On 3rd February 1940 in a quiet corner in the north of Scotland, George Urquhart and his father, John, had the extraordinary foresight and vision to lay down spirit from Glenlivet Distillery in a bespoke Gordon & MacPhail cask to be enjoyed by future generations.
Last year, 80 years later, the decision was taken to finally bottle the content of Cask 340, into a total of 250 decanters. The decision not only aligned with George Urquhart belief that each whisky should be left to mature until the cask and spirit had combined to create the desired quality, but it has also made history.
“That this whisky – the oldest single malt Scotch ever bottled – remains so full of vibrant flavour with a strength of 44.9% ABV, is testimony to knowledge handed down over successive generations of my family,” explains Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies, and member of the fourth generation of the family that owns the company.
Setting a standard of exceptional quality has been the benchmark for Gordon & MacPhail over its 125-year history and it is the brand’s unique depth and breadth of experience that enables them to combine oak, spirit and time to create iconic whiskies found nowhere else in the world.
“Maturing a single malt Scotch over eight decades is an art,” said Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, “similar in many ways to architecture where you are creating something that needs to stand the test of time. Neither can be rushed. Both Sir David and Gordon & MacPhail share a commitment to invest in the future. We both see the significance of creating something exceptional; leaving a legacy for future generations.”
The whisky bottler partnered with Sir David Adjaye OBE to design a decanter and oak case to present the whisky. The price of the whisky will be unveiled in September, along with Adjaye’s decanter and case.
Sotheby’s will auction decanter number one in early October, with all proceeds, minus costs, to be donated to award-winning Scottish charity Trees for Life, which works to rewild the Caledonian Forest.
For more information, go to gordonandmacphail.com