Cambus 30 Years 1991 vintage from this lost distillery. 57.8% Cask Strength. Cambus 30 Year Old 1991 vintage Lowland single grain Scotch whisky. Refill sherry butt #34108 bottled August 2021 by Signatory Vintage for the Cask Strength Collection. 454 numbered bottles.

Buy Cambus 30yr >>>

John Moubry commissioned Cambus Distillery in 1806 at Cambus near Alloa to produce malt and grain whisky. He was amongst a group of contemporary distillers ‘paid’ to close their works for a number of years by the Stein and Haig distilling family in order to enable the later to maintain their monopoly in the exportation of Scottish spirits into the London gin market. Cambus Distillery is a lost Lowlands grain whisky distillery having closed in 1993 although its whisky remains available and the site is occupied by a Diageo cask filling works. Hunter Laing Sovereign Cambus grain whiskies are extremely popular.

A New Release Sherried Peater from a Beloved Scotch Icon
Laphroaig 10 Year Old “Sherry Oak” Islay Single Malt
Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($89.99)
“This is an absolutely perfectly executed expression that offers so much enjoyment and complexity…” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

As one of Scotland’s most beloved whiskies, Laphroaig’s 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt is a perennial go-to for Scotch fanatics the world over. While it’s been a stunningly successful formula for decades, the distillery has finally heeded the call from the hardcore sherry crowd and released a sherried version of its iconic dram just in time for the holidays. The anticipation surrounding this new bottling cannot be overstated, and once we got it open at the tasting bar, it became plainly clear that the hype is more than justified. Spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard describes, “It’s right smokey with plenty of oily smoke and sweet peat wafting from the glass … On the palate, it’s unctuous and mouth-coating, most definitely due to the higher-than-normal proof, bold and unabashed with the sweetness of the sherry.” In a perfect display of Laphroaig’s mastery with both peat and sherry ageing, both elements meld in total harmony to produce an expression that is at once classically Laphroaig but also a thrilling new entry into the sherried malt sphere. There is quite simply nothing else like it on the market, and with the limited availability, we fully expect long-time fans of the distillery to go hard and heavy, causing it to vanish from our shelves in a flash.

Laphroaig 10 Year Old “Sherry Oak” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($89.99)

K&L Notes: Laphroaig 10 is definitely in the running for Scotland’s most iconic bottling. After years of pining for a sherried version, it’s finally here. The 10 Year Old Sherry Oak is finished in Oloroso casks, providing a honeyed sweetness that perfectly complements the salty smoke of Scotland’s most richly flavored malt. While it’s our hope that this will eventually be a staple on the shelves, the initial release is extremely limited and will certainly sell out in minutes.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 08, 2021

The iconic Islay producer has long been a darling of the Scotch-loving world. There are fewer and fewer people out there who turn their nose up at the wildly peaty style that comes off the special stills at Laphroaig. Not only are they one of the few distillers to use their own malt, which is part of what many attribute to the unique flavors of their spirit, but they use a complex regime of seven stills to create a completely unique malt. While sherried Laphroaig is renowned historically, they rarely fill it into sherry butts. It’s a real treat if they can pull it off properly. Let’s have a taste. The color is amber/deep gold. OH THANK GOD! They haven’t totally neutered the fires of Islay with these sherry butts. It’s right smokey with plenty of oily smoke and sweet peat wafting from the glass. The sherry has drawn it slightly towards the BBQ flavors and away from the high-pitched medicinal flavors, which only the very pickiest Laphroaig lover will lament. Lots of roasted flavors—roasted wood, roasted earth, roasted meat, toasted pepper, roasted brush, ashy smoke. On the palate, it’s unctuous and mouth-coating, thanks most definitely to the higher-than-normal proof, bold and not at all unabashed with the sweetness of the sherry, it’s nutty frame just slightly taming the gamey peat character. We always worry that with these NAS bottlings they’ll try to sneak in some “under-mature” casks, but this feels extremely well composed and, dare I say, “older”? This is an absolutely perfectly executed expression, that offers so much enjoyment and complexity while slightly opening the door to those who might be otherwise afraid to dive into the South Shore smokies.

