Drambuie Prince Charles Edwards Liqueur A Link with the 45, 40% ABV, 700ml, NV ‘old release from the 1960s’

Drambuie Prince Charles Edward’s Liqueur “A Link with the ’45” – Bottled in the 1960s

1. Introduction & Product Name

The product in question is a Drambuie Prince Charles Edward’s Liqueur bearing the additional designation “A Link with the ‘45” – an old bottling from the 1960s with an alcohol content of 40 per cent and a volume of700 ml.

The spelling “Prince Charles Edwards” (without an apostrophe) appears on some labels and auction descriptions, but the correct name is Prince Charles Edward’s Liqueur – a tribute to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie). The name “A Link with the ‘45” refers to the year 1745, the start of the last Jacobite uprising, in which the prince attempted to reclaim the British throne.

2. The company: Drambuie – a Scottish liqueur with a royal legend

3. Historical background: The legend of Bonnie Prince Charlie

According to legend, the origins of Drambuie date back to 1745, when Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) led a rebellion against the British Crown. Following his defeat at the Battle of Culloden (1746), the prince fled and is said to have found refuge with the MacKinnon family on the Isle of Skye. As a token of gratitude for their help, he presented the family with the secret recipe for his personal favourite drink – a liqueur made from Scotch whisky, heather honey, herbs and spices.

The label’s name , ‘A Link with the ’45’, and the inscription ‘Remember the Gift of the Prince’ on historic crates serve as a reminder of this royal gift.

4. The 1960s bottling in detail

4.1 Distinguishing features of the 1960s bottling

The bottles from the 1960s feature distinctive design elements that set them apart from later bottlings:

• Label: Gold-coloured label bearing the inscription ‘Prince Charles Edward’s Liqueur’ and ‘A Link with the ‘45’

• Closure: Lead cap

• Decoration: Scottish tartan on the bottle with the inscription ‘The Isle of Skye’

• Bottle shape: Small brown bottle

• Embossing: The base of the bottle often features embossed markings such as S788, A2 and DCB

• Volume: As well as 700 ml (70 cl), 75 cl and 1-litre bottles are also available

4.2 Alcohol content and composition

The recipe has remained unchangedsince 1745 .

4.3 Sensory description

The 1960s bottling is described as follows:

5. Historical context: The 1960s

The 1960s were a golden age for Drambuie. During this decade, the liqueur gained worldwide recognition through pop culture:

• Sean Connery as James Bond drinks a Drambuie in his bar in the 1960s – the bottle featuring the Scottish tartan can be seen in the films of that era.

• Bottles from this period are now sought-after collector’s items.

Contemporary newspaper advertisements from 1960 promote Drambuie as a “unique, exciting liqueur” with “the finest traditional character”.

6. Collectors’ value and current availability

Bottles from the 1960s are now rarely offered at auction:

7. Serving recommendation

8. Conclusion

Drambuie Prince Charles Edward’s Liqueur “A Link with the ’45” from the 1960s is a Scottish whisky liqueur of great historical significance. The legend of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the secret recipe, comprising whisky, heather honey and herbs, make it one of the world’s best-known liqueurs. The 1960s bottlings are particularly sought after by collectors due to their distinctive design featuring tartan and a lead capsule, as well as their higher proportion of Talisker. Today , they are rare collectables that only occasionally appear at auction and are prized as testaments to a bygone era of spirits culture.