Name: The Kinship Collection
SKU: 1421288
Price: 322.47 GBP
Availability: InStock

The Kinship's seventh release from Hunter Laing & Co. celebrating the value of the Ardnahoe Distillery Team that includes 6 very rare single malt Scotch whiskies. Including -

- Bowmore 27 Years Old - The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 1 (70cl 48.1%)

- Bruichladdich 18 Years Old - The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 2 (70cl 61.5%)

- Bunnahabhain 33 Years Old - The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 3 (70cl 48.8%)

- Caol Ila 33 Years Old - The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 4 (70cl 44.8%)

- Highland Park 27 Years Old - The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No.5 (70cl 52.5%)

- Laphroaig 25 Years Old - The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 6 (70cl 54.2%)

October 2025

As you’re reading this blog and are possibly a customer of Just Whisky Auctions, it’s a fair assumption that you’ve visited more than a few distilleries and taken their tour.

That being the case, your guide almost certainly paused to point out the malt mill. More often than not, it’s a Porteus mill, though you might see the occasional Boby and even the odd Buhler mill.

But if it’s painted in a distinctive, unshowy shade of dark red then what you looked at was a Porteus mill (we’ll come back to the Boby mills shortly).  They’re sturdy little things, standing four-square in the mill room, ready to receive another load of malt, quiet occupants of an unobtrusive corner of the distillery that just get on with their job in a modest and understated way.

If the guide didn’t pause and point it out, a Porteus mill would never shout or draw attention to itself, you feel; happy to do an honest day’s work and then await the next consignment of malt to be turned to grist.

At this point, your guide quite probably explained that the mill was quite old and that the Porteus firm had gone out of business, outlived by the durability and simple excellence of a product so good and so enduring that it broke the company.

So well made that they required relatively little maintenance and with little or no demand for new machines both Porteus and Boby closed down many years ago.  They were outlived by their equipment and undone by the slump in whisky production of the 1970s and 80s and the ruthless consolidation of the brewing industry, meaning fewer and fewer small independent breweries.  Sadly, quite a few mills will have been scrapped which, until recently, hasn’t been a problem.

But it’s worth taking a closer look at these tough and functional looking machines and, if you do, there’s a good chance you’ll see a modest plaque somewhere on the side carrying a telephone number and the name Ronnie Lee.

Some years ago I noticed this on Jura and then, shortly afterwards, at Tobermory distillery and then again at a number of Speyside distilleries. So I began asking various guides ‘Who is this Ronnie Lee?’  No one knew – but as soon as I asked some real production people (as opposed to the friendly guides who for the most part are essentially a PR front and equipped with a marketing script) the pieces of a fascinating story fell quickly into place.

Well it turns out that, in a world of tattooed, bearded Brand Ambassadors with their hipster tweed caps, and rock-star Distillery Managers who jet from whisky show to whisky show, Ronnie Lee is a quiet hero. Yet he doesn’t give master classes, doesn’t blog and he’s definitely not part of the fashionable crowd that increasingly follow whisky these days.  But he – together, these days with son Gareth - are the men who mends the mills.  And, if you think about it, without their expertise there would be no whisky.

Working from their modest base near Chepstow, they run Euro Mechanical Engineering working as freelance millwrights.  As such, they spend most of their working days life in maintaining, servicing and, on occasion, restoring Porteus and Boby mills for the brewing and distilling industry.

Their surroundings are as far removed from whisky’s new image of sophistication, glamour and luxury as you might conceivably imagine, yet they carry out vital work as one of an elite group of engineers who keep these vintage machines in working order. Unsung and unheralded, they are essential to the smooth and effective operation of much of the distilling industry, here and internationally.

In fact, they work for Diageo, Chivas Brothers, Glenmorangie, Highland Distillers and Ian MacLeod Distillers, as well as a number of independent breweries and distilleries as far flung as Sweden, Italy and even the USA. If you want a vintage malt mill, or need one restored, Ronnie Lee is the man you call.

And that brings us to a fascinating twist in the story.  Some years ago, Ronnie acquired all the plans for the Boby mill when that firm closed down. With access to that unique archive, it was Euro Mechanical Engineering’s proud boast that, in theory, they could build a brand new Boby-style mill from scratch based on the original blueprints but updated for greater efficiency and cleaner running.

But why would you, when the originals have a working life of a century or more? Well, basically, they are desperately hard to find and with new distilleries and small breweries being built at an unprecedented pace, there’s a need for equipment of established high quality with a proven heritage.  Even the shiniest of new state-of-the-art distilleries may be discreetly supplied by a 50 or 60 year old machine which, come to think of it, is something quite amazingly heart-warming. But there just aren’t enough to go around.

And so it has come to pass that a new Boby mill has indeed been built and is now heading off to its eventual home in a soon-to-be-opened whisky distillery (which is another story, which we’ll come to in a moment).

