Online Scotch Whisky Awards 2023 (your vote matters)

THE DISTILLERS ONE OF ONE SCOTCH WHISKY CHARITY AUCTION BRINGS AN OUTSTANDING TOTAL OF £2.25 MILLION / $2.7 MILLION,

DOUBLING THE PRE-SALE LOW ESTIMATE

HAMMER PROCEEDS TO PRIMARILY BENEFIT THE YOUTH ACTION FUND

IN SUPPORT OF DISADVANTAGED YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCOTLAND

19 Auction Records Achieved, Including Bowmore, Brora, The Glenturret,

The Glen Grant and Old Pulteney

Edinburgh, 6 October 2023 – The Distillers’ Charity hosted its second biennial One of One Auction, in partnership with Sotheby’s, in the stately Hopetoun House near Edinburgh on Thursday 5 October. Comprising a selection of ultra-rare Scotch whiskies, the 39-lot sale – which attracted lively bidding in the room and fierce bidding online – was attended by some 200 guests from across the globe, and brought an outstanding total of £2,248,750 / $2,715,815, more than double the pre-sale low estimate. Hammer proceeds of £1.8 million from yesterday’s auction will primarily benefit The Distillers’ Charity’s Youth Action Fund, which aims to transform the lives of young people in Scotland aged between 16 and 25, by helping them to develop knowledge, confidence, resilience, and skills. The Youth Action Fund – established by The Distillers’ Charity, with the support of Inspiring Scotland, as a vehicle to distribute funds from the One of One Auctions – has assembled a panel of complementary charity partners, each providing expertise and experience in achieving sustainable employability outcomes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.   Yesterday’s result means that the first two Distillers One of One Auctions have raised a combined total of £4.2m for charity. 

Grant Gordon OBE, Chairman of The Distillers’ Charity, commented that “We’re very proud to see that the Scotch Whisky industry has once more come together and raised an incredible amount in support of disadvantaged young people in Scotland. In the past 21 months, with proceeds from the first One of One Auction, over 800 young people who were isolated, disengaged and inactive, have already benefited from support through the Youth Action Fund.  This year’s auction has once more raised a substantial amount of funds, which will contribute towards our aspiration of changing the lives of another 1,000 young people across Scotland in the next two years. We sincerely thank all our industry leaders, the whisky collectors and the craftspeople that pour their passion into every cask and bottle, for their support and generosity, as well the Youth Action Fund’s charity partners who work tirelessly every day to support the young people in Scotland.”

Jonathan Driver from The Distillers One of One, added: “We’re overwhelmed to see that our second One of One Auction has been another resounding success, galvanizing whisky brands old and new, all in the name of philanthropy. To have raised such an exceptional sum for Scotland’s disadvantaged youth this year is very special to us, and we cannot wait to hear about further inspiring stories on how these funds will be used in practice.

We’re also delighted to announce that the next One of One Auction will be back in 2025, continuing the momentum of creativity, philanthropy and celebration that we’ve built. We look forward to welcoming back our partners, including auctioneers Sotheby’s, and we’re proud to make a long-term commitment to funding and securing a future for young people in Scotland that benefit from the funds raised. The Distillers’ Charity would like to thank all who donated to, and bid on, the One of One Auction 2023, and we look forward to seeing them again in 2025.”

Sotheby’s Global Head of Whisky, Jonny Fowle, said: “In 2021, the inaugural Distillers One of One sale broke the mould for whisky charity auctions not just through the creativity of the donations but also through the value generated for The Distillers’ Charity. For 2023, the participating distilleries really went above and beyond to stretch the bounds of their generosity and creativity. This galvanising feeling of partnership, community and conviviality built a resulting auction that was greater than the sum of its parts and the results have once again exceeded anything that we thought was possible before this project began. We would like to thank all of the donors who have worked so generously to make this auction a success and look forward to its development into 2025.”

