James Smith was the proprietor of The Union Tavern, a pub in the town of Ayr in the southwest of Scotland.  The pub was located at the Bridge and “Boat Vennel”, a canal that allowed boats to deliver goods and pick up passengers off the busy harbor and the River Ayr. James, who was a spirits merchant and cork cutter by trade, ran the tavern between 1894 and 1939. His father William Smith ran the establishment at least as early as 1864, handing the task over to James upon his death. As running a tavern in those days was always a risky business venture, it stands as a testament to William and James’ business ethic, quality food and drink and repeat customer base that they stayed in business for 75 years. As was the practice at the time the tavern would have all manner of spirituous drink, but James used his knowledge as a spirits merchant to create a product that customers could only get at his establishment – Jame’s Smith Superb Scotch Whiskey. The Union Tavern shut its doors for the last time in 1939 when James passed away.

This bottle was discovered by family members of James Smith while clearing the house of a relative in 1978. It resided in a private Scottish collection until going up for auction in 2025.

This whisky would have been bottled in the early 1920s and for the local trade. The malt whisky used is very high quality and well matured, probably at least 6 years in the barrel but not longer than 10 unless the barrels were very tired. The proof of 75 would have been common for the day and actually allows one to better taste the details in the dram.

The characteristics of this whiskey are very reminiscent of pre-war highland-based blends. The nose is light and fruity, with some vanilla creme and bakery scones in the back, a bit of mild spice as well. Palate is slightly sweet, with clear and clean fruit, probably bottled in the lowlands where city water would be used in cutting the spirit to bottling proof. Finish is smooth and mild, a hint of peat sour belying its Speyside origins, just a hint, and some cooling in the chest as fruit lifts off the palate at the close.

The low proof accounts for a bit of the lightness of the whiskey, but it’s only 5 degrees off 80 proof, so there’s a good bit of skillful blending evident here. It’s a very nice whiskey, and beautifully well preserved.

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Provenance:

-post-1919-78, by descent in the family of James Smith until found when clearing a house in 1978 which belonged to a relative.
-1978-2025, Private Collection, Scotland.