The Perfect Collection Part Two

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Original Cask Strength / 57.3%

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

The 10 year old is one of the all time classics of the whisky world, famed the world over for its uniquely Laphroaig flavour.

The cask strength equivalents were first bottled in 1995, and have been incredibly sought after ever since, particularly early versions like this.

Littlemill 1965 Signatory Vintage 32 Year Old / 10th Anniversary

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.

This 1965 vintage Littlemill was bottled in 1998 to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary. Cask #5275 produced only 192 bottles.

Littlemill was one of Scotland's oldest distilleries in its time, with distilling rumoured to have taken place there as far back as the late 18th century.​​ It has a turbulent history of ownership changes and mothballings, as well as briefly experimenting with producing a lightly and heavily peated single malt as well, called Dunglass and Dumbuck, respectively. Barton Brands, the owners at the time, called a halt to these in 1971 however. The distillery closed again for a time in the 1980s, with its still falling silent for the final time in 1994. The distillery buildings were then lost in a fire in 1996, bringing an end to the its tumultuous story. 

Lochside 1966 Gordon and MacPhail

Lochside was founded in 1957, however single malt vintages only date from the early to mid 1960s and from the early 1980s as its Spanish owners in the 1970s, Destilerias y Crianzas (DYC), used its malt exclusively for export blends. Prior to this it was in the hands of Joseph Hobbs who had operated both pot and a coffey still, blending both malt and grain at birth for the distillery's Sandy MacNab brand. Some of these \"blended at birth\" casks have subsequently been bottled by independent labels. The practice stopped with Hobbs' death in 1964, and the distillery exclusively produced malt until it eventually closed in 1992. 

This is a 1966 vintage single malt, bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 1992.

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.

Ladyburn 1973 Single Cask 27 Year Old #3177

Ladyburn was a short-lived distillery, constructed by William Grant & Sons within their Girvan grain complex in 1966. The intention was to provide malt whisky for blending, easing some of the strain on Glenfiddich which was becoming a popular single malt at the time. A need for the Girvan grain distillery to expand meant that Ladyburn was dismantled after less than 10 years, closing on November 15th 1975. Official and independent bottlings are incredibly scarce as a result, but it is a well-regarded spirit amongst those who have been lucky to sample it. 

This official bottling is part of 18 single casks, all distilled in 1973 bottled in 2000, a series totalling 3,000 bottles.  Each individual bottle carries the bottling number and cask it originated from.

Lochside 1965 Gordon and MacPhail 17 Year Old

Lochside was founded in 1957, however single malt vintages only date from the early to mid 1960s and from the early 1980s as its Spanish owners in the 1970s, Destilerias y Crianzas (DYC), used its malt exclusively for export blends. Prior to this it was in the hands of Joseph Hobbs who had operated both pot and a coffey still, blending both malt and grain at birth for the distillery's Sandy MacNab brand. Some of these \"blended at birth\" casks have subsequently been bottled by independent labels. The practice stopped with Hobbs' death in 1964, and the distillery exclusively produced malt until it eventually closed in 1992. 

This is a 1965 vintage, bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as a 17 year old.

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.

Port Ellen 1980 Signatory Vintage 16 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This is a rare Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled on 1980 and bottled as a 16 year old for the US market.

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.

Port Ellen 1975 Signatory Vintage 24 Year Old 75cl / US Import

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.

This is a 1975 vintage Port Ellen, bottled for the US market in 1999.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt.

Port Ellen 1977 Wilson and Morgan 16 Year Old 

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This 1977 vintage was bottled by Wilson & Morgan in 1994.

Wilson & Morgan was founded in Italy in 1992 by Fabio Rossi, the son of prolific importer Mario Rossi Jr, who began distributing Scotch whisky back in the 1960s. His son’s company was one of a new generation of Italian bottlers established in the 1990s, which aimed to replicate the successes of predecessors like Samaroli and Moon Import.

