TIME REMAINING
End Date : Aug 05 2026 08:00 PM
We may have sold this bottle before. Click the graph below to view our sales history.
Balblair 1967 - 1989. 22 Year Old. Private Cask owned by Bertie Cumming who owned the distillery from 1948 to 1970. 26 2/3 Fl Ozs. Cask strength despite stating 70 Proof. No box. (The shake test and beading would confirm this is a higher ABV)
A remarkable bottling of Balblair 1967, drawn from a privately owned cask laid down by the distillery's owner, Bertie Cumming, for his family's personal use. Distilled in 1967 and bottled by hand in 1989 at its natural cask strength, this exceptionally scarce release represents whisky produced during the final years of Berties ownership of Balblair, before he sold the distillery to Hiram Walker in 1970.
The provenance of this cask was first documented when we acquired another bottle in 2016, consigned by Bertie Cumming's son-in-law, David. Although the cask had been laid down by Bertie, he sadly passed away before it was bottled, with David bottling the whisky in 1989. Following David's passing, two further bottles from the same cask were inherited by another member of the Cumming family and have now been consigned to our July 2026 auction, further supporting the documented history of this exceptional private bottling.
Interestingly, while the two recently consigned bottles retain their original labels showing a strength of 70 Proof, the example we auctioned in 2016 had this detail obscured. This was not unusual for bottlings of the period, where generic Balblair labels were often used and the exact bottling strength was of little importance for whisky intended solely for family consumption. You will also notice that the label states the volume as 26 2/3 Fl. Ozs., despite the whisky being bottled in 1989, many years after the industry had adopted the metric centilitre format. This further illustrates that the labels were simply drawn from existing stock rather than specially printed for this private bottling.
Unlike Balblair's commercial releases, this whisky was never intended for the wider market. Instead, it remained in a single privately held cask for over two decades before being bottled by hand for family use. As a result, only a very small number of bottles were produced, with the vast majority almost certainly consumed over the intervening years, making surviving examples exceptionally rare.
Matured for approximately 22 years and believed to be bottled at its natural cask strength, this whisky is expected to display the rich, complex character for which 1960s Balblair has become renowned. Combining exceptional rarity with impeccable family provenance, it represents a unique opportunity to acquire a genuine piece of Balblair's history from the final years of the Cumming era.
Located in the Northern Highlands a few miles from Glenmorangie, Balblair’s whisky is old-school coastal Highland style. The original Balblair distillery was founded in 1790 but production was moved in 1872 to a new distillery which was subsequently rebuilt in 1894 and then mothballed from 1911-1949. Balblair was acquired by Hiram Walker in 1970, became part of Allied Distillers in 1988 and was finally sold to Inver House Distillers in 1996. Inver House have been owned by Thai Beverages plc since 2006.
Sporadic official bottlings of Balblair occurred prior to the Inver House takeover, and Gordon & MacPhail also bottled Balblair semi-officially under licence for many years. Inver House issued a memorable 33-year-old Balblair in 2000 before launching a popular vintage range in 2007. The core range reverted to age statement releases in 2019. Most of the classic indie Balblairs are from Gordon & MacPhail, with notable releases also from bottlers including the SMWS, Adelphi and Douglas Laing.
A private bottling is a cask of single malt or single grain whisky that has been bottled privately by its owner or owners, and usually bottles are not released for public sale. Private bottlings may sometimes be bottled for their owners by the distillery of origin, but are not official bottlings by that distillery.
Alternatively, if the cask is not housed at the distillery where it was made, it may be bottled either by another distillery or private cask storage facility, or transported to a third party commercial bottler.
Private bottlings used to be relatively common, a legacy of the whisky lake of the 1980s, when distilleries had excess stock and were desperate to offload their inventory. These kinds of casks rarely make it to private bottlings nowadays - casks that were very inexpensive twenty or thirty years ago have shot up in value, and distilleries have scrambled to buy back privately-owned casks of their own spirit, while cask owners are rarely short of offers from brokers or independent bottlers.
Whisky-Online Auctions is a public auction for collectible spirits. Lots are offered for sale in their existing condition and bidders are expected to satisfy themselves as to the condition, authenticity, description and suitability of any Lot before placing a bid.
Although a condition report is normally included within the Lot description, prospective bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect Lots in person prior to bidding. If this is not possible and further information is required, bidders should use the "Ask A Question" facility to request clarification or a more detailed condition report before bidding.
All Lots are sold strictly "as seen" and "as described". Any condition report, commentary, dating estimate, provenance information or opinion provided by Whisky-Online Auctions is offered in good faith and represents our assessment at the time of cataloguing. Such information should not be considered a guarantee or warranty.
Whisky-Online Auctions reserves the right to amend, correct, supplement or clarify any catalogue description, image or other Lot information, and to withdraw, combine or divide Lots, at any time prior to the conclusion of the auction. Bidders are responsible for reviewing the final Lot description and any updates issued before bidding.
Due to the age and nature of collectible spirits, natural deterioration may occur over time, including evaporation, ullage, leakage, cork deterioration, capsule degradation, label wear and oxidation. The condition of the liquid, closure, seal and packaging is entirely at the buyer's discretion and risk. Whisky-Online Auctions makes no warranty as to the drinkability, taste, quality or suitability for consumption of any Lot.
All bottles are inspected prior to sale and, unless otherwise stated, are sealed. However, Whisky-Online Auctions cannot guarantee the integrity of any cork, seal, stopper or closure.
Images form part of the description and depict the actual Lot being offered. Where visible, fill levels will be shown in the images and/or description. If the filling level is impossible to determine, such as with ceramics decanters, we will provide an overall weight of the decanter in KG. Information relating to bottle age, bottling period, vintage, provenance, rarity and historical background is provided to the best of our knowledge based on available research and industry experience. Any date or bottling period assigned to a Lot represents our opinion at the time of cataloguing and should not be considered a guarantee or warranty.
Any questions relating to condition, authenticity, provenance, fill level, dating or packaging must be raised before bidding. Questions or concerns raised after a bid has been placed, after the auction has ended, or after a Lot has been won will not constitute grounds for cancelling a bid, refusing payment or disputing the sale.
By placing a bid, bidders confirm that they have reviewed the description and images, sought any additional information they require, and are satisfied with the Lot. All sales are final except where required otherwise by law or under the Whisky-Online Auctions Terms and Conditions.
| BID | DATE | TIME | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,150.00 | 2nd August 2026 | 04:07 PM | |
No Product Found
By placing a bid, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by Whisky-Online Auctions' Terms and Conditions of Sale.
You acknowledge that your bid is binding and irrevocable.
If you are the successful bidder, a legally binding contract for the purchase of the Lot will be formed in accordance with the Terms and Conditions. You agree to pay the hammer price together with the Buyer's Premium, any applicable VAT and all other charges payable under those Terms, including delivery charges where applicable.
By bidding, you confirm that you are authorised to place the bid, are acting on your own behalf or have full authority to act on behalf of another person or entity, and have the financial means to complete the purchase if your bid is successful.
No Product Found
By placing a bid, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by Whisky-Online Auctions' Terms and Conditions of Sale.
You acknowledge that your bid is binding and irrevocable.
If you are the successful bidder, a legally binding contract for the purchase of the Lot will be formed in accordance with the Terms and Conditions. You agree to pay the hammer price together with the Buyer's Premium, any applicable VAT and all other charges payable under those Terms, including delivery charges where applicable.
By bidding, you confirm that you are authorised to place the bid, are acting on your own behalf or have full authority to act on behalf of another person or entity, and have the financial means to complete the purchase if your bid is successful.