Words by Aidy Smith
I’ve always considered alcohol like art – you have your raw ingredients, whether grape, grain or anything in-between, much like you have your paint, chalk or pencils. Upon taking your palate you begin to create your masterpiece on the canvas, one colour and one stroke or brush at a time. Take your distillation methods or winemaking process, which yeasts you use, how many times you filter and the same can be said for producing wine and spirits. The connection between the two has always fascinated me and much like procurers of fine art, I spend a lot of my time searching auction sites around the world in an attempt to find a truly old, truly unique piece of history that I can add to my collection. Sometimes I’ll drink it, sometimes I’ll simply admire it.
You see, out there in the world, hidden in the darkest corners of distilleries, wineries and bodegas sit rare treats that have stood the test of time. Some of these, their owners are very much aware exist, whereas others have simply gone forgotten given the sheer number of casks stored. While I may be able to look up a listing on an auction site, I’m not able to walk into a highly fortified warehouse to take a peak at 50+ year old casks. But there is a company who are – and my god have they sourced some treasures. Enter, The Last Drop Distillers.
But here’s the thing, regardless of what your company is, you don’t get to simply walk into any old warehouse, for that, you need credentials and relationships that have been forged over many years – and these two things are exactly what this team hold, which is why this company has been able to achieve so much in such little time.
Co-Founders James Espey and the late Tom Jago are two very familiar names within the drinks industry, having throughout their joint careers of over 110 years been responsible for the growth of countless iconic spirits like J&B Rare, Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal and Bailey’s Irish Cream to name just a few. Today, the company is overseen by the next generation, Rebecca Jago and Beanie Espey, both of whom’ over the years have comfortably called the drinks industry their home, following in the footsteps of their fathers and in the process showcasing that this industry is just as much for women as it is for men.
Then there’s the various directors of the company, each with their own unique skillsets – take Ben Howkins for example, one of the most charming gentlemen I have met and an encyclopaedia for anything sherry, port, tokaji and so much more. It’s people like this who attain the much-needed knowledge, relationships and palates based on decades of experience to determine the quality of those magical finds.
The point I’m trying to make is that this company is built up of a family of gracious people who have an exceptional talent to seek out precious ‘last drops’ of some of the oldest and most perfect spirits in existence. But even then, it’s not easy and the team openly acknowledge just how difficult it is to succeed in their quest; not all spirits age well and too long in wood can ruin them. But occasionally all the elements – original distillate, type of wood, the right climate for storage – combine to produce an unlikely miracle.
Right, I keep referring to these miracles, so at the risk of beginning to sound like a cork-tease, I suppose I should tell you about some of the most fascinating finds The Last Drop have come to discover. Here are six instrumental releases that have given this company its reputation over time.
The Last Drop Release No 1:
1960 Blended Scotch Whisky.
This was the very first release and how it all began. Upon launching the company James and Tom knew they needed to do something special, so calling upon their incredible list of contacts in Scotland, Tom narrowed down his search to three casks, which upon tasting, he immediately knew were the ones. Up until the day he passed away in October 2018, Tom swore this was the best whisky he’d ever tasted – which coming from a man whose career was built on building brands made from the stuff, is quite a lot.
Hidden away in the back of a warehouse in the Lowlands, what really set these casks apart was not where they were hidden so much as the treasure that was hidden inside. You see, The Last Drop aren’t just ‘rare spirit hunters’ in the sense of the quest, and the treasure hunt, but also in their ability to source and uncover gems that are literally hidden in plain sight. It took three years to sell out of the first release, but this bottle set the benchmark of quality for what was soon to become the most highly accoladed rare spirits company in the world.
The Last Drop Release No 2:
the 1950 Cognac.
Their second release was one of grave importance because it set them apart from being an ‘independent bottler of Scotch Whisky’ by that I mean a company who simply bottles a whisky then sells it on. You see, by releasing a cognac they became a ‘Spirits Company’ and cognac was by no means their only foray beyond the dram. Once again, that carefully built contact list of colleagues became invaluable and they found themselves sourcing a 1950 Cognac from a family-owned business on the banks of Charente that has been in operation for multiple generations. This was the beginning of a fascinating evolution.
