Sotheby’s Largest Online Spirits Sale

Achieves £1.2 Million / $1.6 Million

Established Collectors and First-Time Buyers Compete for 250 Lots

Comprising Whiskies from Scotland and Japan

First Offering at Auction of Set #1 of the First Release of

The Prima & Ultima Collection Brings £26,840

“We are delighted to have finished the summer with a successful online auction where 47% of buyers were new to Sotheby’s and 40% of bidders were under 40 years old. It was also a privilege to offer the first release of The Prima & Ultima Collection with the proceeds being donated to WaterAid. The staggering values we achieved on the Macallan Fine & Rare collection are testament to the current strength of the spirits market. We look forward to continuing our success into October when we offer the Ultimate Whisky Collection Part II.”

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Spirits Specialist 

LONDON, 3 September 2020: Distilled | The Macallan Fine & Rare and The Prima & Ultima Collection, an online sale featuring some of the very rarest whiskies to be offered at auction, closed on Wednesday, raising a total of £1.2 million, and just tipping over the pre-sale high estimate. Headlined by The Macallan’s most sought after releases, an array of rare Italian import Scotch, and the first set from the new Prima & Ultima Collection series, this was Sotheby’s largest online spirits sale by lot.

KEY FACTS AND FIGURES: 

• Sale realises £1,201,590 / $1,580,989 (pre-sale estimate: £860,750 – 1,176,600 / $1,132,661 – 1,548,288)
• 44% of lots sold achieve prices in excess of high estimate
• 47% of buyers were new to Sotheby’s and 40% of bidders were under 40 years old 

NOTABLE PRICES 

• Set #1 of the first release of The Prima & Ultima Collection sold for £26,840 / $35,249 (est. £16,000-28,000). The sale marked the first opportunity to acquire this collection at auction, following the recent inaugural launch of a new series of single vintage malt whiskies by distillery owner Diageo. Proceeds will be donated to Diageo’s charity partner WaterAid.

• Over 90 Macallan lots brought a combined total of £876,976 / $1,154,013 against a pre-sale estimate of £617,960 – 838,450 / $813,174 – 1,103,316, led by The Macallan Fine & Rare Collection featuring the most iconic whiskies from The Macallan distillery, including vintages spanning 1940 to 1976.

• Achieving the top price in the sale was a bottle of The Macallan Fine and Rare 56 Year Old 1945, sold for £46,360 / $60,885 (est. £35,000-48,000) – this is the second oldest age statement in the Fine & Rare Collection after the record-breaking 60 year old 1926, and one of only 152 bottles of this whisky to exist.

• The selection of independent bottlings was led by three bottles of Laphroaig Samaroli 16 Year Old 1970, all of which surpassed their pre-sale estimate, with two bottles selling for £17,080 / $22,431 each and a third realising £15,860 / $20,829 (est. £9,000-13,000) – final prices indicative of the rarity of seeing three bottles of this whisky in a single auction.

• An exceptional selection of Japanese whiskies was distinguished by 27 Karuizawa lots made up of Single Cask bottlings and vattings from Japan’s most popular closed distillery. Together they sold for a combined total of £113,018 / $148,720 (est. £74,300 – 98,100 / $97,771 – 129,090), led by Karuizawa Sapphire Geisha 36 Year Old Cask #5077, sold for £18,300 / $24,034 (est. £11,000-15,000).

• Eleven Port Ellen lots were 100% sold, with several bottles reaching prices in excess of their pre-sale high estimates, including Port Ellen Fourth Annual Release 25 Year Old 1978 (sold for £2,684 / $3,525, est. £1,000-1,400), and Port Ellen Tenth Annual Release 31 Year Old 1978 (sold for £2,318 / $3,044, est. £750-1,200). Leading the group was a bottle of Port Ellen 1979 40 Year Old Casks Of Distinction #1883, which realised £21,960 / $28,840 (est. £20,000-26,000).

Virginia Distillery Company’s Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky Now Available

LOVINGSTON, Va. (September 4, 2020) – Just in time for Virginia Spirits Month, a collaborative effort between the Virginia Distillers Association and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to support the Commonwealth’s burgeoning distilled spirits industry, the latest offering of Virginia Distillery Company’s Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has made its way onto shelves at Virginia ABC stores. The whisky is also available for purchase online at vadistillery.com to customers in Virginia and beyond.

Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky is made from 100% malted barley, marrying American Single Malt whisky made on-site in Virginia with aged malt whisky from Scotland. The whisky finishes in casks sourced primarily from Virginia cideries such as Potter’s Craft Cider and Buskey Cider for an additional 8 to 20 months. The whisky retails for $59.99.

The Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has received multiple awards in recent years, including being recognized by Whisky Advocate as one of the top 20 whiskies of the year in 2018, receiving a 90-point rating from the publication.

On Thursday, September 10^th at 3pm ET, Virginia Distillery Company will host a live virtual tasting on Instagram featuring the Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky.

“We’re thrilled to bring back our award-winning Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky during Virginia Spirits Month,” said Virginia Distillery Company CEO Gareth H. Moore. “Our Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has a lot of fans and it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy it.”

To coincide with the latest release of Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky, Virginia Distillery Company collaborated with Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. on a cocktail kit available exclusively online for Virginia residents.

The cocktail kit, which is available for $69.99 on the Virginia Distillery Company website, includes Cider Cask Virginia-Highland Whisky (750ml bottle), Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. True Kola Syrup (16 oz. bottle) and a cocktail recipe card featuring two recipes, one that can be enjoyed hot and one that can be enjoyed cold.

The distillery launched Courage & Conviction, its signature American Single Malt whisky, this spring. The name is a nod to a phrase founder Dr. George G. Moore was often heard saying: “Have the courage of your convictions.”

Coinciding with the rollout of the Dr. George G. Moore batch of Courage & Conviction, Virginia Distillery Company released batch.info, a website hub that includes distillate and cask data, as well as bottling and process information for consumers. Virginia Distillery Company also recently launched a complete guide to American Single Malt whisky.

For more information, visit the distillery’s website at www.vadistillery.com.

About Virginia Distillery Company

Staffed by a local Virginia team mentored by Scottish consultants with decades of experience, Virginia Distillery Company is the largest dedicated American Single Malt whisky distillery in the U.S. The distillery has a current annual production volume of 80,000 4.5L cases and growing. At full capacity, the distillery can produce over 8,000 casks yielding 350,000 4.5L cases annually. The distillery produces Courage & Conviction American Single Malt on-site using malted barley from North America and water from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, the distillery offers the award-winning Virginia-Highland Whisky series, made with 100% malted barley. Showcasing both Old and New World whisky-making, the award-winning line marries whisky made on-site in Virginia with whisky from Scotland.

Rye Whiskey at Its Best: Hand-Selected Casks Direct from WhistlePig

NOTE: Our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have curbside pickup and low cost (often free) delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify.

When it comes to artisanally-crafted rye whiskey, you won’t do much better than WhistlePig. Since its founding back in 2007, this Vermont-based distiller has quickly become the go-to choice for rye aficionados worldwide. There are plenty of reasons for this, but chief among them is the raw potency these whiskeys possess. These are no-nonsense bottlings that beautifully highlight the robust, spicy character of rye while at the same time offering unparalleled smoothness. As the distillery puts it, they are a linebacker and a ballerina all rolled into one.

WhistlePig’s barrel program is notable for its size and consistency; hence it is always thrilling to pick out some exclusive casks for our customers. This duo might be the best to date, as they offer the signature WhistlePig profile, yet each has its own unique twist. Spicy and potent, they are wonderfully layered and complex—the kind of contemplative whiskeys that collectors so love. The unparalleled quality, coupled with the limited number of bottles produced, means these won’t be around for long. If you’ve purchased our WhistlePig exclusives before, you know these are a rare treat and among the finer examples of craft whiskey in the market today.

