The 171st Auction

The warmest of autumnal salutations to all, and welcome to our now live 171st auction!  We have a fabulous array of drams in this auction everything from far eastern rarities to homegrown heavyweights sourced from right here in Scotland.  With so many bottles being offered we thought it prudent to pick out a few lots to shine a spotlight on, so here we go.

First up we have a bottle which boasts exquisite design and is of tremendous rarity, this is the Karuizawa 1965 50 Year Old Single Cask #8636 for La Maison du Whisky.  As we all know Karuizawa is no more, having fallen silent in the year 2000, which makes expressions like this all the rarer.  It has spent a mammoth five decades ageing before finally being bottled for release while still somehow managing to maintain a hefty ABV of 62.6% in the process.  An increasingly sought-after bottling, and a genuine highlight in even the most salubrious of whisky collections.

Next we have a bottling which has attained near-legendary status in the world of American whiskey collecting, this is the A.H. Hirsch Reserve 1974 16 Year Old.  Distilled at the now defunct Schaefferstown Michter’s distillery in 1974 and aged for 16 years this special dram exhibits the famed ‘golden hue’ Hirsch was renowned for.  This bottling has been leaving reviewers astonished for years due to its richness and depth of flavour, so why not pick this one up and see what all the fuss is about?

It wouldn’t be a highlight reel without something special from Scotland and this beauty most definitely fits the bill, this is the Macallan 40 Year Old The Red Collection.  Taking inspiration from Macallan founder Alexander Reid, who’s surname means “the red one”, this show stopping range is also noteworthy for having been crafted by Macallan’s first female Master Whisky Maker, Kirsteen Campbell, who took the up the reins in 2019.  An absolutely fantastic and understated release from Macallan, solidifying their position as one of the most collectable distilleries out there.

Finally we return to Japan for our last highlight and a lot which includes not one but three of the most collectable Japanese whiskies on the planet, this is the Chichibu 2009, Hanyu 2000 and Karuizawa 35 Year Old SAFE Bubbles and Malt Premium Collection 3 x 70cl.  Produced for Hong Kong whisky merchants SAFE Bubbles and Malt this collection features a Chichibu, a Hanyu and a 35 Year Old Karuizawa; a fearsome lineup we trust you agree.  Each whisky is drawn from a single cask and they have been packaged together in a beautifully understated presentation box adorned with Asian imagery.

As always we have an enormous selection of drams to suit every budget on offer this month, so now is the time to delve into this month’s offerings and start building that watchlist.  

Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.