The Last Drop Release No 7:
the 1972 Lochside Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Only 106 bottles were ever created from this incredibly rare single cask. It’s not often to firstly find a whisky as old as this, but secondly from a distillery which no longer exists and Lochside is an example of just that. Their mission to champion single grain whiskies continued as they maintained their reputation for producing incredibly small amounts of precious liquids. A light, but complex whisky which deserved to be seen for the gleaming gem it had become.
The Last Drop Release No 14:
the 1925 Hors d’Age Grande Champagne Cognac
As if a 1950 cognac wasn’t a triumph in itself, the team decided to take things one step further and the story behind it this particular find is stunning. A single barrel of a cognac, distilled by the current owner’s grandfather in 1925, was hidden behind a wall of rubble as the Germans approached the south west of France before WWII. Forgotten, it lay there until late 2017, when the grandson undertook some renovation work on one of the barns, and there was a treasure: barely enough for 182 bottles of a simply glorious 93 year old cognac, untouched for over 70 years. It had never been topped up or in any way tampered with and is believed to have spent its life in an ex-Pineau des Charentes barrel, which imparts an extraordinary sweetness. In a fitting tribute, this true beauty was made in the year Tom Jago was born and bottled in the year he passed – a lovely nod to a man who has helped get moments of history like this into the hands of those who will truly appreciate them.
The Last Drop Release No 11:
Centenario Duo of Tawny Ports 1870 and 1970
As both a wine and spirits lovers, this is where the two worlds intertwine, and this is a product I have been fortunate enough to call my own. I remember the first time I took a sip, the two side-by-side and tears began to form in my eyes. Much like anyone with a passion there are some moments where we try a liquid so rare in its nature and so tasty that it hits us in a way we simply can’t explain and that’s when I realised exactly what The Last Drop offers its customers. Tasting this for the first time was one of those rare occurrences that will stay with me for a lifetime.
To put things into historical reference - to taste a port that is older than the titanic, well, you can imagine the beauty of that moment. But these things are by no means easy to source and it was Ben Howkins, a true pioneer in port exploration leading the effort alongside Cristiano van Zeller – a name synonymous with the port industry. Together they discovered not one, but two aged tawny ports from the same vineyards, but made 100 years apart: in 1870 and in 1970. Not only 100 years apart, but also divided by Phylloxera: the older port was made from grapes on pre-Phylloxera vines, the younger on vines grafted onto American root stock after the louse wiped out almost all the vines of Europe. A chance to taste history, and to take enormous pleasure in doing so: these ports are incomparably delicious and so different from one other, the 1870 is deeper and more savoury, while the 1970 is positively fresh and floral.
The Last Drop Release No 13:
1982 Bourbon Whisky from Buffalo Trace
This takes us to one of the most recent releases as the company decided to venture even further beyond its origins in Scotch to the other side of the pond. This tiny release of just 44 bottles of 1982 bourbon was at the peak of its perfection and while some believe that bourbon isn’t meant to be aged, The Last Drop felt differently (as do I to be honest!). Turns out many others agree, the bottles were sold out incredibly quickly – although they did spot a bottle on auction recently selling at $18,000, more than 4 times the original price. In a further fitting tribute, 1982 is the birth year of Beanie Espey, with the bottling of this product taking place the same year her first son was welcome into the world, as well.
As this piece draws to a close it’s worth my mentioning just how much I truly adore writing on topics like this – getting a glimpse into the historically rich universe of drinks and how they came to be. If you’re anything like me, I like to have at least one wonder sitting atop my shelf, the bounty of my collection and something so exquisitely rare that others can only look at in envy. The Last Drop has created something truly wonderful – the ability to help people experience a piece of history, emotion, wonder and above all else quality. I now can only wait in anticipation to discover what their next releases may be. Until then, if you’d like more information on any of the above – simply contact The Last Drop Distillers directly.
The Last Drop Distillers
www.thelastdropdistillers.com
This content was originally published in Oracle Time Magazine under Aidy’s Drinks Column. You can subscribe to the online magazine here to view online or order the magazine in print format.
