The Perfect Collection Part Two

Aberfeldy 1978 Cadenhead's 18 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 1978 vintage Aberfeldy was bottled for the US market in December 1996.

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 from Diageo while part of their stable. It was only in 1999 that a permanent single malt range 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. 

Aberlour 18 Year Old Sherry Wood Matured 75cl / US Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

The long-running ownership of the distillery by Pernond-Ricard means that the distillery has a well-established customer base in France. This 18 year old was exclusively available there until 2010 when it was made more widely available.

Arran Single Malt

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. Isle of Arran Distillers opened their first distillery in 1995, and it quickly became a firm favourite. They bottled its first single malt in 1998, a limited edition 3 year old in a glass decanter. The distillery also produced a peated single malt called Machrie Moor, however an experimental second distillery on the other side of the island, called Lagg, is now the site of all the company’s peated production. As of 2019, the distillery was renamed Lochranza, however its single malt brand is still known by the old name, Arran.

The Arran Founder's Reserve was released in 2001, with this no-age statement single malt following shortly afterwards. Both are a fine examples of single malt from what was then a very young distillery.

Aberlour 1970 21 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

This is a 21 year old distillery bottling, distilled in 1970 and bottled in 1991. As with many vintage Aberlour from this period, the back label gives an interesting insight into what was happening in the world when this spirit was casked.

One of 3,600 bottles.

Aberlour 1990 Blackadder 10 Year Old 75cl / US Import

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

This Aberlour was distilled on 7th May 1990 and matured in a Sherry Cask before being bottled in September 2000 for the American market.

One of only 420 bottles drawn from sherry cask #3315.

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

Auchroisk 1978 Cadenhead's 12 Year Old 75cl

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 12 year old Auchroisk is one of a handful that actually slightly predate the original 150th anniversary releases.

Auchroisk distillery was built by Justerini & Brooks in 1972 to provide malt for their blends. Despite this, there was an immediate focus on its single malt as well, and it was first bottled in 1986. These were vintage-dated releases, and some of the earliest to use cask finishing. This was never advertised though, and the distillery left Balvenie to take the credit for the innovation. Its single malt has also appeared many times from independent labels like this.

Aberfeldy 1978 Glenhaven 17 Year Old / 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 from Diageo while part of their stable. It was only in 1999 that a permanent single malt range 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 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.

Aberlour 1990 Blackadder 10 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

A 1990 vintage, this was bottled from a sherry cask for the US market.

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 1978 Scott's Selection 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 from Diageo while part of their stable. It was only in 1999 that a permanent single malt range 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. 

The Scott's Selection range was launched in the 1990s and was originally bottled from casks hand-selected by former Speyside distillery Master Distiller, Robert Scott. They are always filled un-chillfiltered and at a natural cask strength.

Distilled in 1978 and bottled for the US market.

Amrut Intermediate Sherry 75cl / US Import

Amrut Distilleries was founded in Banagalore, India in 1948. its initial business was the production of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), which is the government-required term for non-indigenous spirits, such a vodka, rum, and of course, whisky. The current distillery building was built in 1987, and the Amrut single malt brand was launched in 2004 after years of experimenting with whisky production that would closely mirror the output of Scotland's Speyside region. Amrut is now a highly regarded single malt, owing in no small part to several catalytic reviews and awards from Jim Murray over the years.

The Intermediate Sherry expression has been matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks, reracked into Oloroso sherry wood for a year, before being finished in bourbon casks again.

Ardbeg 1990 Murray McDavid 8 Year Old

Murray McDavid were founded in 1996 by Mark Reynier, Simon Coughlin and ex-Springbank distillery Director, Gordon Wright. The company bought re-opened Bruichladdich distillery in December 2000, hiring Jim McEwan as Master Distiller. The company was purchased by Remy Cointreau in 2012, with the Murray McDavid brand eventually returning to Scottish hands the following year. Murray McDavid is famed for coining the term \"ACE-ing\" (additional cask enhancement) in relation to their cask finishing process, something they continue to use to great effect to this day.

