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Whisky & Whiskey | The Camouflage Collection Part I

Comprising Some of the Finest and Rarest Bourbon and Rye Whiskies Ever Bottled

Bidding has opened on Sotheby’s March whiskey sale in New York, led by The Camouflage Collection Part I, comprising some of the finest and rarest bourbon and rye whiskies ever bottled, and carefully assembled by a dedicated and passionate collector over a period of many years. The collection includes numerous bottles of high-end Pappy Van Winkle, Willett Family Estate, Michter’s, Eagle Rare and many more.

The full collection consists of around 1,500 bottles, including full original cases, first editions and some of the rarest and hardest to find whiskeys – a feat only made possible by the commitment and knowledge of a connoisseur who dedicated much of his life seeking out each individual bottle. Collections of this variety and scope rarely come to market, all from a single source.

Supporting these are the finest and rarest Scotch and Japanese whiskies including The Macallan Fine & Rare 32 Year Old 1969, The Macallan 40 Year Old The Red Collection and The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara Cask.

With almost 470 lots on offer, the sale carries a combined pre-sale estimate in the region of $670,000.

VIEW CATALOUGUE ONLINE HERE

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Head of Whisky & Spirits, North America and EMEA

Pappy Van Winkle – The Record-Breaking Bourbon

The Van Winkle line of whiskeys needs little introduction. Praised by celebrities and the subject of a bestselling book, it is by far the best recognized and most widely coveted whiskey in America.

One of the leading bottles is undoubtedly the Old Rip Van Winkle 23 Year Old Decanter, distilled in 1986 and one of only 1200 ever produced (lot 119, est. $12,000-16,000). Also coming from the Camouflage Collection are bottles of Van Winkle stretching back to the 2008 Release, including a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Family Reserve from that year (lot 118, est. $3,000-4,000). Sotheby’s recently broke records when a similar bottle sold for $52,000, more than 17 times the pre-sale estimate.

The Michter’s name originated in the decades after World War II, when a Pennsylvania businessman named Lou Forman named a distillery after his sons, Michael and Peter. But the Pennsylvania whiskey industry was in a steady and terminal decline, and the distillery shut its doors in 1990. Six years later, Joseph Magliocco, the president of New York-based Chatham Imports, acquired Michter’s abandoned trademark and moved its base of operations to Kentucky.

Today, Michter’s is one of the few whiskeys to stand alongside Van Winkle at the top of the luxury market and its 20 and 25 Year Olds are considered some of the best in the business. The Camouflage Collection Part 1 includes over 40 bottles of Michter’s, from the entry level Toasted Barrel (lot 297, est. $450-600) all the way up to the ultra-rare Single Barrel Rye 25 Year Old (lot 324, est. $9,000-12,000).

Willett – The Family Estate With Unrivaled Pedigree

The Willett family traces its roots to the 1690s, when Edward Willett immigrated to Maryland from England and started making whiskey and other spirits. The family eventually moved to Kentucky, where, a few years after the end of Prohibition, Thompson Willett founded the Willett Distilling Co. outside Bardstown. The company ceased distilling in 1981; however, in 1984, Even Kulsveen, a Norwegian immigrant who had married into the family, bought the distillery.

The Camouflage Collection Part I includes over 40 bottles from the Family Estate Range, both bourbon and rye, ranging from 4 years in age all the way up to 26, including Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Rye 25 Year Old 100 Proof, lot 462, est. $4,000-6,000).

Buffalo Trace Distillery – The Whiskey Powerhouse

Whiskey distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery features heavily throughout the Camouflage Collection Part I. From Colonel E.H. Taylor to Double Eagle Very Rare, O.F.C. to William Laure Weller, the collection spans the full range and spectrum of Buffalo Trace brands, including O.F.C. Old Fashion Copper Bourbon 90 Proof 1980 (lot 330, est. 8,000-12,000), Double Eagle Very Rare 20 Year Old 90 Proof NV (lot 224, est. $8,000-12,000) and Colonel E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash 100 Proof 2002 (lot 219, est. $7,000-10,000).

Perhaps among the most iconic of all Buffalo Trace whiskies are those in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, released annually since the early 2000s. The Camouflage Collection Part I features the very first releases of George. T. Stagg and Eagle Rare, alongside a plethora of releases from all five of the whiskies which make up the collection each year.

