Latest Glen Grant decanters 1948 72yo

One of the best-known and oldest independent whisky distributors, Elgin-based Gordon & MacPhail, proves time and again that the stock it holds contains such gems that it is sometimes hard to believe. In recent years, extremely old editions have been on the market, ranging from Mortlach, Longmorn, and Glen Grant from the '60s, to Strathisla from the '50s, to Glen Grant from the '40s. And that's just within the Private Collection series. The whisky world stunned recently when details of the oldest Scotch whisky bottled to date, Glenlivet Generations 1940 80yo, were revealed.

In January 2021, there was information about the release of the following Glen Grant 1948 72yo. At the time, 290 crystal decanters were filled, prepared in cooperation with renowned crystal glass manufacturer Dartington Crystal. The whisky debuted on January 29, 2021 at an auction in Hong Kong, conducted by auction house Bohnam's. A decanter bearing the number 88 was on display there, and its final price was estimated at €35,000-44,000. It was eventually sold for the equivalent of €48,565. The number 88, by the way, in Chinese culture symbolizes good luck and good fortune, hence the choice of a decanter with this number for an auction held in Hong Kong.

According to industry media reports, most of the 290 decanters prepared in January 2021 have already been sold. Any moment now, as just after the New Year on the Chinese calendar, another batch will hit the market, the last 100 decanters. And Chinese New Year is celebrated from February 1-3, which is tomorrow.

The whisky, distilled in 1948, has languished for 72 years in a sherry cask, giving it an unbelievably dark color. Barrel No. 440, from which our today's heroine came, however, was made of American white oak, not European oak, as one would expect. The whisky was bottled as cask strength, which was a high 52.6% for its age. It is offered in a decorative walnut wood box. It is offered in pre-sale priced at £40,000 per bottle, but it is expected to cost £100,000 when it goes into second circulation.

Glen Grant 1948 72yo was recognized as the best whisky of the year in two categories in Jim Murray's well-known publication, namely Whisky Bible 2022. It was named Best Whisky in the Scotch Single Malt of the Year category and in the Single Cask of the Year category. The author of this book rated it 97.5 points., which is extremely rare. If Jim Murray is to be believed, we are talking about a whisky that rubs up against the ideal.

Glen Grant is a whisky maker from the Speyside region, located in Rothes, just over 15 km from Gordon & MacPhail's headquarters in Elgin. Founded in 1840, and thus between the first boom in the legalization of distilleries, triggered by a new law passed in 1823, and the wave of huge demand for Scotch whisky of the late 19th century. Founded by brothers James and John Grant - hence the name - it went down in the annals of Scottish distilling as one of the most innovative and progressive distilleries of the 19th century. It was the first distillery in Scotland to install electric lighting. It experienced its most intense growth with the occupation of the managerial position by James Grant junior, son of one of the founders, in 1872. So much so that in 1897 it became necessary to erect and put into operation a second distillery, named Glen Grant No. 2, later renamed Caperdonich. It is now one of the largest Scotch malt whisky plants, with a potential capacity of more than 6 million liters of pure alcohol per year.

While we can't promise that Glen Grant 1948 72yo will be on offer at the House of Whisky Online - although nothing can be ruled out - we encourage those interested in the distillery's whisky offerings to take a look at the our current offer, in which, as usual in the case of old and reputable producers, there will be both whiskies for casual, everyday savoring and old editions of no small collector's value.


[30.01.2022 / Photo: Glen Grant]