This is a 1990 vintage Ardbeg, bottled from bourbon wood in February 2000.

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

Ardbeg 1991 Murray McDavid 9 Year Old

Murray McDavid were founded in 1996 by Mark Reynier, Simon Coughlin and ex-Springbank distillery Director, Gordon Wright. The company bought re-opened Bruichladdich distillery in December 2000, hiring Jim McEwan as Master Distiller. The company was purchased by Remy Cointreau in 2012, with the Murray McDavid brand eventually returning to Scottish hands the following year. Murray McDavid is famed for coining the term \"ACE-ing\" (additional cask enhancement) in relation to their cask finishing process, something they continue to use to great effect to this day.

This is a 1991 vintage Ardbeg, bottled in February 2000 from a bourbon cask.

You would not think it to see it now, but Ardbeg had a difficult time of it for much of the 20th century. The distillery was bought in a joint venture between Hiram Walker and DCL in 1959, both intending to supply their blends. The subsequent years were very successful, but DCL backed out in 1979 (closing many of their other distilleries a few years later), and Hiram Walker then struggled in the 1980s era oversupply when interest is blended Scotch was waning. They closed it down for the majority of the decade. It re-opened briefly in the 1990s before being revived for good by Glenmorangie plc in 1997. The lack of demand in the period prior to this, thankfully, saw a lot of casks sold to independent bottlers, many of which have gone on to become legendary releases.

Aberfeldy 1974 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 from Diageo while part of their stable. It was only in 1999 that a permanent single malt range 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 1974, this was bottled in the 1980s by Gordon & MacPhail under their Speymalt pseudonym, for the Spirit of Scotland brand.

Arran Single Lepanto PX Brandy Cask Finish 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. Isle of Arran Distillers opened their first distillery in 1995, and it quickly became a firm favourite. They bottled its first single malt in 1998, a limited edition 3 year old in a glass decanter. The distillery also produced a peated single malt called Machrie Moor, however an experimental second distillery on the other side of the island, called Lagg, is now the site of all the company’s peated production. As of 2019, the distillery was renamed Lochranza, however its single malt brand is still known by the old name, Arran.

This is a single cask release from 2006, one of the early bottlings of Arran single malt. These were finished in a variety of interesting wood types, this one in a Lepanto Pedro Ximenez brandy barrel from Gonzalez Byass.

Auchentoshan 18 Year Old 1980s / Soffiantino Import

Famed for its exclusive use of triple distillation, Auchentoshan is based on the outskirts of Glasgow and was owned for the duration of the 1960s by Tennents brewery. They sold it to Eadie Cairns at the end of the decade, who upgraded the site and began officially bottling it as a single malt. The distillery passed through the hands of Morrison Bowmore before becoming part of the Beam Suntory table today. Unusually, none of the Auchentoshan output is reserved for blends, meaning there has been a wealth of distillery bottled single casks and independent releases throughout the years. 

This is a Morrison-Bowmore era bottling of 18 year old Auchentoshan. This age-statement remains part of the core range today.

Ardmore 1986 100th Anniversary 12 Year Old

Ardmore was built by Wm. Teacher at the end of the 19th century, and as a rare peated Highland single malt, provided the smoky qualities in their well-loved blends. Now in the hands of Beam Suntory, there have been very few official bottlings, but the independent releases that have appeared over the years are much sought after. 

This is a 12 year old Ardmore from the Allied Distillers era, released to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the distillery in 1999. A 1977 vintage 21 year old was also bottled.

Aberfeldy 1978 Signatory Vintage 19 Year Old​

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 from Diageo while part of their stable. It was only in 1999 that a permanent single malt range 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 is a Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled in 1978 and bottled from two casks in 1992.

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.

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations 

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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.

