Live Auction
UAT April - Photo UploadEnding 05.05.2025
Live Auction
Live Auction
April 2025 AuctionEnding 05.05.2029
1990
54.4%
75cl
EU
#Ardbeg 1965 24 Year Old - Sestante "White Label"
#1877436
Current bid
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Closing
05 May 2029

Bottle Details

These "white label" bottles were actually existing William Cadenhead releases that Sestante founder, Ernesto Mainardi, purchased in Scotland and imported to Italy. As he was not the licensed distributor for Cadenhead releases, the labels were changed at the customs office in Cesena upon import to avoid any conflict of interests. 

He ordered two batched of this Ardbeg, an initial batch of 240 bottles (twenty of which were labelled as the rare Andy & Norman bottling), and later at the request of various Italian collectors, a further 120 bottles. Whether the whisky is the same for both batches is not known.

Ardbeg 1965 Cadenhead's 24 Year Old / Sestante White Label

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.

The rising demand for its product in the 1970s meant that Ardbeg was forced to stop using its own malted barley, instead buying it in from the neighbouring Port Ellen maltings. The result was a change in the style and profile of the distillery's whisky, and pre-1974 vintages such as this are incredibly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike.

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.

These \"White Label\" bottles were actually existing Wm. Cadenhead releases that Mainardi purchased in Scotland and imported to Italy. As he was not the licensed distributor for Wm. Cadenhead, the labels were changed at the customs office in Cesena upon import, to avoid any conflict of interests. 

He ordered two batched of the Ardbeg, an initial batch of 240 bottles (twenty of which were labelled as the rare Andy & Norman bottling), and later at the request of various Italian collectors, a further 120 bottles. Whether the whisky is the same for both batches is not known.

Distillery
Distillery status
Operational
Age
24 year old
Vintage
1965
Production Type
Single malt
Region
Islay

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