Malt Cask series is one of the most established independent labels on the market. It was launched by Douglas Laing in 1998 and bottled by them until 2013 when the brand became part of the Hunter Laing portfolio instead.

This is a 1977 vintage Bladnoch, aged 22 years and bottled for the US market in August 2000.

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years.

Bruichladdich 26 Year Old Stillman's Dram

Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it. The last of these was Whyte and Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements. They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008. A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there. 

An official 26 year old bottling of Bruichladdich from the period between 1993 and 2000 when the distillery was owned by Whyte and Mackay.