Fragrant Drops

North British 34 Years Old

ABV: 42.5% 70 cL

£89.00

Finish Toffee, flapjack, shortbread, fizzy lemon sherbet, key lime pie and a light toastiness.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 593: Caol Ila 15 Year Old 2010 Shepherd of the Herd

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, became a shepherd… A Shepherd of the Herd! That’s the name of this new series, launched by Klubb23. The herd Mark and friends are going to tend to naturally consists of delightful whisky, what did you expect? To kick off the series, they immediately bottled a cracking malt: a 15-year-old Caol Ila, distilled in 2010 and laid to rest in a refill hogshead, then transferred in May 2022 to a first fill PX hogshead, which immediately explains the bronze hue. To stay in the storyline of shepherds and flocks, this first release – ‘wooled 001’ – features a Carinthian spectacled sheep, a breed from Austria named after the spectacle-shaped markings around its eyes.

https://youtu.be/l1RqCCHTzgg

Iron Gate Auctions Announces February Canada Spirits Auction Featuring Historical Bottles of Significance

Auction starts Monday February 2, 2026.

There are moments in the auction calendar when a sale becomes something more enduring—a reflection of history, craftsmanship, and the passage of time itself. Our February Spirits Auction in Canada is one such moment.

This auction brings together a collection of bottles that few will ever encounter in person, let alone have the opportunity to acquire. These are spirits shaped by decades—sometimes generations—of patience, foresight, and custodianship. Each bottle tells a story of an era, a philosophy, and a set of decisions that can never be replicated.

At the heart of the sale are landmark Scotch whiskies available for the first time in Canada. From the extraordinary 1949 MacPhail’s aged 68 years, to the cult status of 1964 Black Bowmore aged 42 years, to post-war 1948 Macallan and the singular character of Springbank’s Local Barley distilled in 1965 and bottled in 2001.

Equally compelling are the independent bottlings from distilleries that are now silent. Port Ellen, Brora, Glenugie, and Japan’s legendary Karuizawa represent lost chapters of distilling history—names that resonate deeply with collectors precisely because they can never be repeated. These whiskies are finite by nature, and each year their significance only grows.

This is, above all, a winter auction. One meant to be enjoyed slowly. I invite you cosy up to the fire, take time to browse the lots and to imagine these bottles of history in your home.

On behalf of the entire team at Iron Gate Auctions, thank you for your continued trust and passion. We look forward to welcoming you to what we believe is one of the most beautiful and significant spirits auctions of the season.

Link to Catalogue

If outside Canada, contact Iron Gate to see how you can participate in the upcoming auction.

Ajay Bhardwaj

Vice-President of Spirits

Iron Gate Auctions Canada