Register Your Interest: Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Due to the huge demand for this special Hibiki release we have decided to run a ballot so that customers will have a fairer chance at purchasing a bottle. Please register your interest at the ballot link below which will be live from now up until the 23rd November. We will then contact the successful entries with a link to buy.

ENTER BALLOT

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Limited Edition

This expression was released by Hibiki way back in 1989 for the first time to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Suntory. Fast forward to 2021 and this stunning limited edition bottle design of pays tribute to the Ryusui-Hyakka (One Hundred Flowers and Flowing Water). The blossoms of the 24 seasons in Japan are emblazoned across the glass, with the flow of water connecting one passing season to another, as well as the 24 facets of the bottle a nod to this.

Hibiki Harmony 2021 Limited Edition
£200.00

REGISTER FOR BALLOT HERE

ONLINE BIDDING OPENS TODAY ON “THE DISTILLERS ONE OF ONE” INAUGURAL SALE, AHEAD OF LIVE AUCTION IN SCOTLAND ON 3 DECEMBER 2021 

Unveiled in Full: 42 Lots of Extraordinary Scotch Whiskies and Experiences on Offer

 Proceeds to Support Disadvantaged Young People in Scotland  

Left: Bowmore Onyx 51 Year Old 1970;

Centre: A Talisker cask-end turned into an original artwork by Callum Innes;

Right: The Glencairn Ruby Tribute Blended Scotch Whisky

CATALOGUE AVAILABLE TO VIEW HERE

ONLINE BIDDING HERE

LONDON, 10 November 2021 – Online bidding opens today on The Distillers One of One sale, ahead of the live auction at Barnbougle Castle outside Edinburgh, Scotland on Friday 3 December 2021. For the first time since the announcement earlier this year of a six-year partnership between The Distillers’ Charity and Sotheby’s to host three biennial auctions under the name The Distillers One of One, the contents of the inaugural sale are now being unveiled in full. In total, the auction will present 42 lots of ultra-rare and unique Scotch whiskies and experiences, ranging in estimates from £1,000 upwards to £500,000 – all to be offered without reserve.

The highest value lot in the sale is a Talisker Cask of Distinction 1978, donated by Diageo and selected on account of its outstanding quality (est. £350,000-500,000). The 43-Year-Old cask of still-maturing Talisker single malt Scotch whisky is paired with a cask-end that has been turned into an original work of art by acclaimed Scottish artist and Turner Prize nominee Callum Innes – revealed here for the first time. Once the successful bidder chooses to bottle the cask, they will become the sole owner of one of the world’s rarest and most highly respected whiskies, with dedicated packaging featuring the artwork of Callum Innes, a first for Casks of Distinction.

Also newly revealed is the striking, hand blown black glass vessel housing 1.4l of the first ever 51 Year Old released by Bowmore along with a 100ml tasting sample, taking its inspiration from the terroir of its island home on Islay. This exceptionally rare and entirely unique single malt, matured in a barrel from 1970, is an encapsulation of time, with over half a century of craftsmanship, quality and character embedded in its genesis and story (est. £100,000-180,000).

A recent addition to the line-up is The Glencairn Ruby Tribute Blended Scotch Whisky. This Ruby encrusted decanter contains a one of one whisky blended by Richard Paterson – The Dalmore’s Master Blender – using contributions from some of the world’s most revered master blenders. All component whiskies of this blend were matured to in excess of 18 years and the final blend uniquely captures a true moment of whisky history (est. £5,000-10,000).

A one of one bottling of Littlemill Testament – incorporating stone from the original distillery and set in a unique case with hand blown 18th century glassware – is the distillery’s oldest release to date, with the liquid taken from a single distillation date of 4th October 1976. From this liquid, 250 numbered bottles were released, however a further four bottles were retained to create unique one-off editions that integrate either slate, glass, wood or stone from the original distillery into the release (est. £10,000-16,000).

Proceeds from The Distillers One of One auction will benefit the Youth Action Fund, which has been created by The Distillers’ Charity to transform the life chances of 16 to 25-year-old people in Scotland, empowering them to create positive change in their lives and communities. To achieve this, the trustees of Distillers’ Charity commissioned the social enterprise, Inspiring Scotland to undertake a detailed scoping report. They have curated, on behalf of the Distillers’ Charity, a small portfolio of charities for the Youth Action Fund, including:

Aberdeen Foyer, a charitable organisation supporting people towards independent living, learning and work.

