ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WHISKIES SETS NEW RECORD AT AUCTION

One of the world’s most coveted and highly regarded whiskies, the Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet has been bought for a record-breaking £51,611 in an online auction held by Perth based Whisky Auctioneer (www.whiskyauctioneer.com).

After receiving over 50 bids from across the globe, the winning bid came from Hong Kong and sets a new world record for this legendary bottle. It exceeds the previous mark of £4,200, which it achieved in 2014, according to research from rare whisky analysts Rare Whisky 101, marking over a 280% annual increase.

Regarded by many as one of the best, if not the best, whiskies ever bottled, the Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet is the creation of two whisky legends – Islay’s Bowmore distillery and celebrated Italian bottler, the late Silvano Samaroli. First bottled in 1984 with only 720 bottles produced, the whisky is currently ranked in the top spot on Whiskybase.com’s top 1000 whiskies of all time, just ahead of Samaroli’s renowned Laphroaig 1967.

The bottle was one of over 3,880 bottles being auctioned off by Whisky Auctioneer this past month, securing a total of more than £1.2million. Other notable sales include the:

• Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore 42 Year Old – £22,222
• Macallan 1946 52 Year Old – £14,500

The Macallan and the Black Bowmore joined the Bouquet in breaking records.  According to Rare Whisky 101, the Black Bowmore most recently sold for £20,000, and the Macallan 1946 for £13,200 in June 2018.

Sean McGlone, director at Whisky Auctioneer, said: “It’s widely known that the Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet has legendary status within the whisky industry. We knew that there would be strong interest in its listing and that it would likely break the previous records, but it has exceeded all our expectations by fetching over £50,000. It goes to show how committed people are to collecting and investing in rare vintage whisky, something we are seeing a huge increase in.

“At Whisky Auctioneer, we strive to attract some of the very best collections that can be sold worldwide. At least three world records were broken in this recent auction and that helps to reinforce our reputation as an esteemed whisky auctioneer for both buyers and sellers globally. As interest in the sector continues to grow, we are committed to our service to make it as easy as possible for whisky collectors to trade.”

Andy Simpson, co-founder of Rare Whisky 101, said: “With more buyers than ever in the market for the best whiskies, the value of highly regarded single malts is increasing at a rapid rate, with prices being dictated by this consumer demand. Investors, collectors and connoisseurs are becoming increasingly aware of whisky’s rapidly growing popularity around the world, particularly for the rarest and most coveted single malts. The Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet, which is held in such high regard by connoisseurs, is particularly rare and collectible. This certainly contributed to the interest it drew and the wide range of bids that came in during the sale.”

The incredible new records achieved at this auction are testament to the growing interest in rare whisky, with Whisky Auctioneer noting a 36% rise in the number of online auction users in the last year alone.

Thanks to the ease of access and variety of exciting auctions available, online auctioneers can see records broken by offering a wide catalogue of exclusive whiskies to a global audience. Simplifying the process of buying and selling whisky internationally, Whisky Auctioneer continues to reach a global audience of more than fifty countries, illustrating the growing worldwide appeal of rare whisky.

For more information on the auction or to register to participate please visit www.whiskyauctioneer.com

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky, whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, Whisky Auctioneer aims to be the most comprehensive website available for the buying and selling of whisky.

Whisky Auctioneer holds regular monthly online auctions as well as specialist auctions for collectible whiskies and exclusive releases – for example, currently running until 10 July is an exclusive auction for 99 of the first 101 bottles of The Lakes: Genesis – the first single malt produced by The Lakes Distillery and the first in the North of England in over a century.

Twitter: @whisky_auction

Facebook: /WhiskyAuctioneer

www.whiskyauctioneer.com

JUNE 2018 AUCTION IS NOW LIVE!

Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet

The 1966 Bouquet is the glittering supernova that is created when two key elements of whisky history collide at just the perfect moment in time. Regarded by many as the one of the best, if not the best, whiskies ever bottled, it is rare that one of these absolute gems is brought to market.

Karuizawa Single Casks

Karuizawa produced outstanding whiskies, many receiving international acclaim. They have released almost 300 single casks that are becoming increasingly rarer and rarer as demand soars. We have a great selection currently available including an array of the 1981 35 year old releases.