The mill, of 4-5 tons capacity, is the product of 12 month’s work by Ronnie and Gareth Lee. The original design has been improved, Gareth telling me that while the exterior closely resembles an old-style Boby, the gears have been done away with, the roller bearings switched to a spherical shape and a double-edged synchronized belt fitted. If, like me, that’s double Dutch to you, I’m assured it means cleaner running (no oil), greater energy efficiency and potentially faster running speeds if desired by the operator. Everything has been built from the ground up with a local foundry providing custom-made castings for the bearings, which were then hand finished by Gareth.

But who has commissioned this work and where is this marvel of skillfully modernized vintage engineering to be found? Let’s hear it for the new owners, the family-owned and independent Ian Macleod Distillers, well-known for their Glengoyne and Tamdhu single malts, the imaginative reopening of Rosebank and their Edinburgh Gin brand.  They are also partners in the proposed Laggan Bay project which, if everything goes to plan, will be Islay’s twelfth distillery.

So the Boby is destined for a Hebridean home? Well, no. In fact, it is travelling around 4,000 miles to Una, a town in the southwestern Himachal Pradesh state in northern India where Macleod Distillers are currently building on a greenfield site.  The distillery, expected to be operational later this year, is designed to produce around 1.0m litres of spirit annually of Indian whisky.

Beyond that, Ian Macleod were tight-lipped though my own lengthy on-line research turned up an Environmental Impact report from the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board.  From that very comprehensive document we learn that “The project proposes to produce Malt Spirit, part of it matured for at least 2 years and above years for supplies to IMFL [that’s Indian-Made Foreign Liquor] industry for blending in various proportions and part of the matured malt spirit will be matured for more than 3 years to be called as Whisky under International norms and bottled as Indian Single Malt whisky for the Indian and export market”.   Indian Single Malt Whisky from Ian Macleod Distillers – that’s something not yet widely reported and quite a feather in the cap of relatively small independent Scottish distillers.

According to the report, the total cost is approximately £5m – quite the bargain by UK standards. 
Naturally I enquired as to the price of the mill and naturally, and quite correctly, Gareth Lee would not be drawn into the specifics. But he did hint that if you wanted one for your project you could expect to wait some 12 months or so (they’re busy) and expect to write a cheque for rather more than  £100,000.

So this is a mill that grinds slowly but is exceeding fine; evidently a labour of love and a source of great pride – and why not, because as Gareth assured me, “it will be working long after I’m in the ground.”  I wonder if in fifty or more years curious visitors will be regaled with the story – I certainly hope so.

Their surroundings are as far removed from whisky’s new image of sophistication, glamour and luxury as you might conceivably imagine

In our inaugural Blog entry, Guest writer Ian Buxton explores the seemingly unglamorous distillery mill. The unsung hero of whisky distilleries.

The Distillery Mill

Historical

In this intriguing piece, Gavin D. Smith delves into the relationship between taxes and the Scotch Whisky industry.

1823 EXCISE ACT

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70 cl

44.4%

Gordon & MacPhail Generations

Mortlach 75 Years Old

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56.5%

Fine & Rare Cask No.929038

Macallan 30 Years Old 1974

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Full Collection & Wooden case (6x70cl)

Johnnie Walker Directors Blend 2008-2013

2008 Release

Johnnie Walker The Directors Blend

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2009 Release

2010 Release

2011 Release

2012 Release

2013 Release

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Refer to images for general condition

1999-2000 Vintage Cask Strength

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours

49.3%

1999-2000 Vintage Sherry Butt

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 1st Batch

52.1%

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 2nd Batch

51.8%

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 3rd Batch

48.5%

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 4th Batch

52.2% vol

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 5th Batch

51.1%

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 6th Batch

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 7th Batch

49.4%

Karuizawa Masterpieces in 8 Colours 8th Batch

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61.6%

SMWS 116.20

Yoichi 26 Years Old 1987

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75 cl

90° Proof (45% vol)

2020 Release | 2nd Edition

Double Eagle Very Rare 20 Years Old

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Hunter Laing | 7th Release (6x70cl)

The Kinship Collection

The Kinship Collection Hunter Laing | 7th Release (6x70cl)

Hunter Laing

This single malt was distilled at Bowmore and aged for 27 years before being bottled by Hunter Laing & Co. for 7th release of The Kinship series.

If we go by official dates, Bowmore is Islay’s oldest distillery in operation today, kicking off in 1779. Set in a spectacular location, along the coastline from the village of the same name. Bowmore had a mighty reputation founded on some classic whiskies from the 1960s. These have been released in a series of special editions and thankfully the current distillate is excellent.
Somehow, Bowmore mixes the peat of Islay with a coastal vibe that is underpinned by a wonderful fruitiness. Shrouded in history, it also arguably has Scotland’s most famous and atmospheric warehouse in the Vault No.1. Stepping into this and walking through the maturing casks, while the ocean crashes against the outer wall, is well worth the price of admission.

