Robbie Dhu 12 Year Old 1lt
100cl / 43%
£99.00
- Malt type: Blended
- Region: Speyside
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Discontinued 12-year-old deluxe blend from William Grant & Sons, built around Speyside-style malts and bottled for export at 43% in 1L.
At-a-Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Distillery / Bottler / Country & Region | William Grant & Sons, Dufftown, Scotland |
| Category | Blended Scotch whisky (deluxe, age stated) |
| Age / Vintage / Bottled | 12 Years Old / c. late 1990s–2000s export bottlings |
| ABV & Size(s) | 43% ABV, 1L (100cl); some 70cl 40% versions exist |
| Cask / Treatment | Blend based on light, honeyed Speyside malts from the Grant stable; exact make-up not published |
| Natural Colour | Not stated by the producer |
| Non-Chill-Filtered | Not stated by the producer |
| Cask Strength | No |
| Bottle count / Outturn | Not stated by the producer (commercial line, now discontinued) |
| Intended channel | Export, duty-free, UK retail; now secondary auctions |
| Packaging | Tall Grant-style bottle, “Robbie Dhu 12 Years Old” on label, often no carton in 1L |
| Notes on discrepancies | Must be distinguished from Glenfiddich 12 and from NAS Grant’s; 1L/43% export is the collectible/drinker’s one. |
Historical Context
Robbie Dhu is the name of the springs beside which Glenfiddich was built, so using it for a blend let William Grant & Sons trade on water-source heritage without undermining the single malt brand. In the 1990s–2000s, a 12-year-old age-stated blend at 43% in 1 litre was a very attractive bar and travel proposition: older than the basic blends, stronger than 40%, and large-format. Because it sat between everyday Grant’s and the single malts, much of it was drunk rather than collected. That is why today it is most often seen at UK whisky auctions clearing in the 15–30 GBP band, but a handful of old-stock retailers pitch it higher (60–80 GBP) because the line is discontinued.
Technical Specification & Variant Map
2.1 Documented variants
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Robbie Dhu 12 Year Old, 1L, 43% ABV, William Grant & Sons, export/duty.
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Robbie Dhu 12 Year Old, 70cl, 40% ABV, UK retail.
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Miniature versions, 43% ABV.
Variant Matrix
| ABV | Volume | Market | Era cues | Relative desirability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43% | 1L | Export/duty-free | 1 Litre stated, 43% on label | Highest / most useful |
| 40% | 70cl | Domestic UK | 70cl, lower strength | Mid (price-led) |
| 43% | 5cl | Auction mini | Same branding | Niche |
2.2 Packaging & authenticity checklist
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Label: must say “Robbie Dhu” and “12 Years Old”.
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Strength and volume: 43% and 1 Litre must both be visible for this edition.
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Bottler: William Grant & Sons, Dufftown, should be on the back.
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Carton: many 1L bottles were sold without boxes; that’s acceptable, just describe it.
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Common mismatch: sellers using Glenfiddich copy for Robbie Dhu because of the shared water-source name; make blend status explicit.
2.3 Regulatory/terminology notes
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12 Years Old = youngest spirit is 12.
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This is a blended Scotch, not single malt.
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Colouring and chill filtration are standard in this category and era.
Liquid Profile (from available retailer/auction notes)
Nose: Honeyed, malty and Speyside-leaning, with vanilla, light oak and a gentle fruitiness. Some retailer copy calls it a “lighter Speyside-style blend”.
Palate: Smooth, rounded, sweet cereal, toffee, a little nut and chocolate, oak in the background, 43% giving it a bit more presence than a 40% blend.
Finish: Medium, clean, honey and light oak lingering.
With water: 43% will take a splash and stay balanced; 40% versions are best neat.
Pricing & Market Dynamics (GBP)
Original RRP (GBP): Not stated by the producer.
Recent UK auction range (GBP, hammer): 15–30 GBP for 1L, 43% in normal condition, 2019–2025 results.
UK regional auction estimates (GBP): 30–50 GBP for 1L, 43%, but actual hammers often lower.
Current old-stock retail asks: 59.99–83.99 GBP, depending on whether it is the 70cl 40% or the 1L 43%, but these are single-bottle, scarcity-driven prices and do not reflect auction medians.
Pricing stratification: 1L 43% clean label at the top; 70cl 40% in the mid band; low-fill or label-scuffed 1L at the bottom.
Liquidity & sourcing note: shows up often enough that you can restock through auctions; sells best if you stress 1L, 43% and discontinued.
Price Snapshot
| Channel | Date | Bottle spec | Price (GBP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK whisky auction | 26 Apr 2023 | Robbie Dhu 12, 1L, 43% | 15.00 | Low recent hammer, bottle-only |
| UK whisky auction | 23 Jan 2019 | Robbie Dhu 12, 1L, 43% | 27.50 | High side of typical hammers |
| UK old-stock retailer | 2025 | Robbie Dhu 12, 1L, 43% | 83.99 | Scarcity-priced retail ask |
| UK regional auction (estimate) | 2025 | Robbie Dhu 12, 1L, 43% | 30–50 | Catalogue guide, not actual hammer |
Distillery/Bottler Snapshot
William Grant & Sons sits on a strong Speyside malt base (Glenfiddich, Balvenie) and a well-known blend (Grant’s). Robbie Dhu 12 let the company offer an age-stated blend that nodded to the famous water source, without confusing the single-malt brand architecture. Descriptions from shops emphasise honeyed, light, Speyside character, which is consistent with that positioning.
Sourcing
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Target 1L, 43%, high fill, clean label.
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Photograph ABV and volume together to prove it is the export/duty version.
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Avoid heavily scuffed labels or low fills if you want to pitch at 60+ GBP.
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Buy in the 20–30 GBP auction zone; list at 50–65 GBP for vintage/Grant collectors; list toward 80 GBP only with spotless presentation.