Across the sale, nineteen auction records were achieved: for Brora (Lot 5), Glenglassaugh (Lot 6), Glenmorangie (Lot 7), Macduff (Lot 10), Old Pulteney (Lot 11), The Glenturret (Lot 13), Bladnoch (Lot 15), Holyrood (Lot 18), Littlemill (Lot 20), Bowmore (Lot 22), Kilchoman (Lot 25), That Boutique-y Whisky Company (Lot 26), Glen Scotia (Lot 27), House of Hazelwood (Lot 29), Glen Moray (Lot 30), The Glen Grant (Lot 32), The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Lot 33), Gordon & MacPhail (Lot 34), and The Last Drop (Lot 38).

Leading the auction was the spectacular Bowmore STAC 55 Years Old, the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery, which sold for £562,500 / $679,331 (est. £300,000-500,000). A spirited extended bidding battle broke out as collectors enthusiastically offered amounts far in advance of the previous bid, to secure the highly prized single malt housed in a ground-breaking magnum-sized, 1.5 litre, hand-blown glass.

A new auction record was achieved when Brora Iris 50 Year Old 1972, the oldest Brora single malt that has ever been bottled, presented in a 1.5 litre decanter and suspended within an imposing one-of-a-kind handcrafted stone sculpture, sold for £400,000 / $483,080 (est. £200,000-400,000). In the run-up to the sale, online bidding had already broken Brora’s previous auction record; on the day, multiple bids resulted in an outcome establishing the highest price for a bottle of whisky released from the Brora distillery.

From the Glen Grant Distillery, The Visionary – an exceptional one-of-a-kind creation presented in a singular hand blown battuto-cut magnum decanter and one of the oldest whiskies to be released by the distillery – more than doubled its high estimate, selling for £212,500 / $256,636 (est. £50,000-90,000), establishing a record for a bottle of The Glen Grant at auction.

An auction record was achieved for The Glenturret when The Glenturret Enduring Spirit – four Lalique crystal decanters, each containing liquid to celebrate a century of The Glenturret’s existence, contained in a handmade, Method Studio trunk – tripled its estimate, to bring £125,000 / $150,962 (est. £40,000-80,000).

The Gordon & MacPhail Recollection Showcase, featuring five uniquely engraved Glencairn decanters each containing an extremely rare one-off 70cl single malt from a distillery that has been lost or silent for decades, brought £93,750 / $113,222 (est. £80,000-160,000).

Old Pulteney Bow Wave 45 Year Old, the oldest expression released to date from Old Pulteney Distillery, more than doubled its pre-sale high estimate, selling for £68,750 / $83,029 (est. £20,000-30,000).

The Only Drop, from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, saw a flurry of bids, resulting in a final sale price of £18,750 / $22,644 (est. £5,000-10,000). The one-of-a-kind bottle housing a 1989 spirit from a Speyside Distillery is distinguished by its unique bottle design, featuring a sculptural representation of a ripple formation on water, with a droplet portal allowing a glimpse of the precious whisky within.

Other significant results from the day included:

“Christmas at Hazelwood”, presented for sale by House of Hazelwood – a miniature house, inspired by the Gordon family’s ancestral home and created by Linley in the form of an Advent Calendar.  This unique lot containing a 50ml measure of every House of Hazelwood whisky released to date behind 24 numbered advent doors alongside a full bottle of a unique 51 Year Old sherry cask matured blended Scotch Whisky to be opened and shared on Christmas Day sold for £47,500 / $57,366, more than three times its pre-sale low estimate (est. £14,000-24,000), establishing an auction record for House of Hazelwood.

Showcasing a contrasting duo of rare Scotch whiskies distilled in 1979 and bottled in 2023, AGA, by KANDOBLANC, ignited competitive bidding, selling for £45,000 / $54,346 – an auction debut for the newly launched whisky brand.

An extraordinary 49 Year Old Glen Scotia, taken from the distillery’s oldest remaining cask reserves, encased in a bespoke wooden case, brought £33,750 / $40,760 (est. £10,000-15,000.)

Presenting the winning bidder with an opportunity to create their own unique aged, blended Scotch Whisky, The Last Drop Blending Experience sold for a staggering £60,000 / $72,462 (est. £14,000-24,000).

The Distillers One of One is also immensely grateful to the donors, to everyone who attended and bid, and to the following sponsors: Partner Programme Sponsor – Beamish International; Programme Sponsors – Glencairn Crystal, McLaren Packaging and Simpsons Malt; and Auction Sponsors – Bentley Motors Edinburgh, Forsyths.