Bowmore

Islay

Bowmore 27 Years Old The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 1

Full Size

48.1%

The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 1

Bowmore 27 Years Old

This single malt was distilled at Bruichladdich and aged for 18 years before being bottled by Hunter Laing & Co. for 7th release of The Kinship series.

Since Murray McDavid saved the distillery in 2000, with an asking price of £6.5 million. Bruichladdich has gone from strength to strength after a difficult initial period. Now under the ownership of Remy Cointreau, it is one of Islay’s most recognisable whiskies and brands.

Remy brought much-needed financial clout that has allowed Bruichladdich to expand into new markets, build warehousing and pursue its brand of terroir. Today, it offers 3 distinctly different distillates, with the Bruichladdich being unpeated, a historical homage to a lost distillery (Port Charlotte) is heavily peated and well regarded. Then at the top of the peat ranking charts is Octomore, which pushes peat in new directions to an eager audience. Expect production details, various casks and eye-catching branding with each and every release from the distillery.

Bruichladdich

Bruichladdich 18 Years Old The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 2

61.5%

The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 2

Bruichladdich 18 Years Old

This single malt was distilled at Bunnahabhain and aged for 33 years before being bottled by Hunter Laing & Co. for 7th release of The Kinship series.

Situated in the remote northern end of Islay, Bunnahabhain is one of Islay’s most enduring and overlooked whiskies. Thanks to the deep pockets of Distell, who purchased the distillery in 2013 along with Deanston and Tobermory, this prompted long-overdue investment in the decaying site that was well past its best. The distillery also features a pier, which is one of the most magical settings to have a dram and look out across to Jura.
Better distribution and an expanded range has meant that Bunnahabhain is more popular today than ever before. Historically it is almost unpeated and remains so, with the distillery also producing a heavily peated distillate to tap into the popularity that other Islay distilleries enjoy. Bruichladdich has shown itself to be a very adaptable whisky and with various cask types being showcased, there is much to explore and enjoy.

Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain 33 Years Old The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 3

48.8%

The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 3

Bunnahabhain 33 Years Old

This single malt was distilled at Caol Ila and aged for 33 years before being bottled by Hunter Laing & Co. for 7th release of The Kinship series.

Islay’s biggest distillery is arguably its most consistent and underappreciated. Caol Ila was established in 1846 and when through a handful of owners thanks to various financial difficulties. The biggest change came in 1972 when the distillery and the majority of buildings were demolished and rebuilt. Famously, stepping into the gap during this period was inaction was the Brora distillery in Sutherland.
After further investment in 2011, Caol Ila’s capacity increased to 6.5 million litres as its reputation continued to grow. Widely available in official versions and via independent bottlers, it now forms part of the Johnnie Walker experience with enhanced facilities for visitors.

Caol Ila

Caol Ila 33 Years Old The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 4

44.5%

The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No. 4

Caol Ila 33 Years Old

This single malt was distilled at Highland Park and aged for 27 years before being bottled by Hunter Laing & Co. for 7th release of The Kinship series.

The Macallan might be the jewel in the crown of Edrington, but a close second is Highland Park, especially after the brand investment, it has received in recent times. Established in 1798 by David Robertson on the outskirts on Kirkwall on Orkney, history suggests the site was used for illicit distillery way before this official date.

In a landscape shaped by nature, ravaged by Vikings and the tides of war, Highland Park manages to bring everything together. A historical whisky that is universally appreciated, offering a little bit of something and famously called an ‘all rounder’, from locally sourced peat to a welcoming rugged characteristic. Highland Park doesn’t need the branding to stand out from the crowd. An increasingly varied core range can seem bewildering to someone new, so start with the 18 year old and being your voyage.

Highland Park

Islands

Highland Park 27 Years Old The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No.5

52.5%

The Kinship 7th Release | Edition No.5

Highland Park 27 Years Old

This single malt was distilled at Laphroaig and aged for 25 years before being bottled by Hunter Laing & Co. for 7th release of The Kinship series.

Laphroaig is the Islay whisky with the medicinal touch. Today, it is owned by Beam Suntory and enjoys tremendous success. Working flat out, it sources most of its malt from the nearby Port Ellen maltings but manages to retain 15% of its needs via the traditional malting floors at the distillery. While it is seen to be the most ‘extreme’ of the Islay malts, in recent times there has been a focus to provide more variety through a variety of expressions, including no age statements, as Laphroaig has built upon its brand and attracted new fans to Islay to own their bit of peat bog.

The distillery dates back to 1815, and occupies an iconic waterside setting on Islay. Immediately recognisable to any ferry travellers as they slowly approach the isle. Originally founded by the Johnston brothers, unfortunately, one suffered a fatal accident in the distillery during 1847, but ownership is retained within the family for generations. The winds of change began with Bessie Williamson taking management control in 1954 before corporate owners arrived in the 1960s. One thing is noticeable about Laphroaig throughout the decades and that’s its enduring popularity and almost constant production, things that won’t change anytime soon.

The Kinship Collection

Hunter Laing | 7th Release (6x70cl)

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