The Alcohol Education Trust (AET), which works across the UK to keep young people safe around alcohol.

ENABLE Scotland, which delivers a range of support services across Scotland, including the ENABLE Works service which provides employment and skills support, assisting people with disabilities or other challenges into employment.

Street League, which uses the power of sport to support young people living in some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities into work.

A full list of lots with estimates is attached.

The Distillers: One of One sale will begin at 13:30 GMT on 3 December.  Online bidding starts today, 10 November.

About Sotheby’s Wine

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare 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 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits totaled an outstanding $92 million in 2020, with over 15,000 lots sold across 41 sales – a nearly 50% increase in the number of auctions held in 2019. Over $60 million of wine and spirits were sold to online bidders in 2020 versus $28 million in 2019, with 85% of all lots offered finding online buyers. Demonstrating continued strength in Asia, Sotheby’s led the market in the region for the third consecutive year, with over 70% of the total bid amount in all Wine and Spirits sales attributed to collectors in Asia.

Sotheby’s Wine’s has had the privilege of auctioning numerous record-breaking wines and spirits in recent years, with 2020 alone witnessing new world auction records for any bottle of Japanese whisky, any bottle of whisky produced by the Dalmore Distillery, as well as any bottle of Cognac. Sotheby’s Wine currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most expensive bottle of spirits ever sold at 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.

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

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 apps for iOS and Android

About The Distillers One of One

Launched in 2021, the Distillers One of One is a biennial series of auctions of Scottish whisky in aid of disadvantaged young people in Scotland.  Led by The Distiller’s Charity, the philanthropic arm of The Worshipful Company of Distillers, and in partnership with Sotheby’s, the Scotch Whisky industry has gathered together to support philanthropy. Participating distilleries are donating ultra-rare whisky and experiences for sale at auction aiming to raise in excess of £1 million during the initial 3 December 2021 auction.

In order to help transform the life chances of young people in Scotland post pandemic, The Distillers’ Charity  has created the Youth Action Fund. The proceeds from the Distillers One of One auction will be disbursed from the fund to a number of charities that focus on empowering Scotland’s young adults to create positive change in their lives and communities. Sotheby’s will also donate a portion of their buyer’s premium from the auction to The Distillers’ Charity.

About The Worshipful Company of Distillers

The Worshipful Company of Distillers (The Distillers) is an historic City Livery Company with a proud history and 21st century relevance. Established originally, to monitor and regulate commercial distilleries within a 21-mile radius of The City of London, The Distillers have changed with the times. Still at the heart of the distilling industry the focus is now very much on philanthropy and fellowship.

Today, the principal activity is to support relevant charitable causes, underpinned by giving back amongst the Livery, recognising the value of time and talent as well as money. Beyond this philanthropic scope, The Distillers is at the heart of the spirits industry, by inspiring the craft, understanding and enjoyment of distilled products through industry championship and fellowship.

From its formation as a corporation by Royal Charter in 1638, The Distillers were raised to the status of Livery Company in 1672, the 350th anniversary of this is in 2022. There are 110 Livery Companies in The City of London who play an active role in the life of The City.

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 fulfill 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.

A TASTE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY FROM EDINBURGH AS
J.G. THOMSON & CO UNVEILS AWARD-WINNING FIRST COLLECTION
OF SMALL BATCH SPIRITS 

Small batch spirits with simple ingredients and complex flavours
are the order of the day for new J.G. Thomson & Co brand 

A first and already award-winning collection of small batch spirits with simple ingredients and complex flavours is today being launched by J.G. Thomson & Co, a new brand from Edinburgh.

Hailing from Scotland’s capital, J.G. Thomson & Co’s first collection of small batch spirits includes, three blended malt Scotch whiskies featuring Sweet, Smoky and Rich expressions, and two exceptional limited edition aged whiskies – one a 23 year-old blended malt, the other a 1972 blended grain.

Several of J.G. Thomson & Co’s first collection of small batch spirits have already won industry awards, including a prized Masters medal for Batch 1 of its rich 23-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky, Golds for the first batches of its three blended malts and its gin at the Spirits Business Luxury Masters 2021.