Overholt 1909 Rye Whiskey 1 Quart / Pre-Prohibition

Overholt Rye was first produced in the early 1800s, with this bottle appearing over a century later. Bottled just before Prohibition, this 1909 vintage was apparently a reserve of the Mellon family, who stockpiled it for fear of running out in the wake of the Prohibition legislation banning all production and consumption in 1920.

Bowmore 1964 – Black, White and Gold

All three from “The Trilogy” series are featured this month.  The Black Bowmore is certainly an icon of whisky and was followed by slightly older Gold and White that add Bourbon cask maturation to provide a comparison to the Oloroso casks used in the Black expression.

Macallan 1997 Exceptional Cask #9182-01

The very first cask from Macallan’s new ‘Exceptional Single Cask’ range, bottled in 2017 exclusively for the United States and parts of Asia. This range takes its name from a number of single cask bottlings Macallan released during the 1990s, often described as some of “the greatest Macallan of them all.”

Hi folks, that’s us live with the 87th auction! Happy bidding! This time the link below might actually take you to the current auction!

Happy Bidding!

ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WHISKIES UP FOR AUCTION

One of the world’s most coveted and highly regarded whiskies is set to go under the hammer in an online auction being held by Perth based Whisky Auctioneer (www.whiskyauctioneer.com).

The Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet is regarded by many as one of the best, if not the best, whiskies ever bottled. Islay’s Bowmore distillery and renowned Italian bottler, the late Silvano Samaroli, are both legends of the whisky world and the Bowmore 1966 is the gem that they crafted together.

Bottled in 1984, there were only 720 bottles produced, one of which is set for auction this week (22^nd June) and is expected to fetch between £25,000 and £30,000.

Samaroli is an Italian independent bottler, famed for the exceptional quality of their releases as well as their artistic, innovative labels and packaging. The renowned ‘Bowmore Bouquet’ is rated in joint first place on Whiskybase.com’s top 1000 whiskies of all time, sharing the podium only with another Samaroli epic, the Laphroaig 1967, bottled for him by R.W. Duthie.  While Serge Valentin of WhiskyFun.com awarded this Bowmore an impressive rating of 97 points.

More recently the French collector, whisky author and owner of the famous Auld Alliance bar in Singapore, Emmanuel Dron, opened a bottle of the Bouquet for customers in that very venue, with enthusiasts and connoisseurs flocking from all over Asia to sample a drop of this liquid gold.

The Bouquet was distilled in 1966, a golden era in production at Bowmore distillery. Silvano’s first releases in 1979 were a collaborative effort with W.M. Cadenhead, Scotland’s oldest independent bottler. Soon after in 1981, he released the acclaimed Flowers series, bottled with ornate illustrative labels. Silvano himself drew the eye-catching label depicting a group of bright-red carnations, which has become one of the most iconic labels to ever adorn a bottle of whisky.

Sean McGlone, director at Whisky Auctioneer, said: “The Bouquet series enjoys a legendary status and reputation within the world of whisky. And rightly so. Not only is the liquid itself exceptional but the artwork on the bottle is exquisite. Naturally we are expecting to see a huge amount of interest in this rare treasure from whisky collectors across the world.”

The auction is the latest in a growing line of rare treasures to be sold by Perthshire firm Whisky Auctioneer which specialises in auctioning fine, old, rare and collectable whisky. Over the past two years, the auctioneer has sold a rare 30 year old bottle of second edition Black Bowmore single malt whisky for a world record £11,900, a rare collection of Corti Brothers whiskies for £52,865, and the world’s largest known collection of rare and collectable Karuizawa whisky from Japan for £770,000.

The auction goes live on 22 June and will close on 2 July.

For more information on the auction or to register to participate please visit www.whiskyauctioneer.com

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky, whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, Whisky Auctioneer aims to be the most comprehensive website available for the buying and selling of whisky.

JUNE AUCTION NOW LIVE
(ends Sunday 24^th June)

…place your bids at www.whiskyhammer.co.uk

With an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits there is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest, enjoy!