Additional Rarities

Whilst the sale features mainly American whiskies, there are some additional highlights in the form of some of the most sought-after and collectible Scotch and Japanese Whiskies. Leading the sale, The Macallan Fine & Rare 32 Year Old 1969 and The Macallan The Red Collection 40 Year Old sit alongside notable lots from Japan, including an older release of The Yamazaki 25 Year Old and The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara Cask, named after the indigenous Japanese oak used to mature the whisky.

Last but by no means least, and for the first time ever at auction, Sotheby’s sale introduces the Redemption Rye 36 Year Old Barrel Proof – the oldest Rye ever bottled (lot 370, est. $10,000-15,000). This was released in extremely limited quantities with only 18 in total and gives collectors and drinkers the almost mythical opportunity to procure a whiskey aged for well in excess of 30 years.

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, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Design, as well as collectible 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 $150 million in 2022, a 14% 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.

 *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.

Images are available upon request

Stream live auctions and place bids in real time, discover the value of a work of art, browse sale catalogues, view original content and more at sothebys.com, and by downloading Sotheby’s app for iOS and Android.

NEAREST & JACK ADVANCEMENT INITIATIVE TO HOST INAUGURAL ‘SPIRITS ON THE RISE’ SUMMIT

Diverse Voices and BIPOC Spirits Entrepreneurs Will Come Together in Tennessee for a Two-Day Immersive Learning Experience From April 17-18

Lynchburg, TENNESSEE (February 28, 2023)  – Today, the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative (NJAI), the first-of-its-kind incubator for diversifying the current and future leaders in the whiskey industry, announces its first-ever ‘Spirits on the Rise’ Summit. The two day event, taking place on April 17 and 18, 2023, aims to combat the imbalance set upon BIPOC businessmen and businesswomen in spirits and will bring together spirits industry entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities as they work to advance their businesses.

Throughout the summit, attendees will have unprecedented access to industry experts from NJAI founders Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, as well as leaders from companies like Hyatt Hotels, Breakthru Beverage, ReserveBar, and Republic National Distributing Company to learn more about investment and finance, distribution, route to market, networking, and community. The event will allow the NJAI to expand its impact beyond its existing programs – the Leadership Acceleration Program, the Business Incubation Program and the Nearest Green School of Distilling – to further assist founders as they enter and progress in the spirits industry.

“When we launched the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative in 2020, our goal was to advance diversity within the American whiskey industry and we’re thrilled to see the first group of graduates come through the program,” said Jamie Butler, Jack Daniel’s Global Brand Director. “The ‘Spirits on the Rise’ Summit expands upon the key tenants of this initiative and gives us the opportunity to increase the amount of BIPOC entrepreneurs we are able to support and educate in a multitude of areas.”

The NJAI is inspired by the historic and storied relationship between two pioneers of Tennessee Whiskey, Nearest Green and Jack Daniel, and sees to it that the future of the spirits industry is diverse and dynamic. Since its founding, the NJAI has presented professional opportunities to BIPOC-owned spirits ventures by committing millions of dollars towards providing access to the education and resources needed to be successful in a predominantly white-owned and led spirits industry.

“Over the past three years, the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative has worked on three tenets: helping to support up and coming BIPOC-owned brands, ensuring that we see more visible leaders of colors in every sector of our industry, and ensuring that we have attainable education around distillation and the spirits business,” said Katharine Jerkens, Chief Business Officer of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. “The ‘Spirits on the Rise’ Summit is an opportunity to bring together entrepreneurs and key leaders in the industry to network and educate so that we can continue our mission of building a more diverse and inclusive industry.”

It is through these efforts that the NJAI looks to amplify and accelerate the growth of current and future leaders in the whiskey industry, offering strategic mentorship along the way. The impact of the initiative’s work can be seen through the first three graduates of their incubator programming: Du Nord Social Spirits, the inaugural graduate of the Business Incubation Program, along with Tracie Franklin and Byron Copeland, the first two individuals to complete the Leadership Acceleration Program.

“This event is a testament to how far we’ve come in a short amount of time, and I couldn’t be more excited to see the new faces of our industry at the NJAI Summit,” said Chris Montana, Founder of Du Nord Social Spirits. “Du Nord’s involvement in the NJAI has allowed us to improve our business model, grow significantly, and compete nationally. I cannot overstate how critical this program has been to us as a business and to me personally.”

