Casks of Distinction

Through the expertise of the Justerini & Brooks private sales team, who together with a small group of passionate collectors, presents a select number of single malts of impeccable provenance and quality, direct from cask to bottle, available to purchase from www.justerinis.com.

The bottles are some of the rarest Justerini & Brooks offers from a very privileged cask programme, only a handful of bottles from only a small number of casks are ever made available. This is the first time that bottles like these have been available to purchase this way and offer special access to a
world of cask ownership.

Carsebridge, 44 years old, 1976 , Cask #32543, Bottles produced: 81 American Oak Hogshead 42.4% ABV

At 44 years old, and yielding a mere 81 bottles, this is one of the rarest single cask bottlings you’ll find. The aroma of this intriguing Carsebridge Single Grain places exotic mango chutney amid the juicy-fruity top notes. A suggestion of toasted almonds runs beneath this, on a dry, chalky base. The texture is creamy smooth and lightly coated. The taste is sweet with hints of raisin fudge at first, then a spicier mid-palate also shows some toffee notes, with a shake of white pepper. A drop of water makes it much softer and sweeter. The short finish is rich, warming and drying as the oaky note lingers.

£1,630 (Including Duty & VAT)

 

Carsebridge Distillery

The Gartmorn reservoir, a beautiful nature reserve and former water source for Carsebridge Distillery provided the perfect place to distil. The Ochil mountains supplied torrents of water, the flat valley floor, known locally as the ‘Carse’ provided plentiful cereal and the Firth of Forth acted as a gateway to the world. Something of a legend among aficionados, Carsebridge is renowned for its sophisticated and refined single grain whisky. Established in 1799 as a malt distillery, Carsebridge distilled for a little over 50 years before concentrating entirely on grain whisky, for which it became famous over the following 133 years, before its closure in 1983. This last tranche of casks is approaching 40 years old and very rare. Cask #32543 is one of those treasured casks.

Blair Athol, 25 years old, 1993, Cask #0002, Bottles produced: 108 European oak cask 58.6% ABV

As the low cask number suggests, one from a finite batch of exemplary cask innovation. This large European Oak cask only delivered a mere 108 bottles, but the result is simply stunning. A rich and vibrant hue seems to echo the Autumnal tones of the birch tree leaves and Virginia creeper that envelope the distillery. Nosing the glass reveals a warming array of raisins, dates and figs; with chocolate coated candied peel and waves of sticky toffee pudding: surprising for a high ABV. A trickle of water brings Cascades of coffee, Caribbean rum and raisin ice cream topped with a zephyr of fresh mint. Satisfyingly full bodied and rich, the finish delivers a rousing crescendo of Walnut, pecan and Brazil nuts, sweet coffee and dark chocolate gradually fade in a long farewell.

£1,094 (inc Duty and VAT)

 

Blair Athol Distillery

Situated just north of the Birnam Wood made famous in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth.’ The Blair Athol Distillery is surrounded by Birch, Larch, Spruce, Noble and Douglas Fir trees, it is without doubt amongst Scotland’s most picturesque of distilleries. Founded in 1798 it is also one of the oldest. The soaring Ben Vrackie in The Grampian mountains, provides a bountiful supply of crisp cold water, enabling generations of distillers to distil in a way that ensures a robust, rich, deep and malty character highly suited to experimental maturation processes, of which this is a pre-eminent example.

Glenury Royal, 50 Years old, Cask #1709, Bottles produced: 192 Hogshead 45% ABV

This exquisite bottling is one, amongst only 192 originally procured from the cask. Deep amber in colour, with bronze lights. On the nose, it is mild, with a light prickle, profoundly fragrant and exotic, for a whisky of this exceptional age. Top notes of roses and white lilies, this cask has been unusually kind and gentle on the luscious liquid within. Scented soft fudge, lush treacle toffee and molasses in the middle and base of tropical fruits in liquor. Sushi ginger, then smoky bacon, leather and tobacco. A drop of water heightens the fragrant notes and introduces an attractive waxiness. The body is silky smooth. On the palate, it is mouth-filling and has a fabulous taste that combines a sweet start and a dry finish with tropical gardens and Oriental spices. Rum baba, moist carrot cake and gingerbread. The finish is spectacularly rousing, slightly earthy, with rich toasted malty flavours.

£7,211 (Including Duty and VAT)

 

Glenury Royal Distillery

Glenury was founded near Stonehaven on Scotland’s east coast by Captain Robert Barclay, a local landowner. In time his distillery became one of the last to be powered entirely by water. Renowned for its rich and flavoursome whisky, the distillery once contained two tiny ‘experimental stills’ perhaps these were key in developing its superb, complex and precious character, so highly prized today. Its rich malt is almost never seen now, as the distillery was closed and demolished over thirty years ago.

Port Ellen, 40 Year old, 1979 Cask #6819, Bottles produced: 575 European oak cask 52% ABV

This superlative bottling of Port Ellen is one of only 575 originally produced in the world. It comes from one of the last remaining casks from this legendary distillery It has a gentle nose feel and a fruity top note. Bottled at natural cask strength, which imparts the pure, unadulterated Port Ellen experience. The traces of rich oils, butterscotch and soft fudge, so redolent on the nose are brought to life upon tasting, the texture is lightly oily and the taste is sweet. The rare choice of European oak cask perhaps influences the spicier notes with a shake of salt mid-palate and some white pepper. With water, these tastes are softer with noticeable peat smoke. The finish is long and lightly drying with gentle white pepper dancing across the palate and an elegant thread of smoke that lingers in the aftertaste.

£10,813 (Including Duty and VAT)

 

Port Ellen Distillery

Port Ellen was established as a malt mill on Islay’s famous south coast, becoming a distillery in 1825. So treasured was the whisky made here, it was the first distillery in Scotland to use a ‘Spirit Safe.’ In 1967 the distillery was rebuilt, producing through the 1970s and sadly closing in 1983. Plans to re-open Port Ellen are underway, making way for an exciting new chapter in the distillery’s history.