A one-off set of whisky given to staff at Christmas by the legendary amplifier maker Jim Marshall – known as “the father of loud” – is set to make £500 at auction this month <Jan 29>.
A bottle of Inchmurrin single malt was given to Marshall Amplification’s staff at its Bletchley factory every December from 1996 to 2012, the year Jim Marshall died.
Totalling 17 bottles in all, they belonged to life-long employee Andy Lambourne who lives in the town and started work at the firm in 1972, aged 16.
The 70-year-old grandfather kept the gift intact over the years, admitting he “wasn’t much of a spirits drinker”.
The rare bottles go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers’ Etwall saleroom in Derby on January 29.
Hansons Auctioneers’ head of wines and spirits, Stuart Palmer, said: “This special series of very rare bottlings were only given out to Marshall Amplification’s employees each Christmas.
“They were never sold outside the company and, with the death of Jim Marshall in 2012, aged 88, production ended – making them all the rarer and more sought after.”
The collection also includes an ultra-rare Marshall 50-year-old Islay blended malt – one of only 228 bottles ever produced – which was presented to Mr Lambourne to thank him for 40 years’ service with the company.
Palmer continued: “The one-off bottle was produced to commemorate Marshall Amplification’s 50-year anniversary in 1972. It was also the year Andy was celebrating his own milestone of 40 years working for them. He was lucky enough to be presented with a bottle, most of which went to Jim Marshall’s famous pals in the music industry. “
The bottle, which has the words “Fifty Years of Loud” on the box, has an estimate of £200-£400.
Mr Lambourne worked for Marshall Amplification as a wood machinist for 44 years, retiring in 2016.
He said: “I’ve never been much of a spirits drinker so I hung on to my bottles over the years. I have a feeling most of my colleagues might have drunk theirs.”
Each of the other bottles of single malt, from the Loch Lomond Distillery, has its own distinctive label featuring variously drums, the Union Jack, a Marshall amp, or Jim Marshall himself.
Mr Lambourne continued: “It was a great place to work, otherwise I wouldn’t have stayed there so long. I didn’t have much to do with Jim Marshall, but he seemed like a nice man and certainly did a lot for charity.”
Drummer turned drum teacher Jim Marshall founded the business, which specialised in very loud sound, in the workshop of his music shop Hanwell, west London, in 1962.
On the first day of production 23 amplifiers were ordered with each taking nearly a week to build.
Two years later with booming demand he opened a dedicated factory in nearby Hayes turning out 20 amplifiers a week.
The business continued to expand, with the trademark black Marshall loudspeaker forming the floor-to-ceiling backdrop of almost every heavy metal act in the UK and abroad.
Their quality was championed by musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Slash, Ritchie Blackmore and Paul Weller.
In 1967, outgrowing both the Hanwell shop and Hayes factory, Marshall Amplification moved to Bletchley, Milton Keynes, where it has remained ever since.
But while Jim Marshall was dubbed the “father of loud”, he was known for his much quieter charitable contributions.
In 2003, he received an OBE for services to the music industry and to charity.
Six years later he was given the Freedom of the Borough of Milton Keynes in recognition of his support for local causes.
Last year Willen Hospice in Milton Keynes unveiled an immersive wellbeing room after donations from the Jim Marshall Charity.
Stuart Palmer said: “As well as a legendary name in the music industry, Jim Marshall was clearly a generous man and caring employer, it is a privilege to be selling these much-loved bottles of whisky on behalf of the vendor.”
Jim Marshall died on April 5 2012, at a hospice in Milton Keynes.
Auction Details
Auction: Hansons January Specialist Wine, Whisky & Spirits Auction
Auction date: 29th January 2026 | 1pm
Location: Hansons’ Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