Whistle Pig 15 Year Old “K&L Swine Merchants” Barrel #2440 115.6 Proof Single Barrel Vermont Estate Oak Finished Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($229.99)

WhistlePig offers one of the most extensive rye barrel programs in the country and with some of the very best whiskey available it has won award after award for its innovation. The newest addition to the barrel lineup is the 15 Year Vermont Estate Oak Finished. Vermont oak trees from the WhistlePig farm in Shoreham, VT are harvested and made into custom barrels for finishing. The growing season in Vermont is short and this results in an incredibly tight grained wood (more rings in each stave). The already ancient 15 year old whiskey spends an additional 6+ months in the custom toasted and charred barrels. The end result? An incredibly intense whiskey that is amped up to 11. The cask strength bottling can handle a fair bit of water. When you add it, a substantial oil slick will form in your whiskey adding visual proof to the intensity of flavor. 100% Rye. Distilled in Alberta.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2020

Yielding just 132 precious bottles, barrel #2440 possesses a deeper and sweeter caramel nose than barrel #2483. Its vanilla component sits right on top of the glass inviting you in, surely a sign of the estate oak’s influence on the ancient rye. An herbal component hides underneath the sweetness, a gentle and easy-going pickling spice hinting at the complexity in your glass. That gentle start is challenged in a big way when you take a sip at full strength (57.8%ABV). Its massive spice explodes across your tongue and bounces from sweet cinnamon to herbal dill and pepper then back again to nutmeg and allspice. Taking in the finish you feel as if you’ve run a race and need a moment to recover. After a pause and a deep breath, you have and you’re ready for another go. A big whisky from one of the biggest names in craft production.

Whistle Pig 15 Year Old “K&L Swine Merchants” Barrel #2483 115.8 Proof Single Barrel Vermont Estate Oak Finished Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($229.99)

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2020

The nose is almost reversed from cask #2440. Barrel #2483 begins with more dill, oregano, tarragon on top. It’s herbal and a bit green with an underlying sweet oak that you have to dive into to discover fully. The palate is a bit richer and fuller-bodied than its sister barrel with a good balance between sweet and savory notes. It fills every nook and cranny of your mouth quickly and then it sits there. You taste it from the tops of your gums all the way to the back of your palate for a good 30 seconds. Not just feeling the 57.9% ABV, but each moment releasing more flavors. The lingering finish is all maple syrup and caramel candies. A beauty of a cask. These barrels are why we go back to the proverbial well on the farm in Shoreham over and over again.

Virtual Tasting Week

from Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s

We are delighted to officially announce details of our upcoming week of virtual tastings as Springbank + Kilkerran + Cadenhead’s join forces to bring you 5 exciting evenings of online dramming.

Between Monday 26th – Friday 30th October 2020 there will be a tasting each night featuring Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn, Kilkerran or Cadenhead’s whisky that will be presented by members of our sales teams and broadcast via our social media channels.

There will be tasting packs to accompany each event and, perhaps most excitingly of all, there will be a special bottle released alongside each tasting. That means there will be an opportunity to purchase 5 exclusive, limited bottles to celebrate our virtual tasting week.

The bottles and packs will be sold approximately 3 weeks before the event and we are currently working on a method to allow pre-orders for everyone who bought tickets for this year’s (sadly cancelled) Campbeltown Malts Festival.

We will be announcing more details in the coming weeks – we can’t wait for you to see what we have been working on.

Springbank Society
The Springbank Team

For information on how to join the Springbank Society please contact them at  society@springbank.scot

ralfy review 841 Extras – The Chill-Filtration Goblin !

This month we’re entertaining our global family of members with a feast of flavour and unique whisky experiences. We’d love for you to be involved in our whisky club celebrations, whether you join us online, at a tasting event or by raising dram with us throughout the month.

Celebrate the spirit that unites us with some exceptional bottlings from September Outturn. We’re releasing 24 new casks for you to taste and explore, including some hand-picked Gathering bottlings. Click over to our website to buy now or stay tuned for some highlighted recommendation from our spirits manager Euan Campbell.

READ THE OUTTURN      ALL OUTTTURN WHISKIES

READ FULL GATHERING PROGRAMME

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

A quick reminder that the latest auction will end this evening. For the benefit of our first time bidders, this is how it works:

From 7pm UK time the software starts monitoring activity on the site, and at an unspecified time it will shut down the auction. This feature has been designed to beat sniper software.

The auction does not end at 7pm, only the end process begins then. In our experience it is some time after 8.30pm before the auction ends, so there us no need to rush to bid dead on 7pm.