A full list of the lots and auction results can be viewed here.

About the Distillers One of One Auction

The hammer proceeds total for the 2023 auction was £1.8 million and for the 2021 auction was £2.4m. The entire combined hammer proceeds of £4.2 million goes to The Distillers’ Charity, with 90% of that amount going to the Youth Action Fund and 10% going to the charity for its general charitable purposes.

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About The Distillers’ Charity

The Distillers’ Charity (registered no. 1193683) is the philanthropic arm of The Worshipful Company of Distillers. The Charity’s vision is to make a difference especially to young people, and those within the distilled spirits trade, helping them to reach their full potential, improve their life chances and make a positive contribution to their communities. Distillers’ Charity mission is manifested through three distinctive grant-making areas:

Vocational Training & Education: to provide educational and development support to new and recent entrants to the UK spirits trade, encouraging high standards of distilling practice and service.

Livery & City giving: to fulfil our wider civic duties as a Livery, supporting the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, the Master’s charity and other good causes aligned with our vision.

Youth Action Fund: created by The Distillers’ Charity to use proceeds from The Distillers One of One auctions to support young people in Scotland, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, to reach their potential and make a positive contribution to their communities.

About Sotheby’s Wine

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewellery, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Design, as well as collectable cars and real estate. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.

Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits achieved a record total of $158 million in 2022, a 20% increase from 2021. Sotheby’s currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most valuable bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most valuable bottle of spirits ever sold at auction, in addition to the highest ever total for a charity wine auction.

In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.

MAC-TALLA LAUNCH NEW LIMITED EDITION FLAVOURSCAPE RANGE 

Brand team up with artist Marzia Sileno to create one of a kind whisky artwork 

Aberargie, Scotland– Flavourscapes is the first in a series of Limited Edition releases from Mac-Talla, where they have collaborated with an artist to create a visual based on the taste profile of their Islay Single Malt Whiskies. Marzia Sileno is well-known in the whisky industry as a former tastings manager at the iconic Milroy’s of Soho. She is also a talented artist and her works caught the attention of the Mac-Talla team who recognised that her vibrant and multilayered creations would be the perfect way to convey the intricate layers of flavour that are present in Islay Single Malt Whisky.

Working with the Mac-Talla Team and their new range, Marzia has produced a series of paintings which Mac-Talla are proud to display on the label of their new small-batch bottlings, exclusively available in the UK. Each artwork translates the tastes of the liquid into a stunning visual, capturing the essence of the whisky’s personality on canvas. Marzia Sileno said of the project: 

‘Months ago, the Mac-Talla team entrusted me with the unique challenge of translating flavour into colour for their Flavourscapes series. Today, I’m thrilled to unveil the remarkable labels we’ve created together. Working with this talented team has been an incredible journey, and I couldn’t be prouder of the results. These labels truly capture the essence of our collaboration, and I’m excited to share them with the world.’ 

Mac-Talla Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a range of whiskies which have been chosen to showcase the depth and variety of this exceptional whisky making environment has to offer. The brand aims to take the drinker on a taste journey across the island, allowing them to discover the depth and variety of Islay Single Malt. Their Flavourscapes range further demonstrates the island’s ability to create entirely distinct styles of whisky and with the addition of the bespoke labels customers will be able to get a sense of the liquid’s flavour from simply looking at Marzia’s creations.

Niel Hendriksz, Sales Director at Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers said:

‘The concept of flavour interpretation through visual creativity is not new. Flavour has the power to take you to a different place: a journey. Marzia’s experience in both art and whisky meant that she immediately understood what we wanted to achieve with this project. The whiskies we selected for the first two expressions are very different. We shared them with Marzia without the influence of external elements (cask types, years of maturations, strength) –  fully focusing on the liquid itself. We are delighted with the finished artwork and how the labels communicate the flavour and complexities of each whisky.’  

Tasting notes: 

For the first release, there are two whiskies, exclusive to the UK:  

Flùran, Flavourscapes Ltd Edition 

Scots Gaelic for ‘blossom’

Tasting note: Bright and crisp with sweet spring blossom, delicate honeysuckle and a lively burst of vibrant citrus fruits. Fragrant springtime aromas are layered with a gentle hint of campfire smoke lingering in the background.

