A Connoisseur's Choice: Gordon & MacPhail

Banff 1966 Gordon and MacPhail Rare Old

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years.

This was distilled in 1966 and bottled in 2015 by Gordon and MacPhail. 

Discontinued in the spring of 2018 and replaced with the decadently revamped Private Collection range, Rare Old was the former premium range from Gordon & MacPhail. It was intended to showcase Scotland's legendary closed distilleries, as well as some of their oldest and finest stocks from those still in operation.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Bunnahabhain 1965 Gordon and MacPhail 17 Year Old

An austere piece of Victorian architecture on the north-east coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain is a relative outsider on the island, traditionally known for producing an un-peated single malt. The majority of this was used for blending, as was its initial intended purpose. The distillery was shut for 2 years in 1982 following the market downturn of the period, and despite being revived at low production, it was eventually officially bottled as a single malt later that decade, with the self-deprecating tag-line, \"the un-pronounceable malt.\"

A 1965 vintage, this was bottled 17 years later by Gordon and MacPhail. It was specially selected by Giacinto Nicolai of Club delle Fattorie and imported to Italy by Co. Import, Pinerolo.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balblair 1973 Gordon and MacPhail 32 Year Old Private Collection

Balblair distillery in situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. Distillery bottlings were also produced in the 1980s but in the intervening years, independent releases like this were the most commonly available way to sample this lesser-known Highland single malt.

Hiram Walker licensed the Balblair single malt brand to Gordon & MacPhail in order to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high-quality casks, and subsequently, high-quality releases.

This is from the Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection range. This is an earlier addition to the series, before it replaced Rare Old as their premium label in 2018. These older editions often focussed on cask finishing, or simply on exceptional older vintage casks.

A 1973 vintage, this was drawn from two first-fill sherry hogsheads in 2006.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

North British 1962 Gordon and MacPhail Private Collection

Prior to 1885, Scottish blenders were only able to acquire grain whisky from DCL. This changed when the firms of John Crabbie, Andrew Usher, William Sanderson and John Watson collaborated to open the North British distillery in Edinburgh. Production began two years later on a single coffey still, and the distillery continued to grow, flourishing in the post-war period. In 1993 it was taken over by Lothian Distillers, a partnership between IDV and Robertson & Baxter, the modern iterations of which, Diageo and Edrington, retain a controlling stake in today. Occasional distillery bottlings have appeared over the years, but the majority of examples of its single grain come from independent labels like this.

This is a 1962 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail, bottled from refill American hogshead #16926.

Bottled in 2019, this is part of the Private Collection range from the Elgin-based bottlers. As of 2018, this line replaced the Rare Old series as its most premium offerings, and come exceptionally presented in decadent glass bottles.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balmenach 1976 Gordon and MacPhail Reserve / Kirsch Import 30th Anniversary

Balmenach is a rarely seen single malt distillery in Speyside. It was built in the early 19th century and for the majority of the 20th it was owned by DCL (now Diageo). Its distinctive style made it highly prized by blenders, and little of it was spared for official distillery bottlings, or independents for that matter. The distillery was closed in 1993 during the Scotch market downturn, but was revived in 1997 by Inver House who purchased it and resumed production. The focus today is still on provision for blends, and Inver House are yet to release a distillery bottling. It is however the source of the popular Carounn gin.

This single cask from Gordon & MacPhail was distilled in March 1976 and exclusively bottled for the 30th anniversary of Kirsch Import.

Matured in single sherry hogshead #1765 until April 2006, this is one of just 230 bottles.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Bunnahabhain 1965 Gordon and MacPhail Rare Old

An austere piece of Victorian architecture on the north-east coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain is a relative outsider on the island, traditionally known for producing an un-peated single malt. The majority of this was used for blending, as was its initial intended purpose. The distillery was shut for 2 years in 1982 following the market downturn of the period, and despite being revived at low production, it was eventually officially bottled as a single malt later that decade, with the self-deprecating tag-line, \"the un-pronounceable malt.\"

A 1965 vintage, this was bottled in 1998 as part of Gordon & MacPhail's Rare Old range.

