The new release celebrates Littlemill’s legacy as Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery and is contained in a luxury decanter which skilfully incorporates treasured remnants of the original distillery manager’s house giving collectors the opportunity to own a true piece of Scotch Whisky history. These pieces, which date back to 1772, include reclaimed glass, slate, wood and stone sourced from the roof, windows, walls and floors of the building, allowing Littlemill collectors to possess their very own piece of history.
The liquid for the release has been taken from a single distillation date, on 4th October 1976. It was re-casked in 1996 into American oak Hogsheads, before Master Blender Michael Henry matured this liquid further in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads for a final four-month maturation before bottling.
Fitting for such a rare and important single malt, exceptional attention to detail has been given to the presentation of the whisky, which comprises a total of just 250 decanters. Each is crafted in hand blown Glencairn crystal, which have been facet cut at the base, mirroring the style of glass cutting during the Georgian period, and housed in a bespoke handmade cabinet.
Each cabinet comes complete with a dress stopper made from the sandstone taken from the remains of the Littlemill distillery. Finally, for collectors who wish to leave the decanter untouched, each comes with a unique code allowing the owner to claim a 5cl of the precious liquid. An additional 5cl can be claimed at a future date, using the same code, protecting the investment by allowing a second owner to claim their 5cl to enjoy.
These limited release decanters are joined by four unique decanters, which are all accompanied by a pair of specially sourced Georgian glasses, dating back to the 18th century with the facet cut on the stems of each pair and unique engraving around the bowl, replicated on each decanter.
The dress stoppers within the limited editions are equally as unique, each crafted from one of the materials salvaged from the original distillery building, giving collectors the chance to become custodians of a rare piece of Scotch whisky history.
The first decanter’s dress stopper is completed with slate sourced from the roof of the distillery manager’s house, the second with glass from the window, the third with wood from the floor, and the final stopper with stone from the building itself. Each special decanter contains a wooden disc cut from a stave from the Littlemill barrel, which conceals a unique code which can be used to request two 5cl samples of the Littlemill Testament liquid.
The first of the four unique decanters was auctioned in China in January, reaching a price of £19,000.
Littlemill Distillery has long laid claim to an extensive and fascinating history. For over 220 years a date stone on the gable end of one of the distillery’s warehouses carved with 1772 offered the best suggestion as to the age of this world-renowned distillery. In 2019, the discovery of the local Justice of the Peace’s records for Dumbarton, dated 2 November 1773, which states that ‘Robert Muir of Littlemiln’ was granted the first ever license by the Government of King George III to “retail ale, beer and other excisable Liquors”, conclusively proved that it was the oldest licensed whisky distillery in Scotland.