ABV: 53.8%

Bottles: 420, available in the UK only

Colour: Buttercup Yellow

RRP: £75 

Fogharach, Flavourscapes Ltd Edition 

Scots gaelic for ‘autumnal, related to autumn, related to harvest’

Exuding warmth and a delightful array of fruity notes, Mac-Talla Fogharach evokes the essence of autumn vineyards following the harvest. Infused with peaty undertones, complemented by sherried baked fruits, almonds and a subtle hint of spice.

ABV: 54.2%

Bottles: 420, available in the UK only

Colour: Harvest Gold

RRP: £75 

Mac-Talla Flavourscapes will be available to purchase from Friday 29th September 2023 please visit https://mactallawhisky.com/stockists to find available stockists. 

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers is solely owned and operated by one of Scotland’s oldest and most prominent whisky families, Jamie and Brian Morrison. There has been over five generations of the Morrison family involved in the whisky business including grocers, brokers, blenders, bottlers and distillers, making them one of Scotland’s oldest whisky families.

Their heritage gives them access to a wide variety of unique and exceptional casks from pedigree distilleries across Scotland. Their family’s values are run through everything they do and they proudly showcase these underneath each of their bottles reiterating their commitment to Patience, Intuition and Integrity.

In every whisky they release, they are committed to continue to impart the knowledge that has been passed down from generations of family whisky makers. Our chairman’s great-grandfather, William Walker, one of the pre-eminent whisky brokers of his era, worked closely with various distilleries on the island, even advocating on behalf of the Islay whisky trade to American businesses on the repeal of US prohibition in 1933.

Walker grew very fond of Islay, where he eventually purchased a home, and played an integral part in developing transport, trade and marketing of the Island’s produce.  His philanthropic nature was deeply appreciated by Islay residents – with the Glasgow Islay Association (of which he was a life member and chairman) noting in 1934 “In the Island itself, he has closely identified himself with every cause worthy of support”.

In 1963 a chance lunchtime encounter at a Glasgow restaurant led to Stanley P Morrison, the son-in-law of William Walker, purchasing of Islay’s oldest distillery — Bowmore (established in 1779) — that evening. Morrison Bowmore Distillers was created and emerged as a globally-recognised brand of quality Single Malt Scotch Whisky, producing a characterful spirit with some legendary bottlings. Morrison Bowmore Distillers was acquired by Suntory in 1994.

To find out more about Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers visit www.morrisondistillers.com or for MacTalla visit www.mactallawhisky.com

It’s all treats and no tricks with the October Outturn! We kick things off with Cask No. 38.34 “Exceedingly exquisite” – a 25 year old black label bottling from a closed (demolished, in fact) distillery. We follow that with Cask No. 60.31 “Sweetly modern” which is the first appearance from this distillery for SMWS Canada!

And Cask No. 94.34 “That Heilan’ feelin'” is only the second bottling we’ve seen from this distillery in our 12-year history!

Some sherried drams and a couple of peat bombs round things out, so contact your local retail store to order any of these hauntingly good whiskies.

EXCEEDINGLY EXQUISITE

CASK NO. 38.34

REGION:  Speyside

INITIAL CASKS:  Ex-bourbon barrels

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  25 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Old & dignified

BOTTLE NOTE:  “A gorgeous and decadent mature single malt. Detailed, beautiful and lush. Single malt originally from bourbon barrels, married in this cask.”

SWEETLY MODERN

CASK NO. 60.31

REGION:  Highland

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead

AGE:  9 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Easy, sweet, uncomplicated and pleasurable modern highland style whisky. Fruits and citrus sweetness with caramel and rich cereal notes.”

THAT HEILAN’ FEELIN’

CASK NO. 94.34

REGION:  Highland

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  13 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Rich and sweet but also textural, nicely waxy, old school and full bodied. A charming Highland character full of honey, tweed and porridge.”

LOSE YOURSELF BY THE FIRE

CASK NO. 46.137

REGION:  Speyside

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  1st fill Oloroso hogshead

AGE:  15 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

BOTTLE NOTE:  “The cask and distillate vie for influence, but the result is an entertaining mash-up of dark fruits, wood tannins, chocolate and earthy heft.”