RARE DALMORE MAKES EXCEPTIONAL PRICE AT BONHAMS WHISKY SALE IN EDINBURGH
– £900 A DRAM –  

Dalmore 50 year-old 1926. Sold for £33,750

A rare bottle of Dalmore 50 year-old 1926 tripled its pre-sale estimate to sell for £33,750 at Bonhams Whisky Sale in Edinburgh today, Wednesday 6 June, making a dram worth more than £900.  The bottle had been estimated at £10,000-14,000.

Bonhams Whisky specialist Martin Green said, “The Dalmore 50 year-old 1926 is an exceptional whisky, and I am not surprised that the bidding was so intense and the price achieved so high. It was a very strong sale overall with bidders taking full advantage of the opportunity to add some very special bottles to their collections.”

Other highlights included:

• A bottle of the Macallan 1951 that sold for £17,500.  One of only 632 bottles, it had been estimated at £10,000-12,000
• A bottle of Glenfiddich-1952. Estimated at £10,000-12,000, it sold for £16,250.
• A bottle of the Macallan 1957. Bottled in 1982 in honour of the 25th Anniversary of Rinaldi Brothers Inc., it made £8,750 against an estimate of £3,000-4,000.
• Two bottles of the Macallan-Glenlivet 35 year-old 1938. Sold as a pair for £6,875 having been estimated at £3,400-4,000.

In total, the sale made £433,150 with 92% of lots being sold.

NOTES

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com

FEIS ILE AUCTION – NOW LIVE!

What an amazing Feis Ile this year – wonderful whiskies combined with sensational, sunny weather!

The Whisky Auctioneer team was lucky enough to join the festival, and although we can’t bring back the great weather, we were on standby for anyone looking to get their bottles transported safely off the island.

So if you weren’t able to make the trip over then do not worry – you’ll find all the whisky that the island had to offer in the current auction…

Check it out here!

Hunter Laing Kinship Collection 6 x 70cl / Feis Ile 2018

To celebrate the coming completion of their Ardnahoe distillery on Islay, Hunter Laing has released a second selection of 6 bottlings, following on from the original Kinship collection in 2017.

Feis Ile 2018 Official Releases

Each distillery had at least one release for those lucky enough to have made the epic journey to the island. Kilchoman introduced their most aged whisky to date, Laphraoig finished in sherry casks and Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte offered hugely experimental releases.

Bowmore Feis Ile 2018

Bowmore released two different expressions: There was a single cask release that many dedicated Bowmore fans sat patiently in line for, along with the 15 year old matured exclusively in Oloroso casks.

Feis Ile 2018 Independents

Whilst the lion’s share of the attention went to the official releases from each distillery, some fantastic indy bottlings were also up for grabs throughout the week. 

Campbeltown Malts Festival 2018

Lastly, we musn’t forget the fact that on the run up to the Feis Ile, Campbeltown had their own wee annual celebration where some mouth-watering releases were revealed. We have a selection of these available in our current auction.

AUCTION NOW LIVE!

Time to browse the auction?

This month see’s us with a barrage of high quality, aged whiskies as well as potential drinking bargains! We actually have a slightly smaller auction this month, but the quality of bottles is outstanding. Some of the whiskies are featured below but there are many more online. Don’t forget the 2018 Feis Ile bottles too!

Starting up in Sutherland, one of the stand-out whiskies of the month is the fabulous Brora 40 Year Old. Captured at an incredible 59.1% vol and housed in a hand-crafted wooden case by the Queen’s cabinet makers N.E.J. Stevenson Ltd it’s one we’d love to try.

BRORA 40 YEARS OLD 1972

The first ever 40-year-old bottling from the long-closed distillery of Brora in Sutherland, Scotland. Taken at natural cask strength from a single cask distilled a generation ago, the fine pale gold malt in this exquisite decanter is a proud and rare survivor of another age. The decanter bears the golden emblem of the Scottish Wildcat, a now endangered species, which featured on the family crest of the distiller’s founder, the Duke of Sutherland.