Auchentoshan Three Wood 75cl / US Import

Famed for its exclusive use of triple distillation, Auchentoshan is based on the outskirts of Glasgow and was owned for the duration of the 1960s by Tennents brewery. They sold it to Eadie Cairns at the end of the decade, who upgraded the site and began officially bottling it as a single malt. The distillery passed through the hands of Morrison Bowmore before becoming part of the Beam Suntory table today. Unusually, none of the Auchentoshan output is reserved for blends, meaning there has been a wealth of distillery bottled single casks and independent releases throughout the years. 

Now one of Scotland's best loved expressions, this is an early release of the Three Wood, first bottled in 2002.

The whisky is matured in bourbon wood before being reracked into Spanish Oloroso and then finished in Pedro Ximenez casks.

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.

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations 75cl / US Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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 

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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.

Ardmore 1977 Gordon and MacPhail

Ardmore was built by Wm. Teacher at the end of the 19th century, and as a rare peated Highland single malt, provided the smoky qualities in their well-loved blends. Now in the hands of Beam Suntory, there have been very few official bottlings, but independent releases like this have appeared over the years and are much sought after. 

These Gordon & MacPhail releases are the most prominent of the independent releases. This is part of what is now known as the 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.

Allt-A-Bhainne 1979 Whisky Castle 16 Year Old / The Castle Collection

A lesser seen single malt, Allt-A-Bhainne is a brutalist structure built by Seagram in 1975. Primarily a constituent in blends, Chivas Brothers bottled an official single malt for the first time in 2018. A number of independent releases like this were made available in the years prior however.

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

Aged for 16 years in single cask #26330 and bottled in 1995.

Aberlour 1989 Scottish Millennium Celebrations

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has 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 12 Year Old 1980s / Ramazzoti Import

Aberlour is a picturesque Speyside distillery, built in 1879 by James Fleming after the original distillery of the same name was lost in a fire. It became the first distillery in the S. Campbell & Son portfolio when they acquired it in 1945, and produced fillings for their popular Clan Campell and White Heather blends. Production capacity was increased to meet rising demand for its spirit in 1973, and the following year the company was bought over by Pernod-Ricard who operated it under the Campbell Distillers before merging it with Chivas Brothers, which they acquired from Seagram in 2001. The reverence for the sherry-casked A'Bunadh, launched in 1997, has greatly boosted the popularity of the distillery, and its output from all eras is increasingly sought after.

This is a 12 year old bottling from the late 1970s. Following their takeover, Pernod-Ricard put more impetus on distillery bottlings of Aberlour single malt, introducing a greater range of age statements like this.

Argyll 12 Year Old Single Malt 1980s

A rare 12 year old single malt produced for the Duke of Argyll by Beinn Bhuide.

Beinn Bhuide is a subsidiary company of Morrison Bowmore, and this more than likely contains single malt from one of the trio of distilleries in its stable; Bowmore, Glen Garioch and Auchentoshan.

Aultmore 12 Year Old John and Robert Harvey 1980s

Built in 1896 by Alexander Edward, Aultmore distillery was procured by John Dewar & Sons in 1923. They joined DCL two years later. So key is it to the Dewar's blends, that it has been part of their outfit ever since, and has rarely been bottled as an official single malt. United Distillers included it in the Flora & Fauna range of the 1990s, but it was not until after Bacardi acquired the Dewar's brand and associated distilleries in 1998 that Aultmore's excellent spirit was rewarded with a permanent range. 

Despite being synonymous with Dewar's, DCL actually licensed the distillery to John and Robert Harvey, another of the blenders in their portfolio. They produced these occasional bottlings in the 1970s and 1980s, and they are very rare. This is from the latter decade. The Flora & Fauna became the first distillery bottling when the license was returned in 1991.

Aultmore 1989 Signatory Vintage 11 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. It was included in the Diageo 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 a permanent range. 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 cask 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.