AT HOME ON THE RANGE

CASK NO. 78.62

REGION:  Highland

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-Oloroso butt

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill Pedro Ximenez butt

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & dry

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Lentil stew and Scotch broth were followed by spicy chili con carne – not for the fainthearted. Diluted, cowboys and cowgirls dine around a campfire.”

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN

CASK NO. 53.433

REGION:  Islay

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  Refill Spanish oak sherry hogshead

AGE:  13 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “We enjoyed gambas a la plancha, Sanlúcar king prawns and manzanilla sherry, before having tuna steaks in warm coriander and caper vinaigrette.”

THE TRINIDADIAN ILEACH FROM KENNETHMONT

CASK NO. 66.228

REGION:  Highland

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon barrel

FINAL CASK:  Refill Trinidad rum barrel

AGE:  9 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Heavily peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “A mighty wee beast of a dram. The rum influence is very slight, making space for an avalanche of seawater and billowing pure peat smoke.”

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
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Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
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www.smws.ca

BUNNAHABHAIN

12 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH

2023 EDITION

70cl | 60.1% ABV

This 12-Year-Old Cask Strength Bunnahabhain is matured on the remote, north-east coastline of the Isle of Islay. The location impacts Bunnahabhain Whisky in a big way, drawing on the abundance of clear spring water and ever-changing coastal climate to deliver a unique, unpeated Islay Single Malt Whisky.

Bottled at cask strength, the rich flavours showcase the classic sherry influenced house style of Bunnahabhain. This annual release bottling can be enjoyed neat or with a few drops of water to encourage the spicy bites of cinnamon, followed by cloves and chocolate on the palate.

£79.95

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NOSE
Floral and nutty with notes of marzipan, hazelnut, almond cream and morello cherries.

TASTE
Roasted nuts and spice lead the way with cinnamon and cloves fading to reveal soft notes of butterscotch, toffee, sultanas and a gentle hint of coffee.

FINISH
Lingering notes of cloves, hazelnut, and cocoa.

The Pour Your Own range is a unique feature onsite at the Distillery, where guests are given the chance to fill and label their own bottle direct from an exclusive single cask. Each cask is meticulously selected from our warehouse by the team, making sure distinct notes shine through alongside Glengoynes’ signature style.

We are excited to share the new Pour Your Own Distillery Cask with you, available exclusively at the Glengoyne Distillery Shop for a limited time. A rare ‘Pour Your Own’ offering, this specially selected cask is a Madeira Hoggie (Hogshead) distilled 25/04/2007, making it 16 years old with a robust strength of 56.2% ABV. You will be able to fill your bottle, fit the cork, and sign your own label, before the team dips the bottle to seal the top, giving you a whisky to enjoy and a memory to cherish.

Allow Bob from our retail team to take you through the flavourful notes of this unique cask. On the nose, this Madeira cask brings notes of marzipan, brown sugar, and fruity notes of crisp red apples. On the palate is a rich, mouth-coating texture with dried fruit flavours, peach and apricot, producing a lingering and spicy finish.

TIP OF THE CASK

For this rich, fruity cask, we recommend you add a little drop of water to this whisky to help accentuate the sweetness of the taste. Although the Madeira cask is limited in volume, we always have an exclusive cask available at the Distillery for visitors to sample and take home, with price varying between each cask. Book your trip to our award winning distillery and let our team tell you more about the Pour Your Own range and what we have on offer.

Visit our distillery and experience our pour your own range for yourself

Scotch meets Umami: The Fifth Taste

The new limited edition Blue Label from Johnnie Walker is named ‘Elusive Umami’ and is inspired by ‘the fifth taste’, one of the world’s most hard-to-define and alluring flavour profiles. A partnership from two masters of their craft: world-renowned Chef Kei Kobayashi and Master Blender Emma Walker. This is one not to miss.

Pre-Order Now →
Shop all Johnnie Walker ❯

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami

‘When Chef Kei and I set out to capture the essence of umami, we wanted to push the boundaries of what Scotch could be and bring a truly innovative offering to the world of whisky and flavour.’ – Emma Walker

£295.00

Pre-Order Now ❯

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Turntable Spirits: Smokin’ Riff

We had a lovely little session with Turntable Spirits a few months ago, and now they’re back with their core range of blended whiskies.