All of J.G. Thomson & Co’s spirits are crafted creatively in small batches, meaning that the individual taste characteristics of each spirit will evolve with every new batch – providing adventurous drinkers with a new taste experience to discover every time a new batch is released.

J.G. Thomson & Co takes its name from an 18^th-century wine and spirits merchant once based in Leith in the 1700s, a time when trade ships were bringing new and exciting goods into Edinburgh. At the time, the savvy Thomson family became renowned for selecting some of these new spirits being brought in and introducing them to their discerning customers in Edinburgh, and to the wider world.

J.G. Thomson & Co is being launched by The Artisanal Spirits Company, which owns the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and is building a portfolio of premium brands and curating collections of craft spirits. 

Driven by a dedication to creating small batch spirits with simple ingredients and complex flavours, the J.G. Thomson & Co brand offers a core range of three small batch blended malt whiskies, featuring Sweet, Smoky and Rich expressions.

With a focus on combining characterful spirit with high-quality casks, the blending team at J.G. Thomson & Co works closely with selected partner cooperages to either procure specific casks, or to create their own customised casks, toasted and charred to defined standards.

In addition to its core range, J.G. Thomson & Co is launching with the first two batches in a series of limited edition whiskies; a rich, complex 23-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky made of 100% Speyside malts; and a sweet 1972 blended grain Scotch whisky bringing notes of honey, wax and ginger on the nose.

All of J.G. Thomson & Co’s small batch spirits are available to order from jgthomson.com/shop as well as ​​a range of leading whisky shops, bars and restaurants.

Emily Coyle from J.G. Thomson & Co, said: “Just like the Thomsons did in the 1700s, we’re constantly on the hunt for new spirits, flavours and tastes to explore from around the world, whether that’s handpicking whisky in Scotland. By focusing on creating small batches and limited editions, we want to explore different tastes and take full advantage of the opportunity to experiment, innovate, marry, blend, discover and learn.

“We believe there is a growing appetite for exceptional spirits among adventurous drinkers who are looking to taste something new and extraordinary. All our spirits are made using traditional methods such as small batch distillation, non-chill filtering and natural colour to focus entirely on taste and take people on a journey of discovery.”

Notes:

J.G. Thomson & Co

JG Thomson & Co is a new, adventurous blender, creating small batch blended malt whiskies, blended grain whiskies, rum and gin. Inspired by its namesake, which was originally a wine and spirits merchant in Leith in the 1700s, JG Thomson & Co showcases exceptional quality blended malt whisky and spirits that are a little out of the ordinary, appealing to drinkers keen to continue their journey in bold taste.

https://jgthomson.com/

The Artisanal Spirits Company

The Artisanal Spirits Company plc is the owner of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the leading curator and provider of premium single cask Scotch malt whisky for sale primarily online to a discerning global membership. In June 2021, the company floated on the stock market with a valuation of £78 million.

https://www.artisanal-spirits.com/

The latest in the Causeway Collection from Bushmills

Bushmills 2000 Ruby Port Cask
The Causeway Collection – 2021 UK Exclusive

A whiskey that is standing on the shoulders of giants! Just a stone’s throw away from the world-famous Giant’s Causeway, the Bushmills team have released another sensational Irish single malt whiskey in the hugely popular Causeway Collection that celebrates the history and myth of this fascinating world heritage site. Classically triple distilled, it has spent its entire 20 year long slumber in first-fill ruby port casks, left free from chill filtration and at a cask strength of 54.1% abv. Very limited so get it in the basket!

£260.00
Buy Now

Our latest exclusive whisky has landed – an Australian single malt from Melbourne’s Starward distillery.

This rich and fruity whisky was aged for four years in a first-fill, 200-litre Apera (aka Australian ‘sherry’) cask and then bottled at full strength exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. Aromas of leather, freshly-chopped cedar, sultana crumble and baked apple leap out the glass, while the palate reveals flavours of apricot, honeycomb and vanilla ice cream. It’s all wrapped up by a rich and long finish with sweet hints of warming chilli.

The cask only yielded 250 bottles of this delicious whisky, so make sure you get one before they sell out.

