Gordon & MacPhail recalls the somewhat forgotten

There has been quite a bit of buzz recently about the company's decision Gordon & MacPhail about stopping purchases of fresh distillate. Recall, this is the only independent bottling company that has so far based all of its business on whisky bought directly from producers in new-make form and matured by itself.
It seems that at Gordon & MacPhail they have decided not to extinguish interest in the company in the trade media, but on the contrary. The louder it is about the company, the better for its interests. So they have just announced the release of another series of whiskeys as part of their well-known Private Collection for years.
Recollection Series, because that's the name of the aforementioned series of single malt whiskies, are bottles that are extremely valuable both because of their age and the fact that they come from distilleries that have been closed or inactive for many years. Some of the names that appear on the labels of bottles from Gordon & MacPhail may not say much to young tasting enthusiasts of Scotland's national liquor. Many of them have disappeared forever from the distillery map of Scotland. Others, like Rosebank, are just coming back after three decades of inactivity.
This year's installment of the Recollection Series from Gordon & MacPhail is to consist of 18 single malt whisky editions from 15 such distilleries. Three of them were presented these days.
Glen Mhor 1973, 47.2% vol. is a whisky from a now-defunct distillery, one of the former three Scotch whisky factories located in the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Inverness. Founded in 1892, Glen Mhor was the first distillery in Scotland to install an experimental barley malting system, called the Saladin box, which was in use until 1980. The distillery, then owned by Distillers Company Limited (DCL, the progenitor of today's Diageo), could not withstand the crisis of overproduction as it haunted the Scottish distilling industry in the second half of the 20th century and closed in 1983. Three years later, its buildings were demolished to make room for the current needs of Inverness.
The whisky was matured in a refill hogshead sherry cask and bottled in January 2023. The contents of this barrel were enough to fill 170 bottles. Its aroma includes raisins, cherries, cocoa, toffee, furniture polish and ripe oak. On the taste, expect notes of Seville orange peel, brown sugar, berry compote, baked apples and hints of menthol. The finish is mainly spices and citrus.
The price of a single bottle is £6,000.
Banff 1976, 50.4% vol. is a beverage from yet another defunct and partially forgotten distillery. Founded in 1824, it is regarded as one of Scotland's most unlucky distilleries. the most famous accident to happen to Banff in its history was a bombing raid during World War II, as a result of which some of the barrels caught fire, and from some the contents spilled outside onto the grasslands, resulting in alcoholic intoxication of the surrounding livestock. Like Glen Mhor, Banff stopped suspending production in 1983. Its buildings were demolished in 1985, leaving only one warehouse. This one, however, was consumed by a fire that broke out in it in April 1991.
The whisky was matured in a single sherry butt cask, filled in 1976, and bottled in February 2023. The contents of the barrel were enough to fill only 109 bottles. In its aroma you'll find holiday spices, including cloves pressed into orange peel, cane sugar, toffee, dried plums, and baked apples. On the taste, accents of red fruit, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, roasted hazelnuts, marzipan and old oak. The finish is mainly notes of citrus and nuts.
The price of a single bottle is 4,300 GBP.
Port Ellen 1981, 52.5% vol. is a whisky from a distillery that probably needs no introduction to anyone, although for many it is at best an object of sighs. The distillery, which is shrouded in legend, was founded in 1824 on the south coast of Islay, near one of the island's larger settlements from which it takes its name. Even after its closure, the whisky, which was left in warehouses and bottled regularly, with its characteristic peaty-smoky aroma and flavor, won the highest praise among whisky lovers, and the distillery itself - cult status. Like the two previous distilleries, it was closed in 1983, but a few years ago a decision was made to rebuild it and resume production. Construction work is currently underway, and Port Ellen is scheduled to open next year.
The whisky was matured in a refill butt sherry cask, was bottled in February 2023, and was enough to fill only 181 bottles. In its aroma we find accents of dark chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, dates, black currant and vanilla. On the palate we can expect notes of fruitcake, baked apples, sweet smoke, peanuts, cherries and pepper, while the finish bids us farewell with accents of dried fruit and a catching fire.
The price of a single bottle is £10,000.
In collaboration with one of France's leading contemporary artists, Tom Haugomat, graphics were prepared, evoking images of closed distilleries from which the prepared whiskeys originate.
In addition to the three mentioned and described, the complete list of editions prepared for this year as part of the Recollection Series from Gordon & MacPhail includes the following whiskies: Caperdonich 1979, Dallas Dhu 1979, Glen Albyn 1979, Glen Esk 1984, Glenlochy 1979, Imperial 1979, Imperial 1997, Imperial 1998, Inverleven 1985, St Magdalene 1982, Littlemill 1991, Lochside 1981, Lochside 1991, Pittyvaich 1992 and Rosebank 1991.
The House of Whisky Online offers a wide selection of editions bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, including many rare, collectible whiskies from defunct distilleries. We invite you to visit.
[03.08.2023 / Photo: Gordon & MacPhail]