Littlemill 30 Year Old 1990s / F&G Import

Littlemill was one of Scotland's oldest distilleries in its time, with distilling rumoured to have taken place there as far back as the late 18th century.​​ It has a turbulent history of ownership changes and mothballings, as well as briefly experimenting with producing a lightly and heavily peated single malt as well, called Dunglass and Dumbuck, respectively. Barton Brands, the owners at the time, called a halt to these in 1971 however. The distillery closed again for a time in the 1980s, with its still falling silent for the final time in 1994. The distillery buildings were then lost in a fire in 1996, bringing an end to the its tumultuous story. 

A very rare cask strength distillery bottling of Littlemill, aged 12 years and produced exclusively for F&G in Italy. The parent firm of the distillery at the time, Gibson International, also produced similar bottlings of Glen Scotia for the Italian importer.

Ladyburn 1973 Single Cask 27 Year Old #1591

Ladyburn was a short-lived distillery, constructed by William Grant & Sons within their Girvan grain complex in 1966. The intention was to provide malt whisky for blending, easing some of the strain on Glenfiddich which was becoming a popular single malt at the time. A need for the Girvan grain distillery to expand meant that Ladyburn was dismantled after less than 10 years, closing on November 15th 1975. Official and independent bottlings are incredibly scarce as a result, but it is a well-regarded spirit amongst those who have been lucky to sample it. 

This official bottling is part of 18 single casks, all distilled in 1973 bottled in 2000, a series totalling 3,000 bottles.  Each individual bottle carries the bottling number and cask it originated from.

Linkwood 48 Year Old Sestante Decanter

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

A beautifully presented, and fantastically aged single malt whisky from Linkwood distillery in Speyside. Bottled in the 1980s 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.

Port Ellen 1980 Cadenhead's 16 Year Old 75cl / US Import

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

This 1980 vintage Port Ellen was bottled for the US market in September 1996.

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

Linkwood 1964 Signatory Vintage 32 Year Old

Linkwood single malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In the 1990s it was short-listed for Diageo's Classic Malts series, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore instead, later opting to maintain the 12 year old Flora & Fauna as the only permanent official bottling.  Independent releases are more common however. 

This is a Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled in 1964 and bottled from a single cask in 1996.

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.

Port Ellen 1974 Gordon and MacPhail

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This 1974 vintage was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 1991.

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.

Lagavulin 1980 Distillers Edition

Lagavulin distillery is one of the quintessential Islay producers, built in the early 19th century before eventually finding itself in the hands of White Horse blenders and their infamous proprietor, Sir Peter Mackie. It has truly captured the imagination of the whisky world in modern times, with the 16 year old becoming an instant (if unexpected) favourite when introduced as one of Diageo's classic malts in 1988. The company had not expected the smoky flavours to be as popular as lighter offerings such as Dalwhinnie and Glenkinchie. Lagavulin was also home to the legendary (and near mythical) Malt Mill distillery in the first half of the 20th century. 

The Distillers Edition range is a series of double matured versions of the standard Classic Malts from Diageo. The Lagavulin releases are finished in Pedro Ximenenz sherry casks.

This is the second release of this acclaimed expression, and just as sought after as the inaugural 1979 vintage.

Pride of Strathspey 1950 Gordon and MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail are one of the largest and most recognisable whisky companies in the world. Although they began distilling at the newly refurbished Benromach distillery in 1998, for most of their history they were an independent bottler. Their labels are recognised by whisky lovers the world over, and their licensed bottlings from distillery's like Macallan and Talisker in the 1970s and 1980s, when the companies were not bottling themselves, are a huge part of the success of those distillers today.

Rumour has it that these undisclosed Pride of Strathspey malts were in fact Macallan, but this has never been confirmed.

Lagavulin 1980 Distillers Edition

Lagavulin distillery is one of the quintessential Islay producers, built in the early 19th century before eventually finding itself in the hands of White Horse blenders and their infamous proprietor, Sir Peter Mackie. It has truly captured the imagination of the whisky world in modern times, with the 16 year old becoming an instant (if unexpected) favourite when introduced as one of Diageo's classic malts in 1988. The company had not expected the smoky flavours to be as popular as lighter offerings such as Dalwhinnie and Glenkinchie. Lagavulin was also home to the legendary (and near mythical) Malt Mill distillery in the first half of the 20th century. 

