With only one week to go until the second edition of The Distillers One of One Auction – the world’s most distinguished ultra-rare whisky auction, hosted in partnership with Sotheby’s – The Distillers One of One has revealed the last eleven exclusive lots, provided by the “Associate Donors”, in addition to the Founder and Member lots.
All thirty-nine lots can now be bid upon online; to view and bid on the unparalleled, never-to-be-repeated one-off whiskies, please visit the Sotheby’s website here.
The nine Associate Donor lots comprise:
Family-owned by the Grants for five generations, Glenfarclas has combined two exceptional vintages from the Sixties into one beautiful set: Glenfarclas One of One, 1967 and 1968. This matching pair of Glencairn crystal decanters is housed in a bespoke ash cabinet (est. £20,000 – £30,000).
An Ardross cask of peated Highland Single Malt (est. £8,000 – £16,000). A cask of heavily peated Ardross Single Malt, specially selected by The Ardross Distillery team for The Distillers One of One Auction. Cask no. 2838 was the last Ardross Peated Single Malt filled in 2022 into a New Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask.
This cask and spirit type is not currently available for private sale. Selected by Chairman and Master Blender Andrew Rankin, this Oloroso cask from a superlative Jerez bodega will provide the best sherry and wood quality for maturing Scotch Whisky.
A peated 2020 Ardnamurchan Single Malt, produced with a strong ethos of sustainability (est. £5,000 – £10,000). The winning bidder will be invited to tour the Ardnamurchan distillery with a guest and visit their cask.
The Glenrothes Single Cask 1970 #10573, from the cellars of Berry Bros. & Rudd – the very last bottle of the first ever ‘Extraordinary Cask’ release (est. £5,000 – £10,000), including dinner for eight guests at Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Director’s Dining Room with Chairwoman Lizzie Rudd and former Brands Heritage Director Ronnie Cox, who discovered the casks.
A One-of-One cask of Lindores Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured in virgin oak sourced from the Thiron region of France, from where the Tironesian monks who founded Lindores Abbey originated. (est. £5,000 – £10,000). While ready for drinking now, it has great potential for further ageing. A cask steeped in history from a distillery steeped in history.
The very first bottles from both Rosebank 1993 single casks 433 and 625 (est. £5,000 – £10,000). This is a unique pairing of two rare single casks, which were the last distilled before the Rosebank Distillery closed in 1993.
Acquired by Ian MacLeod in 2017, the distillery presents both bottles on a wooden display plinth made from retired casks and offers a ‘first look’ experience for two to visit the newly re-built Rosebank in Falkirk, prior to its public opening in Spring 2024.
A bottling from a 1986 cask that still slumbers at Glen Moray Distillery, the whisky spent its first 30 years maturing in a Bourbon cask before being transferred to a 1st fill Oloroso cask in 2016. A small sample bottle will also be provided for the winning bidder to taste and share.
The lot also includes a tasting with Stephen Woodcock (Head of Whisky Creation at Glen Moray) and overnight accommodation in Elgin (est. £4,000 – £8,000).
A limited-edition bottle of Coachbuilt, the newly launched brand from 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button, fashioned by renowned motorsport artist Paul Oz (est. £3,000 – £6,000).
This lot is inspired by the checkered flag of the Grand Prix, a symbol of victory and pride for the sport. The colours honour both the history of the British GP and one of Jenson Button’s most famed helmets.
The Jura 45-Year-Old Single Cask 1973 (est. £3,000 – £5,000): a 1973 vintage Jura, selected by Master Distiller Richard Paterson, and bottled especially for The Distillers One of One Auction 2023. The whisky was distilled on 15th October 1973 and aged in American white oak ex-Bourbon wood, being moved into Amoroso Sherry casks and bottled in 2018 at 45 years of age. Presented in a striking Jura bottle featuring a unique label with copper foiled details.
A rare 35-year-old Port Ellen, by independent bottler That Boutique-y Whisky Company (est. £3,000 – £5,000), curated exclusively for The Distillers One of One 2023 auction. The label for this item is hand illustrated by Glasgow-based artist Emily Chappell, with the label additionally being detailed with references to the Distillers One of One 2023.
A trilogy of Laphroaig, aged 18, 23 and 26 years, from Duncan Taylor, to honour the coronation of King Charles III. Two sets were held back, with number one gifted to the King and Queen and the last one available in this auction.
This offering is unique from the original edition, with the outer case finished in red and the labelling finished in gold. Additionally, the three decanters and certificate of authenticity are numbered ’01 of 01’. Finally, the inner encasement is garnished with golden thistles. (est. £2,000 – £3,500).
All proceeds from this remarkable auction will be donated to The Distillers’ Charity, principally to the Youth Action Fund, which is dedicated to transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people in Scotland.
With a record-breaking £2.4 million raised at the inaugural One of One auction in 2021, which has directly benefitted more than 500 young people aged between 16 and 25 and helped secure them further education, apprenticeships and employment, expectations of having a similar impact from this upcoming Auction are extremely high.
Besides the incredible support that the One of One auction receives from the participating donor brands and their generous lot donations, The Distillers’ Charity is extremely grateful to the event’s sponsors.
In particular, Simpsons Malt, makers of high-quality malt; McLaren Packaging, a specialist supplier of paper-based packaging to the Scotch Whisky industry; and Glencairn Crystal, inventors of the world’s favourite Glencairn Glass, who have all returned to sponsor the auction, this time as Programme Sponsors, supporting the Distillers One of One and Youth Action Fund over a two-year cycle of auction planning, execution and subsequent grant-making.
In addition, Beamish International, a global client business specialising in rare whisky, has committed to become the Programme Partner Sponsor for 2023/2024. Bentley Motors Edinburgh and Forsyths are both Auction Sponsors for the 2023 event.
The Distillers One of One auction will begin at 14:00 GMT on 5th October 2023. The full catalogue of lots can be viewed here.
Read more news from the spirits industry here.
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