The Perfect Collection Part Two

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.

Johnnie Walker Pure Malt 15 Year Old / 'Green Label'

Johnnie Walker is arguably the most popular and recognisable blended Scotch on the market. Its core range includes the standard Red Label and Black Label, introduced in 1909 and named, quite simply, after their packaging. The iconic “striding man” motif was first drawn by Tom Browne the year prior. The premium Blue Label brand was introduced in 1992, and is composed using malt whisky from some of the most sought after distilleries in Diageo’s extensive portfolio. Today, many of these distilleries are only still with us due to their importance to the Johnnie Walker blends during the difficult 1980s period for the industry. A true champion of the whisky world. 

The Johnnie Walker Pure Malt was launched in 1997 as the blended malt member of the stable. It was officially rebranded as the Green Label (despite having always had one), to bring it into line with the rest of the range in 2004. This is the earlier version.

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel 2003

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.

When Jack Daniel's was purchased by the Brown-Forman corporation, for many years it traded solely in its esteemed Old No.7 Brand. In recent decades it has been slowly widening its portfolio, including single barrel offerings such as this. The first Jack Daniel's single barrel was bottled in 1997.

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.

Jura 1986 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 is a 1986 vintage Jura, bottled from a single butt in July 2001.

The Isle of Jura is one of the most isolated in the Hebridean archipelago, and by all logical accounts an unusual place to build a distillery. However, the historic site was re-opened in the 1960s, in part to provide jobs to what was a declining population at the time. The rebuilding of the distillery was back by blenders, Charles Mackinlay & Co, so like Bruichladdich, despite the island being covered in peat, it produced an un-peated spirit to meet the needs of their blends. This continued into the 1990s when Whyte & Mackay became its owners, although they did eventually introduce some peated malt to their distilling, launching the Jura Superstition in 2003.

Jameson '1780' Special Reserve 12 Year Old 1 Litre 1980s

The Jameson brand is named for its founder, John Jameson, a Scot who was married into the famous Haig distilling dynasty. Jameson was one of the original Dublin whiskies, and is synonymous with its spiritual ex-home, the Bow Street distillery in Ireland's capital. The Irish Wars of Independence, subsequent trade war with Britain, and US Prohibition, all hit the whiskey industry there hard in the mid-20th century. The solution was the creation of the Irish Distillers group, a merger between Jameson, Powers and Cork Distillers in 1966. Now a Pernod Ricard subsidiary, Irish Distillers continue to produce Jameson at the New Midleton distillery in Cork, built in 1975. Today it is best-selling Irish whiskey in the world.

The 12 year old was originally called the 1780 in reference to the opening of Jameson's Bow Street distillery. 

This was bottled in the 1980s, by which time the production of Jameson had been re-located to the New Midleton distillery in Cork.

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.

Jura 1983 Cadenhead's 10 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.

Distilled in 1983 and bottled in February 1994 from a single cask. 

The Isle of Jura is one of the most isolated in the Hebridean archipelago, and by all logical accounts an unusual place to build a distillery. However, the historic site was re-opened in the 1960s, in part to provide jobs to what was a declining population at the time. The rebuilding of the distillery was back by blenders, Charles Mackinlay & Co, so like Bruichladdich, despite the island being covered in peat, it produced an un-peated spirit to meet the needs of their blends. This continued into the 1990s when Whyte & Mackay became its owners, although they did eventually introduce some peated malt to their distilling, launching the Jura Superstition in 2003. 

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.

Jura 1983 Cadenhead's 10 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 is a 1983 vintage Jura, bottled for the US market in February 1994.

The Isle of Jura is one of the most isolated in the Hebridean archipelago, and by all logical accounts an unusual place to build a distillery. However, the historic site was re-opened in the 1960s, in part to provide jobs to what was a declining population at the time. The rebuilding of the distillery was back by blenders, Charles Mackinlay & Co, so like Bruichladdich, despite the island being covered in peat, it produced an un-peated spirit to meet the needs of their blends. This continued into the 1990s when Whyte & Mackay became its owners, although they did eventually introduce some peated malt to their distilling, launching the Jura Superstition in 2003.  

James Martin's 12 Year Old De Luxe Scotch 1970s / US Import

James Martin's is a blended Scotch brand, introduced in the late 19th century and historically produced using malt from Glenmorangie. The blends were produced predominatly for export, and they dominated the US market in the early post-Prohibition landscape. Much of the whisky stock aboard the SS Politician (of Whisky Galore fame) when it ran aground in 1941 was James Martin's. The brand was discontinued by LVMH when they bought over Glenmorangie in 2004.

Many of the James Martin blends have been highly acclaimed by whisky authors such as Michael Jackson and Dave Broom.

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.

J.T.S. Brown Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1 Litre 2004

This is a bourbon brand named after John Thomson Street Brown, who alongside his half-brother, George Garvin Brown, founded the now illustrious Brown-Forman company. John's involvement in that firm was short-lived however, and after a disagreement with George he struck out on his own  to form what would eventually become JTS Brown & Sons, after several of his progeny grew up to join him in business. It was actually the the JTS Brown & Sons company that built the Old Prentice distillery in Lawrenceburg, which is now better known as Four Roses, and one of the Kentucky distilleries on the National Register of Historic Buildings for its distinctive mission style architecture.

The JTS Brown company was eventually sold to the Ripy Brothers in 1955, who produced it at their distillery in Lawrenceburg (now Wild Turkey) before selling it on to Heaven Hill in the 1970s. It was Heaven Hill who distilled and bottled this version in 2004.

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.

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.

Amrut Single Malt

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.

Batch number 5 from August 2005.

Auchentoshan 10 Year Old 1980s / 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. 

This is a Morrison Bowmore era bottling of the 10 year old expression, bottled here for the US market. A core range expression for many years, the 10 year old was eventually retired in 2008.

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. 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 1990 vintage, bottled by Hart Brothers in 2000.

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.