The rare expression has been drawn from what Diageo considers to be “the most brilliant of its highly-peated bottlings”, the 1972 reserve, and has a natural cask strength of 59.1%.

LAPHROAIG 40 YEARS OLD – NATURAL CASK STRENGTH

An incredibly sought after bottle of Laphroaig. This 40-year-old whisky was the official release which followed the 1960 40 year old which was exclusive to Oddbins.

In 1960, locally grown barley was malted by hand in the distillery’s own maltings. Using the soft peaty water from the Kilbride Dam and peat from the Glenmachrie Moss in March of that year, this unique whisky was produced and put away in the warehouse beside the sea for its long sleep.

This rare and unique whisky was produced and distilled under the care and attention of the legendary Bessie Williamson. Some people say she was the first genuine lady whisky distiller.

MACALLAN 1950 GORDON & MACPHAIL (75cl)

This is an incredibly rare Single Malt Macallan which was distilled way back in 1950 and bottled in the early 1980’s by Gordon & MacPhail of Elgin.

Matured in sherry wood for over 30 years, this is a fantastic appreciating whisky which would grace the collection of any Macallan or whisky enthusiast. The hand-written style label adds a real touch of class to this collectable malt. Simply stunning!

The auction runs until Sunday the 17^th June.

www.just-whisky.co.uk

Andrew Usher & Co. Edinburgh
Green Stripe early 20th century

From time to time we come across truly magical whiskies from eras that are long lost and whether they’re single malts or blends, they’re all worth getting excited about.
This bottle was purchased in 1914 by the vendors Grandfather (A Worcestershire farmer 1876 – 1960) at the beginning of the first World War with the intention of opening it to celebrate the end, which came in 1918. He never ended up drinking the whisky but instead passed it down to his son (Also a Worcestershire farmer). Again he never found the time to drink the whisky and consequently passed it down the his daughter, the current owner of the bottle. It has been sat in a cupboard in her home in Worcestershire until recently when Wayne I consigned the bottle for auction.

”I remember it sitting in the Cupboard waiting for a Suitable Event that would Warrant opening it!! I think that now, that decision maybe left to Another to choose the Occasion?”

Relics like this don’t turn up in auction often, especially with such precise provenance. Bottles like this deserve spot light in a museum or opened and shared with good friends. Either way we know this bottle will go to a good home with one of our bidders.

See more details »

Ardbeg 1963

This is definitely one to look out for and one we’ve never seen in our auction before. A 1963 Ardbeg bottled in 1994 by Gordon & MacPhail for their Connoisseurs Choice Map label. We’re seeing less & less off these older 1960s distillate Ardbeg’s in auction and this is mainly down to their reputation of being absolutely spectacular whiskies.

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Ardbeg 1966

Joining the 1963 Connoisseurs Choice Ardbeg is this 1966 32 year old. A single cask from Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection with the Chairman’s Stock Gold Seal; This gives you and idea they were impressed with his whisky when they bottled it – This will be equally as good and you could argue harder to find with only 120 bottles produced.

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Glen Grant 10-year-old
Dark Sherry 1960s

By far my favourite bottle in this months auction. We collected this from the vendors house in Chiddingfold. We’ve never come across this one under the Peatling & Cawdron label before and we’re excited to see what interest it creates.

Peatling & Cawdron is one of many business established by Thomas Peatling, a wine and spirits agent dating back to 1826. In 1988 Peatling & Cawdron was incorporated with several other small businesses before reverting to its original name of Thos. Peatling.

See more details »

Old Blended Scotch Whisky

We have even more old blends avalible in our May auction. You will find numerous examples from White Horse, Black & White, Johnnie Walker, Haig & Logans. Along side these brands you will also find a very interesting 1930s Gilbey’s Spey-Royal. This will contain a high proportion of malt distilled at the Glen Spey distillery. Like many of the blends bottled before the war, the malt contributed was much more concentrated and often peaty. These make for fascinating drinking sessions and often the only way to experience the flavour profile of a distillery from this period is through blends like this.

View all blends »

Macallan Madness

With the hype of the official opening of the new (£140m) Macallan distillery, it would be rude not to share a few highlights from their old stock that are avalible in our May auction.