The Distillers Edition range is a series of double matured versions of the standard Classic Malts from Diageo. The Lagavulin releases are finished in Pedro Ximenenz sherry casks.

This is the second release of this acclaimed expression, and just as sought after as the inaugural 1979 vintage.

Linkwood 48 Year Old Sestante Decanter 

Linkwood single malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In the 1990s it was short-listed for Diageo's Classic Malts series, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore instead, later opting to maintain the 12 year old Flora & Fauna as the only permanent official bottling.  Independent releases are more common however. 

This 48 year old was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for Sestante in the 1980s.

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.

Port Ellen 1977 Milroys 18 Year Old

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This 1977 vintage was bottled by Milroys of Soho in 1996.

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

Linkwood 1972 Rare Malts 23 Year Old 75cl / 58.4%

Official bottlings of Linkwood are scarce. Its malt has always been considered a key component of many popular blends, such as Johnnie Walker and White Horse, with much of its output reserved for these as a result. In the 1990s it was short-listed for Diageo's Classic Malts series, but the company eventually opted for Cragganmore instead, later opting to maintain the 12 year old Flora & Fauna as the only permanent official bottling. 

This is one of those rare official releases, part of the Rare Malts Selection, a historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. As with the Flora & Fauna series, they were often from lesser-seen single malt distilleries.

This 23 year old was bottled for the South African market.

Longrow 1987 Signatory Vintage 8 Year Old 75cl / US Import

First distilled in 1973, Longrow is the peated single malt produced at Springbank distillery. Although very popular, Longrow remains an elusive whisky, with only 100-150 casks of it filled at the distillery each year. Early champions of this spirit included the legendary Italian bottler, Silvano Samaroli, who bought and bottled a number of famous casks from the inaugural vintage, and is credited by many with a good deal of the brand's success. It remains revered by connoisseurs to this day.

This is an independent bottling from Signatory Vintage, distilled in 1987 and 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.

Longmorn 1984 Cadenhead's 12 Year Old Sherry Wood 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 1984 vintage Longmorn was bottled from sherry wood in September 1996.

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

Linkwood 1960 Sestante 25 Year Old Decanter

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

This is a 1960 vintage, bottled for Sestante in Italy.

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.

Lagavulin 1979 Murray McDavid 23 Year Old Mission I 75cl / US Import

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.

Mission is the company's prestige range, showcasing the finest casks and distilleries in its warehouses. It was launched in 2002 and released across five batch selections until 2006.

Part of the first selection, this is a 23 year old Lagavulin.

Lagavulin distillery is one of the quintessential Islay producers, built in the early 19th century before eventually finding itself in the hands of White Horse blenders and their infamous proprietor, Sir Peter Mackie. It has truly captured the imagination of the whisky world in modern times, with the 16 year old becoming an instant (if unexpected) favourite when introduced as one of United Distillers’ Classic Malts in 1988. The company had not expected the smoky flavours to be as popular as lighter offerings such as Dalwhinnie and Glenkinchie. Lagavulin was also home to the legendary (and near mythical) Malt Mill distillery in the first half of the 20th century. Lower production in the 1980s and 90s, coupled with huge global demand for the current product means that independent bottlings from all eras are particularly rare.

Lagavulin 1979 Murray McDavid 23 Year Old Mission I 75cl / US Import

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.

Mission is the company's prestige range, showcasing the finest casks and distilleries in its warehouses. It was launched in 2002 and released across five batch selections until 2006.

Part of the first selection, this is a 23 year old Lagavulin.

Lagavulin distillery is one of the quintessential Islay producers, built in the early 19th century before eventually finding itself in the hands of White Horse blenders and their infamous proprietor, Sir Peter Mackie. It has truly captured the imagination of the whisky world in modern times, with the 16 year old becoming an instant (if unexpected) favourite when introduced as one of United Distillers’ Classic Malts in 1988. The company had not expected the smoky flavours to be as popular as lighter offerings such as Dalwhinnie and Glenkinchie. Lagavulin was also home to the legendary (and near mythical) Malt Mill distillery in the first half of the 20th century. Lower production in the 1980s and 90s, coupled with huge global demand for the current product means that independent bottlings from all eras are particularly rare.