The current schedule of programming for the ‘Spirits on the Rise’ Summit includes:

• Monday, April 17, 2023 at Nearest Green Distillery
  • 3:30 p.m.: Tours of Nearest Green Distillery
  • 5:00 p.m.: Welcome remarks, cocktails and dinner

• Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Jack Daniel Distillery
  • 9:00 a.m.: The Right Investment Partner in Each Stage of Business, moderated by Fawn Weaver, CEO and Founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
  • 10:00 a.m.: Understanding the Financials in an Early-Stage Spirits Brand, moderated by Loni Gray, Global Brand Manager for Jack Daniel’s
  • 1:30 p.m.: Tours of the Jack Daniel Distillery
  • 3:00 p.m.: Route to Market: Building your Brand’s Distribution, moderated by Katharine Jerkens, Chief Business Officer for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
  • 4:00 p.m.: Emerging Brands Fair
  • 6:30 p.m.: Cocktails, dinner and closing remarks

To RSVP and for more information on the summit, please visit nearestjack.rsvp360.co

About Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative

Launched in 2020, the Nearest & Jack Advancement Initiative (NJAI) is inspired by the legacy and the relationship of Tennessee Whiskey pioneers Nearest Green and Jack Daniel with the goal of advancing diversity within the American whiskey industry. The first-of-its-kind incubator started with an initial combined $5 million pledge by Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey to create the Nearest Green School of Distilling, a STEM based and employable skills focused program at Motlow State College, the Leadership Acceleration Program to accelerate the development of future BIPOC Master Distillers, Distillery Managers and other senior management positions within the American whiskey industry, and the Business Incubation Program, focused on providing expertise and resources to African Americans entering the spirits industry as entrepreneurs. The joint initiative is guided by an advisory board with members from both organizations.

NEW EXCLUSIVE SINGLE CASK:
KORNOG 2016 PEAT & SHERRY
A HIDDEN GEM AMONGST SINGLE MALTS

Our latest exclusive single cask bottling comes from one of the whisky world’s hidden gems, Celtic Whisky Distillerie on the Breton coast. This small producer of French single malt is our co-founder Sukhinder Singh’s favourite distillery in mainland Europe and has a real following by whisky connoisseurs, so it was a natural choice when it came to source whiskies to celebrate his family’s 50th year in the drinks business.

He chose this 2016 Kornog – matured in a single refill Pedro Ximénez sherry butt – for its pronounced fruitiness and old-fashioned peat character, reminiscent of peated Chichibu or old Ardbeg. At six-years-old it’s a deeply complex dram with sweet peat, citrus and orchard fruits on the nose, followed by a palate of Black Forest Gateau, dark chocolate and crunchy red fruit. An excellent example of world whisky and a great choice for fans of Islay single malts.

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Wyoming Whiskey “Cattle Thief” Barrel #5758, “2021 CCA Reserve”

120 Proof Barrel Strength Single Barrel Unchillfiltered Wyoming Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

(750ml) (Elsewhere $60)

$49.99 View

We were able to “steal” this barrel and are offering it at a steep discount to the K&L picked barrel that we just sold out of in one day. The story here is that the establishment that selected this barrel back in 2021 in conjunction with the California Cattleman’s Association (CCA) wasn’t able to take possession of the barrel when it arrived. After months of trying to get to the original intended owners, Wyoming Whisky was forced to seek alternate placement for these already labeled and bottled goods. After one taste, the answer was an easy yes for us to take possession and get this whiskey into the hands of happy drinkers. The Cattleman’s loss is the K&L customer’s gain. The whiskey is excellent, made from high-prairie grown grains and with the ancient limestone water sitting underneath Kirby, Wyoming. , Aged in the harsh climate of central Wyoming along the banks of the Bighorn River, this 5 year-old wheated Bourbon is a treat. 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley mashbill. Please note, the bottle doesn’t say “Cattle Thief” but reads “Selected by and Exclusively for: 2021 CCA Reserve.”

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

A short reminder that our collection dates for March 2023 have now been finalised.

Please click HERE for the list of dates, locations and to register your interest in this service. The deadline for collection requests is 12noon on Monday 13th February 2023.

Please note the date of our local and Edinburgh collections have changed.

Home collections are available for those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000. Unfortunately this service is not available in London or to those customer who live within 10 miles of a collection point.

Collections are limited and offered on a first come first served basis.

