Whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail has announced it will release the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky this September.
The 80-Year-Old whisky from Glenlivet Distillery is in partnership with Ghanaian-British architect, Sir David Adjaye OBE.
Left by ‘the father of single malt’ George Urquhart and his father, John, to mature in in a bespoke Gordon & MacPhail cask since 1940, the Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80YO from Glenlivet Distillery is the oldest ever bottled, with 250 decanters yielded from the cask in February 2020.
“That this whisky 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,” says Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies, and member of the fourth generation of the family that owns the company.
To celebrate John and George Urquhart’s vision, Gordon & MacPhail has collaborated with internationally acclaimed architect and designer, Sir David Adjaye OBE, to create a unique decanter and oak case to house the world’s most precious whisky to date.
Described as ‘an architect with an artist’s sensibilities and vision’, Adjaye was a natural choice as a creative partner; a man who shares the company’s values of artistry, legacy, and craftsmanship.
“When collaborating, I am looking for like-minded partners in terms of their craft, beliefs and traditions,” says Adjaye. “I loved Gordon & MacPhail’s rigour and obsession with their products and their craft – a romantic commitment that enables one to do exceptional things. Our partnership felt so organic.”
Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, says maturing a single malt Scotch over eight decades is an art.
“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.”
Sir David Adjaye’s decanter and case will be revealed in September 2021, with decanter number #1 auctioned by Sotheby’s in early October 2021.
Auction proceeds, minus costs, will be donated to Scottish charity ‘Trees for Life’, whose mission is to rewild the Caledonian Forest.
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