Discontinued in the spring of 2018 and replaced with the decadently revamped Private Collection range, Rare Old was the former premium range from Gordon & MacPhail. It was intended to showcase Scotland's legendary closed distilleries, as well as some of their oldest and finest stocks from those still in operation.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Ben Nevis 1965 Gordon and MacPhail 19 Year Old

This is an old Ben Nevis released by Gordon & MacPhail within the Connoisseurs Choice range.  Distilled in 1965 and bottled at 19 years old.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

Ben Nevis distillery was built by \"Long\" John MacDonald in 1825, and was so popular by the end of the 19th century that at one point the estate employed over 200 people. After a series of closure and re-openings at the beginning of the 20th, it was eventually bought by former Canadian bootlegger, Joseph Hobbs. He installed a coffey still there in 1955, making Ben Nevis Scotland's first dual-operation distillery, and began to blend its malt and grain before filling it to cask. Sporadic closures again followed Hobb's death, with stability finally ensured in 1989 when it was bought by long-term customers, Nikka Whisky of Japan. Its turbulent history means there were few distillery bottlings until the launch of the 10 year old single malt in 1996, but casks had long been making their way to independent labels, and many of them are very highly praised.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Bladnoch 1988 Gordon and MacPhail 30 Year Old Batch #19/006

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority of which it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years.

This is a Connoisseur's Choice bottling of Bladnoch, distilled in 1988 and bottled in 2019.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market, and this release follows the 2018 rejuvenation of the brand, which saw it reimagined as a premium single casks range.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balblair 1964 Gordon and MacPhail 20 Year Old

Balblair distillery in situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. Distillery bottlings were also produced in the 1980s but in the intervening years, independent releases like this were the most commonly available way to sample this lesser-known Highland single malt.

Hiram Walker licensed the Balblair single malt brand to Gordon & MacPhail in order to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high-quality casks, and subsequently, high-quality releases.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benriach 1969 Gordon and MacPhail 12 Year Old

Benriach is a distillery with long-standing transatlantic connections. It was procured by Seagram in 1978, the former Canadian drinks empire, and is now in the hands of the Brown-Forman corporation, via Billy Walker who rescued it from a brief mothballing in 2002. Walker bottled some of the peated whisky that Seagram had begun producing there for its blends in 1983, and the positive reaction to these means the distillery now produces both a peated and unpeated single malt. Benriach is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland to still operate its own in-house floor maltings. 

This is a 1969 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail, bottled as a 12 year old.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balblair 1964 Gordon and MacPhail 15 Year Old

Balblair distillery in situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. Distillery bottlings were also produced in the 1980s but in the intervening years, independent releases like this were the most commonly available way to sample this lesser-known Highland single malt.

Hiram Walker licensed the Balblair single malt brand to Gordon & MacPhail in order to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high-quality casks, and subsequently, high-quality releases.

The black and red labelled Connoisseurs Choice labels were the very first. The range was initially devised for Edoardo Giaccone in Italy in the early 1970s, but became part of the main Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979. 

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benriach 1969 Gordon and MacPhail 10 Year Old

Benriach is a distillery with long-standing transatlantic connections. It was procured by Seagram in 1978, the former Canadian drinks empire, and is now in the hands of the Brown-Forman corporation, via Billy Walker who rescued it from a brief mothballing in 2002. Walker bottled some of the peated whisky that Seagram had begun producing there for its blends in 1983, and the positive reaction to these means the distillery now produces both a peated and unpeated single malt. Benriach is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland to still operate its own in-house floor maltings. 

This is a 1969 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail, bottled as a 10 year old.