28% North British Virgin Oak

24% Craigellachie PX Puncheon

21% Knockdhu PX Puncheon

18% Caol Ila Ex-Bourbon Oak

9% Caol Ila Ex-Red Wine Oak

Even more powerful flavours this time around! Craigellachie and Caol Ila, PX Sherry, Red Wine and Virgin Oak. Wonderfully balanced with the Caol Ila creeping through on the nose, along with the red wine, just dropping those dried red fruit notes. The end of this is that Caol Ila peat and light orchard fruit notes of apple, pear and pineapple.

https://youtu.be/nTlCIOrOSN4

WORLD’S OLDEST WHISKY FOUND IN SCOTTISH CASTLE

TO BE AUCTIONED

Whisky believed to be distilled almost 200 years ago and sipped by a young Queen Victoria, has been found behind a hidden cellar door in a 750 year old castle in Scotland. Understood to be the oldest known Scotch whisky in existence, it will soon be offered for sale at auction.

In late 2022, Bertie Troughton, Resident Trustee at Blair Castle in Perthshire, found a number of old bottles in an unassuming cellar room. Around 40 bottles of whisky were discovered at the back of a shelf which are believed to have been distilled in 1833 and bottled in 1841 (the whisky was then rebottled in 1932). In November, 24 bottles will be sold via Perth based Whisky Auctioneer, the global market leader in the buying and selling of whisky and spirits at auction.

The bottles were initially sampled by the family and a local whisky expert before Whisky Auctioneer was contacted. Since then, research in the archives of Blair Castle and Atholl Estates, alongside authentication of the whisky by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre via carbon dating supports its early 19th century origin.

Joe Wilson, Head Curator and Spirits Specialist at Whisky Auctioneer, said:

“Offering the world’s oldest scotch whisky at auction is truly a once in a lifetime occurrence. I’m fortunate to be well acquainted with old and rare liquid, as Whisky Auctioneer handles some of the world’s rarest whisky bottlings. This, however, is a transcendent discovery that is sure to capture not just the imagination of the whisky industry but also those well beyond.

“Distilled in the 1830s, the whisky was made during a fascinating period when whisky production was experiencing massive change following the 1823 Excise Act, making it a particularly exciting find for those interested in the history and heritage of the Scotch whisky industry.”

Extensive references to the production of whisky and aqua vitae throughout history, specifically the early 19th century, were found in documents held in the Blair Castle and Atholl Estates archive.

Bertie Troughton Blair Castle Resident Trustee, commented:

“Blair Castle is fortunate to have one of the best archives of any historic house in Scotland and it’s been wonderful to see the story of these fabulous bottles come to life in the archives. Whisky has always been a huge part of the history of Blair Castle and we will be building an exhibition around the bottles we keep after the auction so that all who visit Blair Castle can see it and hear the history of this incredible whisky”.

Angus MacRaild, Old and Rare Whisky specialist and co-founder of Kythe Distillery, added:

“This is a profoundly historic whisky and a remarkable artefact of Scottish distilling that is unlikely to ever be equalled in terms of provenance and preservation. That it has been carefully re-bottled and preserved at natural strength, maintaining the freshness and power of this spirit for nearly two centuries is frankly, astonishing.

“To taste it myself, has been a great privilege. It is very much a distillate driven malt whisky, with minimal wood influence and one of a style which could have been produced any time in Scotland up until the 1950s. What I find most interesting is that this profile existed already as far back as the 1830s. It possesses clear textural weight in the mouth, along with a flavour profile that strongly involves medicinal characteristics without any notable or pronounced peat smoke.

“Not only do I find it historically fascinating, but a pleasurable and hugely charismatic whisky that I find quite typical of older style, distillate-forward highland malt whiskies.”

The archives included cellar inventories known as ‘bin books’. One such bin book, dated July 23rd 1834 – one year after the whisky was initially casked – shows whisky recorded in the cellar safely in its cask. It specifically references ‘Bin 65 – Store Whiskey – 72 bottles = 40 Gallons in wood’. This is one of the earliest known references to whisky maturing in wood.