Macallan in 1996

In nineteen ninety six Macallan produced two iconic whiskies and arguably two of the most collectable whiskies every produced. The Macallan Private Eye, bottled in 1996 for the 35th anniversary of the magazine. The whisky is a vatting of several casks including a 1961 vintage to represent the year the magazine was founded. The very catching screen printed label was designed by Ralph Steadman, a freelance illustrator for the magazine. At the time of release they decided to keep the price of the whisky in theme with the occasion and therefore sold them for £35. To put things into perspective the p&p was £6.95. The Nicol’s Nectar is another classic collectable Macallan and is somewhat rarer than the Private Eye. Produced for the occasion of Peter Nicol’s retirement from the office. The label was drawn by artist Colin Rizza who has created numerous labels for the distillery. These were never sold publicly but instead given to everyone who worked at the distillery at the time. From a close and very reliable source approximately only 120 bottles were produced.

Macallan Private Eye

Macallan Nicol’s Nectar

Experience Macallan ten, through the decades

We have a run of 10-year-olds bottled from the seventies through to the noughties. This would make a great line-up for anyone planning a whisky tasting and would given those attending a much clearer understanding of how the profiles of the same whisky can changes over many decades.

See more like this » 

A run of Macallan through the decades 1970s – 2000s

Masters Of Photography

The Masters Of Photography by Rankin is a series of 1,000 bottles and unique portraits taken by Rankin on the Macallan estate that heavily features Easter Elchies House. Most will agree the best portraits include the nude shots of Tuuli, Rankin’s inspiration and wife. Each piece is presented with the original Polaroid that is depicted on the bottle of 30 year old with a booklet telling the story and Rankin’s signature to certify it’s an original.

”This project is very special to me for two reasons. Firstly, I’ve been able to come back to the country of my birth and portray its beauty through one of the most ambitious projects I’ve ever attempted. The second reason is that this collection marks the full stop after Polaroid, as we head into the digital age.” 

View all » 

Macallan Masters Of Photography – Rankin 

The Masters Of Photography by Annie Leibowizs is a set of four single cask Macallan that feature the actor Kevin McKidd. The scenes include The Library, The Skyline, The Bar & The Gallery. Within the whole series there were 1000 bottles produced. The library edition has the smallest outrun with only 145 bottles, the other three in this series yielded 285 bottles making The Library edition the rarest of the four bottlings. Taking this into account means there were only 145 possible complete sets available Worldwide.

View all »

Macallan Masters Of Photography – Annie Leibowitz

As always there’s a whole load more of amazing whiskies to discover over on our website. If you’re not already registered, you can do so here.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

NEW ALCOHOL MINIMUM PRICING LAWS

In an effort to combat irresponsible drinking throughout Scotland, the Scottish government has introduced legislation, enforcing a minimum price that alcohol can be sold for.

From May 1st 2018 the minimum price of an alcoholic drink sold in Scotland is £0.50 per unit. All licensed premises are now unable to sell alcoholic beverages at a price that equates to any less than this.

To ensure our auctions are compliant with this new law our starting bid for all lots is now £20 without exception.

You can read more about this on the Scottish Government’s website.

WHAT EFFECT DOES THIS HAVE ON ME?

Will this change the price I pay?
The majority of the lots sold at auction exceed the minimum alcohol price, this will not change. In order to comply with the law, we will no longer be selling any lot for less than £20. This starting bid is to cover whiskies which may be higher than 40%

What does this mean for sellers?
This change to our starting bid means that no individual lot can sell for any amount less than £20.
If you feel an item will not exceed the minimum price set out by the Government, we would not recommend sending it to us.

If you are unsure please contact us at Scotch Whisky Auctions for further advice.

HOW TO CALCULATE THE MINIMUM PRICE OF ALCOHOL

The minimum price can be calculated like this:

(ABV * Bottle Size in CL) / 100
*
0.5

Example: (Regular bottle of 40% whisky):

(40% abv * 70cl) = 2800
Divided by 100 = 28 units of alcohol
Multiplied by 0.5 = £14.00 minimum price