Our sixth auction of the year offers bidders a very diverse range of bottles. It also shows the growing importance of rum on our platform, reflected in both the bottlings from the Italian company Velier and the old rums from the Caribbean. Our other spirits categories also have lots to offer, with some excellent Japanese whiskies, a selection of venerable Scotch whiskies and a number of first-class cognacs and Armagnacs.
Rum
Skeldon 32 Year Old 1973 Velier
Before going any further, there of course has to be a mention of this iconic Skeldon 1973 bottled by Velier in 2005. Although a 1978 version has previously been seen at Fine Spirits Auction, this is a first-time appearance for the 1973 vintage. A blend of four casks (producing a total of 544 bottles), it is probably one of the rarest selected by Luca Gargano from the cellars of Demerara Distillers Limited and a truly exceptional bottling that will almost certainly set new records at auction.
Caroni
Caroni continues to reign supreme with a large number of bottlings, from classic versions aged for 12, 15 and 17 years, to special editions such as Trespassers, The Last and The Tasting Gang, and the now-famous Employees range dedicated to the distillery’s former staff such as John “D” Eversley, Dennis “X” Gopaul and Basdeo “Dicky” Ramsarran, all seen at this auction. All in all, a great overview of Velier’s Caroni bottlings.
Hampden and Foursquare
For some time now, Jamaica and Barbados have been very present in our auctions. This edition, Hampden goes back to its roots with the first Habitation Velier bottlings, including the famous HCLF and LROK blend bottled for La Maison du Whisky’s 60th anniversary. At Foursquare, it’s all about diversity, from the Exceptional Casks to Velier’s bottlings, including Tryptich, Destino and Principia, all great examples of Richard Seale’s incredible skill in the art of distillation, maturation and blending.
Aged West Indian rums
From the West Indies, there are bottlings from distilleries such as Depaz, Bally, La Favorite, Trois Rivières and Montebello. Bidders will therefore have the chance to explore Martinique and Guadeloupe’s rich history of rum production (often rhum agricole) through old vintages from the 1960s to the 1980s. This edition also features brands and distilleries no longer found today, such as Bernus and Courville, which are becoming increasingly popular among collectors.
And...
This auction also showcases other rum-producing countries such as Haiti, Panama, Venezuela and Cuba through bottles with very accessible reserve prices. Part of rum’s appeal lies in its wide variety of styles and production methods, so the diversity of these bottlings is very exciting indeed.
Japanese whisky
Yamazaki 1979 Mizunara Cask #RF1037
There’s an incredible single cask Yamazaki up for auction that combines an old vintage, a prestigious cask type (a Mizunara butt made from Japanese oak) and a very limited edition of just 294 bottles. This bottling from The Cask series, which is particularly rare and sought-after, is sure to attract a huge number of bids.
Chichibu Single Casks
Chichibu always does well on our platform, regularly presenting excellent series of single casks. In this edition, bidders can explore Ichiro Akuto’s distillery from every angle, with a stout cask (#5458), a Burgundy wine cask (#5080), and a superb peated Chichibu bourbon cask (#2087), all selected by La Maison du Whisky.
Scotch whisky
Bowmore, Macallan and Springbank
Scotland’s leading distilleries take pride of place, with two old vintages of Macallan—the famous Anniversary Malt 25 Year Old editions—and various Bowmore distillations from the 1960s and 1970s, some of which were imported to France by Auxil. The same importer also brings us examples of Mortlach 1966 and 1969 bottled by Gordon & MacPhail under the name Jas Gordon. Springbank is also well-represented with 21 year old versions imported to France in the 1980s, also by Auxil, and several recent but already acclaimed editions of Local Barley.
Glen Ord 22 Year Old 1962 Cadenhead
This edition also features Glen Ord 1962 bottled by Cadenhead in the mid-1980s for the famous dumpy series, which produced many legendary bottlings. One of the rare bottlings of Glen Ord, this particular expression is much-loved for its unique flavours and aromas.
Cognac and Armagnac
Rémy Martin Louis XIII Rare Cask
Rémy Martin Rare Cask is back at FSA. This tierçon (a now very rare barrel format that contains between 520 and 560 litres) normally reserved for the famous Louis XIII cognac was selected by Cellar Master Pierrette Trichet in 2004. It is in a similar vein to the classic edition of Rémy Martin Louis XIII, also available in this edition, and other prestigious bottlings such as Hennessy Paradis.
A wealth of vintage cognacs and Armagnacs
Finally, this auction sees a large number of vintage cognacs and Armagnacs, some with very impressive vintages, including the very venerable, pre-Phylloxera Delamain 1875. More accessible than cognac, Armagnac for its part offers some great opportunities for collectors, with some real gems it would be a shame to miss out on!
Have a great auction!