24 individual lots will be sold through Whisky Auctioneer from 24 November to 4 December. For more information about Whisky Auctioneer and to register your interest in the auction, please visit: whiskylink.co/Blair-Castle

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer is the global market leader and trusted authority on the buying and selling of whisky and spirits at auction. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Perth, Scotland, Whisky Auctioneer utilises its expertise and knowledge combined with its auction platform to increase interest and passion in the whisky and spirits community. The business currently sees over 150,000 bids per month and has conducted deliveries to 74 countries across the globe.

The central Scotland headquarters’ success paved the way for expansion in recent years. EU operations were opened from Ratheim, Germany in 2020 and expanded further with a new base in Utrecht, the Netherlands in early 2023. To further support the whisky community within the United Kingdom, a central London office was also established.

Whisky Auctioneer endeavours to make the secondary market more accessible for buyers and sellers of any background and demographic, wherever in the world they are based. Its monthly global auctions feature the most comprehensive selection of old, rare and collectible whiskies and spirits online, and are unmatched in volume, variety of bottles offered and prices achieved. Alongside an unrivalled selection of rare Scotch whisky and Irish Whiskey, Whisky Auctioneer has also established the business as the market-leading specialist in presenting world whiskies for sale; from rare American whiskey and bourbon to iconic Japanese whiskies.

In February 2021, the online auction house made history during the iconic sale of The Perfect Collection, when a bottle of The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare 60 Year Old sold for a hammer price of £1 million. This was the first time a single bottle of whisky has sold at an online-only auction for one million pounds.

Whisky Auctioneer became the first online auction house to sell a million-pound bottle and outperformed the nearest traditional auction house by over 120% in value from spirits sales in 2021, showcasing the move that whisky collectors, investors and drinkers have already made online and firmly establishing its leading position within the modern secondary whisky market.

About Blair Castle

Blair Castle Situated in the heart of Atholl Estates in Scotland, Blair Castle was built in 1269 and today is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Atholl. Set against the magnificent landscape of 120,000-acres, the estate offers beautifully scenic vistas of rolling farmland and wild open hills across Perthshire.

Queen Victoria and Blair Castle

While Queen Victoria may be best known for her  association with Balmoral Castle, she also had strong connections to Blair Castle and a close friendship with the 6th Duchess of Atholl. In 1844, Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert visited and stayed at Blair Castle. During her three-week stay, the Blair Castle Household Book lists that Whisky was consumed during her visit. Local newspapers at the time reported Queen Victoria’s liking for Atholl Brose – a local drink of whisky with honey.  It’s therefore highly likely that this same whisky was the whisky that was shared between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert during their stay.

Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky, today announces plans for its first distillery on the isle of Islay.

The new distillery marks the first time Chivas Brothers will introduce an Islay whisky to its Scotch portfolio, rounding out its offering of globally recognised malts and blends which include The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s. A leader in sustainable Scotch, Chivas Brothers has an ambitious goal to be carbon neutral in distillation across all of its sites by the end of 2026. In alignment with this target, design of the Islay project – and any future new-build distillery – will be carbon neutral in distillation from inception.

The distillery, which will be located on the picturesque site of Gartbreck Farm, west of Bowmore at Saltpan Point on the shore of Loch Indaal, will enjoy stunning views facing Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte across the loch. Once operational, its production will focus on Islay single malt, celebrating the region’s distinctly smoky and peated profile.

The land purchase signals Chivas Brothers’ long-term intent to become part of the fabric of Islay, as it has been for decades through Speyside and the surrounds.

Jean-Etienne Gourgues, Chairman and CEO at Chivas Brothers commented

“This is an important new chapter in the Chivas Brothers story. The introduction of an Islay whisky completes our comprehensive and award-winning Scotch portfolio. As a business built on hundreds of years of heritage, it also gives us the opportunity to do something we rarely do, which is to start from scratch.

“Here on Islay, we can create a blueprint for carbon neutral distilling and continue to usher in this era of sustainable Scotch. We are committed to Scotch, to the Islay community and the landscape that makes it the perfect place to continue our vision to shape the future of whisky.”

Full plans for the site will be revealed in due course.