It would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift. In addition a submission form and label should be completed. Submission forms can now be completed via your main accounts page.

A winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery (to collection point) service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

Submission Form & Label

Diageo Passport 

We have just launched our Diageo Passports in our Spitalfields branch. You too can begin an adventure through some of the great Scottish distilleries with your chance to win a trip of a lifetime. There will also be prizes along the way including bottles, cocktails and drams! Please email Hello@milroysofspitalfields.co.uk to reserve yourself a passport (this is a free item).

Address: 
76 Commercial Street
E1 6LY

FIRST EXCLUSIVE OF 2023

one of 255 bottles, a Deanston 2008, from a Bourbon Barrel.

£87.49

Order Now >>

Our first single cask exclusive for 2023 comes from Deanston Distillery, bottled by Little Brown Dog.

This Deanston was distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2023 from a single bourbon barrel.

One of only 255 bottles produced.

Bottled at a cask strength of 54.1%

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Green apples, grapefruit, honeydew melon, vanilla, Tunnocks coconut caramel log & malted milk biscuit.

Palate: Vanilla shortbread, waxy (old school Clynelish), pepper at the end.

Finish: The finish is long with notes of ginger and Lindt white chocolate. Warming, waxy & oily.

With Water:

Nose: Granny Smith apples

Taste: A little more spice on the palate.

Finish: a little more mellowed, waxy and nutty

Statement from Kentucky’s Bourbon Industry on House Bill 5

February 27, 2023

“Eliminating the job-killing inventory tax on aging barrels requires consideration of the distilleries that pay it and the local communities that benefit from it.

Kentucky’s signature Bourbon industry believes the phase-out schedule in House Bill 5 ultimately benefits local communities across Kentucky by more than doubling the industry’s tax before any reduction occurs.

In fact, most local communities will see no reduction from current revenues for at least the next 10 years.

While the bill will initially and significantly increase our tax liability, we appreciate the leadership of A&R Chairman Jason Petrie and Speaker David Osborne to put forth a proposal to slowly phase out the discriminatory tax.

The success or failure of House Bill 5 will determine whether Kentucky’s distilling industry continues to call the Commonwealth home, bringing jobs and tax revenue as it grows, or whether it is forced to look at other states for future growth or even potentially relocating existing facilities.

Thank you to the legislature for addressing this crisis. It is imperative that the Kentucky General Assembly end the tax on a $9 billion homegrown industry that employs 22,500 Kentuckians and attracts millions of tourist visits to Kentucky each year.”

*This statement is provided by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association on behalf of its 52 member companies.

For more information, contact: KDA President Eric Gregory at eric@kybourbon.com.

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that passionately unites, promotes, protects and elevates the Commonwealth’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured economic engine. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®,, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®,, ORDER OF THE WRIT®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®,, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE®are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

Please enjoy Bourbon like a true Kentuckian – Responsibly.

Green Spot

Quails’ Gate Limited Edition

Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey

70cl | 46% ABV

New for 2023! This limited release in the iconic Spot Whiskey series from Mitchell & Son in Ireland has been created in conjunction with the renowned Quails’ Gate Winery. A single pot still Irish Whiskey which has been matured initially in American Bourbon and Sherry casks before being finished in casks previously filled with Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir.

Aromas of summer berries include juicy cherry, fresh raspberry, crisp apple and sweet pear. A silky, mouth-coating texture with notes of cranberries and clove along with seasoned oak. The finish has notes of toasted wood and pot still spices with more fruits and read wine seasoning.

£69.95MAXIMUM 1 PER CUSTOMER

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AUCTION NOW LIVE!

ENDS SUNDAY 19^TH MARCH FROM 8PM

A Royal Offering

We have several bottles of Macallan in our March auction, including this wonderful set, celebrating 60 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Our auction also features Macallan James Bond 60^th Anniversary bottlings Decade I and Decade V, celebrating the fictional spy in style.

We have a soft spot for Balvenie and so we are delighted to offer several bottlings in our auction this month, including The Second Balvenie Red Rose. In 2002 Balvenie started using one week in the year to use peat in their malting kiln, as was common practice long ago, this spirit is kept for their limited releases, including Week of Peat 17 Years Old and 19 Years Old which are also in this month’s auction.

Register now at www.clickwhiskyauctions.com to bid on these iconic bottlings and many more besides.