SHOP NOW

Seasonal Release 2021

Limited Edition | 12 Year Old | 54.7% ABV | 70cl

Bringing together a series of unpeated distillations from 2009 and earlier, this seasonal spirit was matured in first fill Bourbon casks and American Oak hogsheads. After eleven years maturation it has then been finished for twelve months in first fill Oloroso hogsheads and heavily charred American Oak barrels before being married prior to bottling at cask strength.

NOSE
Toffee, apple, seaspray, vanilla

PALATE
Warm spice, nutty, floral, orange citrus, melted brown sugar

FINISH
Long nutty finish with pears and dried peel

£74.95

Add To Basket

A Singular Peated Scotch from a K&L Exclusive Cask
2014 Bunnahabhain Staoisha Heavily Peated 6 Year Old “Signatory K&L Exclusive” Dechar/Rechar Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)
“These young Staoisha malts are an absolute revelation … This stuff is just incredible]y well made and delicious.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

One of our most popular exclusive casks of last year was the utterly unique 4-year-old Bunnahabhain peated malt from our friends at Signatory. A winning combination of an incredible price, limited availability, and a singular profile thanks to the innovative ageing method made for a whisky that Scotch aficionados couldn’t get enough of. Now Signatory has come through once again, this time with a 6-year-old cask of the same outstanding juice that shows deeper complexity from the extra two years in the dechar/rechar hogshead (see below for more details on this barrel reconditioning method). Bunnahabhain crafts a renowned unpeated whisky, but they love to flex their prowess with peat through these impeccable Staoisha bottlings. Spirits buyer Andrew Whiteley says, “this 6-year-old malt is a big, intense peater … It’s pretty, sweet, and just smoky enough. It’s also a steal of a price.” This an unequivocal must-have for fans of cutting edge Scotch, and given how well its predecessor performed, we fully expect this cask to sell out in short order. Collectors and enthusiasts of all stripes will want to get on board while they can, especially if they missed its younger sibling the last time around.

2014 Bunnahabhain Staoisha Heavily Peated 6 Year Old “Signatory K&L Exclusive” Dechar/Rechar Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)

K&L Notes: Bunnahabhain sits on the northern shores of Islay and has made a famously unpeated Islay malt in that remote location since 1881. Beginning in the 1990s, Bunnah began to experiment with varying levels of peat and has sold peated Scotch under a number of different names since then. In the last five years or so, we’ve seen several casks on the independent market trading under the Staoisha name for Bunnahabhain’s heavily peated offering. These extraordinary casks taste absolutely fabulous when they are very young, and they are just getting better and better with more age. Now at six and a half years of age, this cask was matured in a dechar/rechar hogshead. This unique process involves scraping a cask to expose new oak and then recharring the wood to seal it and caramelize the sugars. These whiskies drink a bit like first-fill bourbon casks due to the fresh char, but the most robust tannins have already been removed from the cask’s first use. The result is a best-of-both-worlds scenario that marries with heavy peat just perfectly. Cask No 10568, 59.4% ABV.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 03, 2021

Yielding just 198 bottles, this cask is moving quickly, even before we write up the whisky. Previous Signatory bottles of Staoisha have won many fans who eagerly await the next chance to add to their collection. Much older than previous bottlings, but still in the youthful stage, this 6-year-old malt is a big intense peater. It doesn’t feel quite as smoky as the last cask, but more peaty, with the focus more on the wet, salty, earthy nose. The palate is massive, briny, and a little dank. The fruit is really spectacular, almost like a liquid version of a salted caramel candied apple. It’s pretty, sweet, and just smoky enough. It’s also a steal of a price. Don’t blink or it’ll be gone, and we likely won’t see another for at least a year.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 27, 2021

These young Staoisha malts are an absolute revelation. Not only are these big boy peaters out of the norm for Bunnah, but the dechar/re-char thing is a real treat. For those who remember, the last barrel was wildly delicious at four years old, and with an extra two years in cask, it’s achieved an insane level of complexity. Let’s have a taste. The color is deep gold. Pungent and wild with an incredible saline note balanced by sweet oaky depth and an almost chocolaty note. On the palate, it’s got incredible weight and a gorgeous, earthy, coastal character. Wild stone fruit, rich, sweet spice and a lengthy, ashy finish. This stuff is just incredibly well made and delicious.