If you are looking to collect the bottles from the office please note that we are now operating an appointment only system. Appointments are available from 10am-7pm Monday-Friday and you can book online.

We hope you have enjoyed the auction.

Kind regards from Glasgow,

The SWA Team.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 333: Compass Box Transistor

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky vlogger, enjoys a Boilermaker! BrewDog is an innovative, rebellious brewery in Scotland since 2007. They even have a bar in Brussels by now. They asked three whisky producers to create a whisky for a boilermaker. That’s the combination of whisky and beer – side by side. Duncan Taylor gave them Skeleton Key, the Dutch Zuidam delivered a 100% rye whisky Torpedo Tulip and Compass Box came up with this Transistor. It is created to be savored alongside the Punk IPA from BrewDog. The whisky is a blend of Cameronbridge grain with the following malts: Linkwood, Teaninich, Dailuaine and Clynelish. Parts of the whisky were matured on French oak from the Vosges.

https://youtu.be/Jgfz5APgEnY

SCOTTISH FAMILY FIRM LAUNCHES THE ANGELS’ SHARE GLASS

The team at an award-winning family firm has created a new spirits glass – The Angels’ Share Glass.

The glassware, which features an angel’s wing and a flame, is launched online by Stirling company Angels’ Share Glass today.

It is the latest innovation from the firm which is renowned for a range of glassware including Whisky Angels, Whisky Water Droppers and Gin Pigs.

Angels’ Share Glass Managing Director Karen Somerville said: “We’ve always wanted to add our own glass to the range so this is a concept which has been in the making for a long time.

“We’ve gone back and forth in deciding how it should look and behind the design is the idea that it should be simple but bold and legendary but attainable.

“There is no pseudoscience involved. We wanted to come up with something for drinkers who don’t take their spirits too seriously and we’re delighted, that after all this time, we have our own glass reflecting the company’s journey and vision.”

“The Angels’ Share Glass is designed on elegance and grace much like an Angel and it’s ideal for everyone’s favourite spirit whether that be Scotch Whisky, Rum, Bourbon, Cognac, Vodka, Sherry, Port or Gin.”

There are two glasses in the range – a standard size which takes 100ml of spirits and a mini tasting version which is 50ml.

The glass was designed by Karen Somerville and her father, Master Glassblower Tom Young MBE, who were keen to incorporate the wing and flame which forms their company logo into the design.

It is aimed at all spirits-lovers and complements the firm’s existing bar and giftware range including gift sets.

The versatile glass can also be personalised with a name or brand and plans are underway to extend the range to include decanters and water jugs.

The company had intended to launch The Angels Share Glass during an Open Day at the firm’s headquarters in Bridge of Allan near Stirling, however, due to Covid-19 restrictions, the launch will be a virtual one instead.

Mrs Somerville said: “It’s a shame we can’t have a full launch at our studio, but like many small businesses we’ve had to adapt to the current situation and instead we’ve created a video featuring the Angels’ Share Glass which we hope everyone will enjoy.”

The video can be viewed here – www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw80vrjEDjk

The standard 100ml Angels’ Share Glass costs around £12 while the mini version, which is perfect for tasting sessions, is 50ml and £10.

For more details and to order go to – www.angelsshareglass.com/collections/gift-sets

For more information about Angels Share Glass, visit www.angelsshareglass.com

Notes:

Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm was co-founded by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young MBE – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for 60 years. More information about the company can be found at www.angelsshareglass.com

Make Mine a Double!
The Whisky Bible’s Two Editions.

Apart from being the most authoritative and detailed book on whisky in the world, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has always set out to be the most comprehensive and easy to use, too. That is why there is now both a standard and North American edition.

So, if you are in a hurry and have only moments to make a quick decision about buying a whisk(e)y, then if it is bourbon, rye and other American whiskeys you are looking for, the North American edition now lists those at the front of the guide lining up the brands alphabetically as well as by State. And this followed directly by the Canada section, making this edition of the Whiskey Bible even more North American user friendly.

For Scotch lovers around the world, the standard Jim Murray Whisky Bible presents you the single malts section distillery by distillery alphabetically as before.

whiskybible.com
The only place to order personally dedicated copies.