Private Stock Blended Scotch The Brown Berry Derby By Hill Thomson & Co ⅘

Private Stock Blended Scotch The Brown Berry Derby By Hill Thomson & Co ⅘Quart Below Soulder fIll

This is a fascinating bottle—Private Stock Blended Scotch Whisky, bottled for The Brown Derbyrestaurant in Hollywood by Hill, Thomson & Co. Ltd., likely in the 1940s. It’s a ceramicdecanter-style bottling, and while formal tasting notes are elusive, we can build a speculativeprofile based on its era, bottler, and context.

Speculative Tasting Notes: The Brown Derby Private Stock (Bot. 1940s)

Appearance: Deep amber, possibly due to extended oxidation and ceramic storage. Expect a rich hue with slight cloudiness from age.

Nose: Dried orchard fruits—baked apple, fig, and prune. Waxy malt and old leather, with hints of linseed and antique woodA whisper of smoke, likely Highland peat rather than Islay intensity. Faint medicinal note, possibly from older grain components

Palate: Silky and rounded, with a soft grain sweetness. Notes of toffee, roasted nuts, and aged sherry.; Earthy undertones—damp oak, dried herbs, and a touch of rancio. A subtle metallic edge, common in older blends with oxidized grain whisky

Finish: Medium-long, warming and dry./ Lingering spice, old wood, and a faint echo of smoke

Historical & Cultural Context

Bottled for The Brown Derby, a legendary Hollywood restaurant active from 1929 to 1987

Likely served as a house pour for VIPs and film stars—think Clark Gable or Lucille Ball sipping this post-premiere

Strength: 43.4% ABV, typical for premium blends of the time

Bottler: Hill, Thomson & Co., known for their work with Queen Anne and other blends