The black and red labelled Connoisseurs Choice labels were the very first. The range was initially devised for Edoardo Giaccone in Italy in the early 1970s, but became part of the main Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979. It is now one of the most widely recognised independent brands in the world.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Bunnahabhain 1989 Gordon and MacPhail 30 Year Old Batch #19/008

An austere piece of Victorian architecture on the north-east coast of Islay, Bunnahabhain is a relative outsider on the island, traditionally known for producing an un-peated single malt. The majority of this was used for blending, as was its initial intended purpose. The distillery was shut for 2 years in 1982 following the market downturn of the period, and despite being revived at low production, it was eventually officially bottled as a single malt later that decade, with the self-deprecating tag-line, \"the un-pronounceable malt.\"

This 1989 vintage was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 2019. One of 214 bottles drawn from a refill American hogshead.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market, and this release follows the 2018 rejuvenation of the brand, which saw it reimagined as a premium single casks range.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balblair 1964 Gordon and MacPhail 15 Year Old

Balblair distillery in situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. Distillery bottlings were also produced in the 1980s but in the intervening years, independent releases like this were the most commonly available way to sample this lesser-known Highland single malt.

Hiram Walker licensed the Balblair single malt brand to Gordon & MacPhail in order to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high-quality casks, and subsequently, high-quality releases.

The black and red labelled Connoisseurs Choice labels were the very first. The range was initially devised for Edoardo Giaccone in Italy in the early 1970s, but became part of the main Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979. 

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benromach 1968 Gordon and MacPhail 16 Year Old

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a widely distributed single malt brand, but for many years independent releases like this were the only rare opportunities to try this well-regarded whisky.

This is a 1968 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail, bottled under their Connoisseurs Choice banner long before they bought the distillery.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Banff 1974 Gordon and MacPhail 13 Year Old

A distillery almost as synonymous with fire as it is with whisky, Banff experienced four separate blazes during its chequered history, including a bombing by the Luftwaffe in 1941. The distillery operated until 1983 when it was closed by DCL (now Diageo) after a downturn in the market lead to an oversupply. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire in the process of being dismantled and has never re-opened. Its malt was predominantly reserved for blending in its time, but it has contributed to some particularly sought after independent releases over the years. 

This 1974 vintage was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as a 13 year old.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benromach 1965 Gordon and MacPhail 11 Year Old

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a widely distributed single malt brand, but for many years independent releases like this were the only rare opportunities to try this well-regarded whisky.

This Gordon & MacPhail bottling well-predates their ownership of the distillery.

The black and red labelled Connoisseurs Choice labels were the very first. The range was initially devised for Edoardo Giaccone in Italy in the early 1970s, but became part of the main Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979. It is now one of the most widely recognised independent brands in the world.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

North Port 1970 Gordon and MacPhail 17 Year Old

The Brechin distillery was built in 1820 by the Guthrie family, who changed its named to North Port at some point later that century. It was acquired by DCL (now Diageo) in 1922, who closed it down six years later. Production briefly resumed for two years before the war, but it was not until 1945 that regular distilling recommenced. North Port was one of the nine distilleries closed by DCL in 1983 after a market downturn meant their blends were oversupplied. It never re-opened and the site now houses a supermarket. Its single malt is very rare, and was never officially bottled in its lifetime. Diageo have produced only a handful of distillery bottlings, the first of which were in the Rare Malts Selection. Rare and increasingly sought after independent releases like this have also appeared over the years though.

This was distilled in 1970 and bottled within Connoisseur's Choice range.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benriach 1987 Gordon and MacPhail 32 Year Old Batch #19/005

Benriach is a distillery with long-standing transatlantic connections. It was procured by Seagram in 1978, the former Canadian drinks empire, and is now in the hands of the Brown-Forman corporation, via Billy Walker who rescued it from a brief mothballing in 2002. Walker bottled some of the peated whisky that Seagram had begun producing there for its blends in 1983, and the positive reaction to these means the distillery now produces both a peated and unpeated single malt. Benriach is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland to still operate its own in-house floor maltings.

