The 144th Auction

The sun is finally shining here in Glasgow and our glorious (if brief) summer is upon us, and to celebrate why not buy a bottle of something special from our now live 144^th auction! It’s a very healthy auction this month with well over 7000 lots of fantastic drams to choose from, whether that be a top-shelf beauty or a summer drinker we’ve got the lot. Here are a few special bottles from this month’s offerings to check out.

We often say bottles are ‘historic’ or ‘legendary’ but in the case of the W & A Gilbey from the Wreck of the SS Politician we really mean it. The inspiration for the famed Ealing comedy Whisky Galore from 1949, The SS Politician was a cargo ship bound for Jamaica when it ran aground off the coast of Eriskay in 1941, leaving a trail of 260,000 bottles of whisky in its wake! Industrious islanders managed to save not only the crew of doomed vessel but also much of its precious cargo, which was never seen again. This bottle was salvaged by a diver from the slumbering wreck and is accompanied by a letter, magazine article and USB stick full of research documenting the bottle’s journey from the seabed back into circulation. A truly one-of-a-kind lot.

Next up is a bottle of unmistakable quality, the Macallan 1950 Exceptional Cask #13 2018 Release. Distilled over seven decades ago by the Speyside giant, Macallan, this tremendous liquid was then aged for a jaw-dropping 67 years in an American Oak 1^st Fill Sherry Butt. One of only 336 bottles released this dram comes in at hugely respectable ABV of 53.4%, impressive given its long slumber in oak. This is your chance to own by far the most sought-after bottle in the Exceptional Cask series.

Japanese whisky has long been growing in popularity amongst consumers and investors impressed by its impeccable production, smooth flavours and robust value. And this Yamazaki 1990 ‘The Cask’ Sherry Butt certainly ticks all the boxes. Distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2008, this delicious looking dram is one of only 471 bottles released and weighs in at a rather hefty cask strength of 60% ABV. If you haven’t experienced Japanese whisky at its finest this would be a great place to start.

Finally, we have an absolute corker from Islay (the undisputed heartland of peaty whisky) the Laphroaig 1960 Vintage Reserve. Distilled at the start of the swinging sixties and bottled in 2001 at the birth of the new millennium, this is a rare example of a very old Laphroaig. After spending four decades ageing in wood this dram is described by Laphroaig as being "surprisingly smooth and gentle" while still packing that peaty punch so admired by their legions of aficionados worldwide.

There are literally thousands more fantastic bottles just waiting to be discovered in this month’s auction, so now is the time to get scrolling through them and picking your favourites. Best of luck to all and remember…………don’t lose your bottle.