The 44th Auction

Hi folks and welcome to the 44th auction - our absolute biggest to date. A mammoth 3000+ lots of some of the best whisky around, from top drawer collectibles and investment bottles, to the very best in easy buying, easy drinking, everyday drams.

You'll see from our front page that we have kept the image of the Karuizawas 29 and 30 year olds that featured in our last auction. That's because we love the image - and we have three more examples in this auction. They sit alongside 43 others from that famed distillery.

Other highlights - just a few of many - include a Macallan 1946 and a Glenlivet from the same year, a rare Macallan Fino Butt, a 48 year old Strathisla, and a Rare Malts Port Ellen, bottle no 1.

In no particular order, take a deep breath, we have a Cadenhead's Lochside 23 year old, a Cadenhead's Caol Ila 33 year old, a Glenlossie-Glenlivet 48 year old. a magnificent Royal Brackla 35 year old and a Kinclaith of the same vintage.

Glendronachs are to the fore as usual, with a 44 year old Recherche, two Grandeur 24s and two 31s. Along with the old - Jura Single Cask 36 year old, Glen Grant 1959, Highland Park 1952 and 1958, a 38 year old Banff - comes the new in the shape of the latest Diageo Port Ellen release and the German-only 23 year old Laphroaig.

We have 71 bottles from the beautiful Rare Malts series, a forest of Flora & Fauna, an abundance of Ardbegs, and entire alliterative alphabet of the best whiskies the world can offer.

And finally we have Barnard. Thought by many to be the most important book ever published on the subject of whisky, The Whisky Distilleries Of The United Kingdom delivers technical detail alongside a more personal subjective views of each of the distilleries he visits.It's an incredible first edition from 1887 and a lot worthy of any whisky-related auction.

So there we have it, the last auction of 2014, our biggest to date and a sure sign of the enduring appeal of old, rare, collectible whiskies, sitting alongside drinking drams to help your Christmas or holiday season be a festive occasion to remember.

From all of us at Scotch Whisky Auctions - Alex, Bill, Chris, Des, George, Graeme, Ian, Jess, Linda. Pete, Ryan and Tam - sincere thanks for all your support as sellers and buyers throughout the year.

Slainte mhath and remember - don't lose your bottle!