This 1987 vintage was drawn from a refill sherry hogshead by Gordon & MacPhail and bottled in 2019.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market, and this release follows the 2018 rejuvenation of the brand, which saw it reimagined as a premium single casks range.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balblair 1973 Gordon and MacPhail Centenary Reserve

Balblair distillery in situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. Distillery bottlings were also produced in the 1980s but in the intervening years, independent releases like this were the most commonly available way to sample this lesser-known Highland single malt.

A 1973 vintage, this was bottled as part of Gordon & MacPhail's sought after Centenary Reserve collection in 1995 to celebrate 100 years of the Elgin-based bottler and distiller.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benrinnes 1968 Gordon and MacPhail 17 Year Old

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until United Distillers introduced the 15 year old Flora & Fauna release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt.

This is a 1968 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benrinnes 1968 Gordon and MacPhail 11 Year Old

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until United Distillers introduced the 15 year old Flora & Fauna release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt.

This is a 1968 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail.

The black and red labelled Connoisseurs Choice labels were the very first. The range was initially devised for Edoardo Giaccone in Italy in the early 1970s, but became part of the main Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979. 

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benromach 15 Year Old Gordon and MacPhail ' Book of Kells' Decanter

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a widely distributed single malt brand, but for many years independent releases like this were the only rare opportunities to try this well-regarded whisky.

This is a 15 year old in an Edinburgh Crystal decanter, bottled in the 1990s.

The decanter label bears artwork based on the mediaeval, illuminated manuscript for which these releases are named.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benromach 1968 Gordon and MacPhail 14 Year Old

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a widely distributed single malt brand, but for many years independent releases like this were the only rare opportunities to try this well-regarded whisky.

This is a 1968 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail, bottled under their Connoisseurs Choice banner long before they bought the distillery.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benrinnes 1963 Gordon and MacPhail 18 Year Old 

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until United Distillers introduced the 15 year old Flora & Fauna release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt.

Distilled in 1963, this was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at 18 years old.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Bladnoch 1975 Gordon and MacPhail 13 Year Old

Bladnoch is a Lowland distillery with a turbulent history. For the majority of which it struggled to remain open, changing hands on many occasions. Among the its former owners were Inver House and Bell's, who changed the style of the distillery's production to meet their needs, meaning there is a great variety in the flavours of both the distillery bottlings and independent releases that have appeared over the years.

This 13 year old was bottled by Gordon & MacPhail.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balmenach 1970 Gordon and MacPhail 16 Year Old

Balmenach is a rarely seen single malt distillery in Speyside. It was built in the early 19th century and for the majority of the 20th it was owned by DCL (now Diageo). Its distinctive style made it highly prized by blenders, and little of it was spared for official distillery bottlings, or independents for that matter. The distillery was closed in 1993 during the Scotch market downturn, but was revived in 1997 by Inver House who purchased it and resumed production. The focus today is still on provision for blends, and Inver House are yet to release a distillery bottling. It is however the source of the popular Carounn gin.

This was distilled in 1970 and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at 16 years old.

The Connoisseurs Choice label is one of the most recognisable independent bottlings on the market. It was initially created for renowned Italian importer, Edoardo Giaccone in the early 1970s, but became a mainstay of the core Gordon & MacPhail portfolio in 1979.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benrinnes 1978 Gordon and MacPhail Reserve

Gordon & MacPhail are one of the largest and most recognisable whisky companies in the world. Although they began distilling at the newly refurbished Benromach distillery in 1998, for most of their history they were an independent bottler. Their labels are recognised by whisky lovers the world over, and their licensed bottlings from distillery's like Macallan and Talisker in the 1970s and 1980s, when the companies were not bottling themselves, are a huge part of the success of those distillers today.

This Benrinnes was distilled in 1978 and bottled in the year 2004 as part of the Reserve series.