Lagavulin 1979 Murray McDavid 23 Year Old Mission I 75cl / US Import

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.

Mission is the company's prestige range, showcasing the finest casks and distilleries in its warehouses. It was launched in 2002 and released across five batch selections until 2006.

Part of the first selection, this is a 23 year old Lagavulin.

Lagavulin distillery is one of the quintessential Islay producers, built in the early 19th century before eventually finding itself in the hands of White Horse blenders and their infamous proprietor, Sir Peter Mackie. It has truly captured the imagination of the whisky world in modern times, with the 16 year old becoming an instant (if unexpected) favourite when introduced as one of United Distillers’ Classic Malts in 1988. The company had not expected the smoky flavours to be as popular as lighter offerings such as Dalwhinnie and Glenkinchie. Lagavulin was also home to the legendary (and near mythical) Malt Mill distillery in the first half of the 20th century. Lower production in the 1980s and 90s, coupled with huge global demand for the current product means that independent bottlings from all eras are particularly rare.

Pittyvaich 1977 Cadenhead's 13 Year Old 75cl / 150th Anniversary

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 13 year old Pittyvaich is actually one of a handful that predate the initial 150th anniversary releases.

Pittyvaich could be considered the front-runner for shortest-lived Speyside distillery. It was built in 1975 by Arthur Bell & Sons, next-door to their Dufftown distillery, in order to increase provision for its popular blends. Arthur Bell & Sons were bought by Guinness in 1985, who's merger with DCL to form United Distillers (now Diageo) the following year, saw the huge firm oversupplied by its enormous portfolio. Pittyvaich was an early candidate for closure, and was silenced in 1993 before later being demolished. The brief Flora & Fauna release was the only distillery bottling of Pittyvaich in its lifetime, and aside from the occasional official limited edition, the majority of releases have been increasingly sought after independents like this. 

Port Ellen 1980 Gordon and MacPhail 15 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This is a 1980 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail, bottled in 1996.

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.

Port Ellen 1983 Signatory Vintage 14 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This is a Signatory Vintage bottling, distilled in 1983 and bottled from butt #28 in 1997.

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.

Lochside 1981 Murray McDavid 18 Year Old

Lochside was founded in 1957, however single malt vintages only date from the early to mid 1960s and from the early 1980s as its Spanish owners in the 1970s, Destilerias y Crianzas (DYC), used its malt exclusively for export blends. Prior to this it was in the hands of Joseph Hobbs who had operated both pot and a coffey still, blending both malt and grain at birth for the distillery's Sandy MacNab brand. Some of these \"blended at birth\" casks have subsequently been bottled by independent labels. The practice stopped with Hobbs' death in 1964, and the distillery exclusively produced malt until it eventually closed in 1992. 

This single cask was distilled in May 1981 and bottled in February 2000 from a refill sherry cask.

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.

Port Ellen 1982 Hart Brothers 13 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Port Ellen is the lost jewel in the Islay crown, closed down by DCL (now Diageo) in 1983 due to an oversupply of peated whisky for blending and a perceived lack of interest in it as a single malt. It has developed a legendary status in the years since. A very rare 12 year old bottled for attendees of the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1980 is believed to have been the only distillery bottling produced in its years of operation. Diageo have bottled more since, but it is the independent companies that have given the whisky world the best chance to sample this sought after single malt. 

This 1982 vintage was bottled by Hart Brothers in 1996.

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.

Littlemill 17 Year Old 75cl / US Import

Littlemill was one of Scotland's oldest distilleries in its time, with distilling rumoured to have taken place there as far back as the late 18th century.​​ It has a turbulent history of ownership changes and mothballings, as well as briefly experimenting with producing a lightly and heavily peated single malt as well, called Dunglass and Dumbuck, respectively. Barton Brands, the owners at the time, called a halt to these in 1971 however. The distillery closed again for a time in the 1980s, with its still falling silent for the final time in 1994. The distillery buildings were then lost in a fire in 1996, bringing an end to the its tumultuous story. 

This is a very rare distillery bottling of Littlemill 17 year old, presented in the dumpy green bottle and yellow label and released exclusively to the US market during the early 1990s.