February Auction Highlights 2016

This month brings another great selection of bottles to the market and continues to showcase some wonderful examples from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society – the highlight of which this month is undoubtedly the stunning 26 Malts set.

Only 20 of these were ever produced as complete sets and this one is in near pristine condition. Featuring 26 wonderful single cask malts presented beautifully through unique individual collaborations of artists and writers, this set is rarely seen at auction now so don’t miss this opportunity to snap it up. 

Undeniably though, there is one major highlight of this auction which stands out above all others: the Port Ellen 12 year old bottled for the Queen’s visit in August 1980.

This is the first example to see auction since 2013 and remains in remarkably good condition with the original presentation box and an unmoved filling level. The highest ever scoring whisky on Whiskyfun at 99/100, the only known bottling of Port Ellen produced while the distillery was active and the only known example of Port Ellen distilled in 1967.

All in all a totally spectacular, historic and highly desirable bottle. This near perfect example marks an exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire this bottle at auction.

There is plenty more to get excited about in this auction though. Laphroaig 40 year old, Brora 1972 Rare Malts 60.02%, the exceptionally rare Dallas Dhu 1970 Rare Malts 59.91%.

We have both the 1973 Springbank ‘Green label’ Rum Butt bottlings by Cadenheads, along with a 1966 Local Barley, a 1965 Murray McDavid Springbank 30 year old for the USA and great condition example of the 21 year old Springbank bottled in the late 1980s.

There’s a 1957 Glen Grant Cadenhead dumpy, six bottles of the new Lagavulin 1990 25 year old Syndicate bottling, A Glen Garioch 1965 and 1968 and a beautiful 1936 43 year old Mortlach Connoisseur’s Choice.

For Japanese whisky lovers we have Karuizawa 1981 cask 4943 of which only 119 bottles were released, Karuizawa 1984 cask 5410 from the Artifices series and a gorgeous looking single cask 20 year old Yoichi bottled exclusively for distillery visitors only.

There’s also a Yamazaki 1990 single cask, the incredibly inviting 1979 Yamazaki SMWS 119.2 and the Chichi ePower double cask bottling.

We have a return appearance from the Johnnie Walker 2013 Director’s Blend, a Longrow 1974 18 year old, four bottles of 1975 Dom Perignon for you Champagne lovers and for Bourbon fanatics a 23 year old Pappy Van Winkle and a Hirsch 1974 16 year old.

Other SMWS highlights from this sale are the exceedingly rare 1966 Ardbeg 33.13, the two full festival sets 2006 and 2007. 

The 1977 Brora 61.12, the 1963 Glenfarclas 1.96, the 1969 Strathisla 58.5 and the Glen Keith 1968 81.3.

There are two more St Magdalene 1975 49.1s, a 1981 Rosebank 25.26 and 1972 Glen Grant 9.30.

These are just a few of the numerous old examples from the SMWS that are in this sale, there’s just no room to list them all here so you’ll have to dive in and have a look for yourself.

Other tasty and notable bottles include a gorgeous 45 year old Glen Grant bottled in the 1980s by G&M along with a 1946 41 year old MacPhails, a 1970 100 Proof Talisker, a 1970 Glenlochy Silent Stills, a 1980s Ardbeg 10 year old and literally hundreds of bottles of terrific old and rare drinking and collectable whisky.

Dive in, enjoy and happy bidding! The Whisky Online Auctions team