Until 2007, Benrinnes had a unique triple distillation process that resulted in a single malt highly prized by blenders for its distinct \"meaty\" quality. So much so in fact, that none was spared for an official distillery bottling until United Distillers introduced the 15 year old Flora & Fauna release. Thankfully, the distillery has always featured in the catalogues of independent bottlers, giving ample opportunity to experience this sought after single malt.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benromach 21 Year Old Star of Edinburgh Decanter

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a well-regarded and widely distributed single malt.

A throwback to the 1980s and 1990s, this 21 year old was bottled in 2007 in an Edinburgh Crystal decanter.

Matured in a combination of first fill and refill sherry casks a fantastic bottling from Benromach and historically containing older whisky than the label suggests. This version of the 21 year old was produced up until the core range refresh in 2009. The age-statement later returned during the subsequent rebrand in 2020.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Benromach 1980 Gordon MacPhail Cask Strength

Benromach distillery in Speyside was built at the end of the 19th century, and spent much of the next providing malt for the blends of its owners, who included Macdonald Greenlees, Joseph Hobbs and latterly, DCL (now Diageo), who were the first to produce a distillery bottling of its single malt as part of the Rare Malts Selection. DCL closed the distillery in 1983, selling it to current proprietors, Gordon & MacPhail, ten years later. They then had to spend the next five rebuilding it from scratch, as little remained other than the shell of the buildings. It has since become a widely distributed single malt brand, but for many years independent releases like this were the only rare opportunities to try this well-regarded whisky.

This is part of the Cask Strength range, a more recent version of the Original 'Cask' series, which represented Gordon & MacPhail’s first foray into natural strength bottlings in order to keep up with the market trend in preference for these in the late 1980s.

A 1980 vintage, it was bottled from a refill sherry hogshead in 2003.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Balblair 1986 Gordon and MacPhail Exclusive

Balblair distillery in situated in the northern Highland region, currently under the ownership of Inver House Distillers and previously part of the Hiram Walker empire before it became Allied Distillers. Allied sold it to Inver House in 1996, who introduced the much-loved vintage-dated core range in 2007. Distillery bottlings were also produced in the 1980s but in the intervening years, independent releases like this were the most commonly available way to sample this lesser-known Highland single malt.

Hiram Walker licensed the Balblair single malt brand to Gordon & MacPhail in order to produce official releases in the 1970s and 1980s, not having the capacity to do so itself at the time. This good standing with the distillery furnished the Elgin-based independent firm with a steady supply of high-quality casks, and subsequently, high-quality releases.

From their Exclusive single casks series, this whisky was distilled on 15th December 1986 and aged single refill ex-Sherry Hogshead #12648 until 2010.

One of 250 bottles. 

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.

Bruichladdich 1991 Gordon and MacPhail Cask Strength

Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it. The last of these was Whyte & Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements. They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008. A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there.

This whisky was distilled on 9th October 1991 and bottled from three refill sherry hogsheads in May 2008 by Gordon & MacPhail.

This is part of the Cask Strength range, a more recent version of the Original 'Cask' series, which represented Gordon & MacPhail’s first foray into natural strength bottlings in order to keep up with the market trend in preference for these in the late 1980s.

This bottle is being sold from the Pat's Whisk(e)y private collection which, numbering in excess of 9,000 bottles and over 2,000 miniatures, is the single largest collection of whisky ever to be brought to auction. Pat's Whisk(e)y is the result of over fifteen years of passion and dedication to the goal of creating one of the most complete libraries of whisky and whiskey ever amassed by an individual collector. It contains bottles from over 150 different Scottish distilleries, as well as bourbon, rare Scotch releases from sought-after independent bottlers in Europe, and whisky from other distilleries across the globe. Whisky Auctioneer is delighted to have partnered with Pat's Whisk(e)y to offer this collection across a number of exclusive and spotlight auctions. For more information, please click here.