Gordon & MacPhail
George House Boroughbriggs Road Elgin Highland IV30 1JY Scotland
Telephone: 01343 545 111
Fax: 01343 540 155
Web: http://www.gordonandmacphail.com
Email: retial@gordonandmacphail.com
Whiskies from 'Gordon & MacPhail'
Read the Whisky Magazine tastings notes for whiskies from Gordon & MacPhail.
Connoisseur's Choice Ardbeg 1974
Less boisterous than The Young One. The calm of maturity permits all the nuances to be experienced.
Connoisseur's Choice Ardbeg 1990
The palate seemed almost disappointingly cosy, but the wildness of Islay was recalled in the finish.
Connoisseur's Choice Arran 1989
Connoisseur's Choice BenRiach 1981
The bourbon cask inflluence is obvious. A refreshing dram but simplistic. Water ruins it.
Connoisseur's Choice Bladnoch 1986, Gordon & MacPhail
The light touch of sherry helps bring out the soft, fruity, flavours.
Connoisseur's Choice Caol Ila 1988
Caol Ila can be a little gin-like. This bottling could be served like a Pimms. Mind you, no gin has such a long finish.
Connoisseur's Choice Clynelish 1991
Well-balanced and complex as a Clynelish should be. a good, solid after-dinner dram.
Connoisseur's Choice Dailuaine 1975
Characterful. Individualistic.
Connoisseur's Choice Glenesk 1984
Connoisseur's Choice Glenlossie 1975
Again, rather dried out. Lacks roundness and structure.
Connoisseur's Choice Lochside 1991
Never a classic, but the closure of a distillery is a loss. Lochside was a pleasant whisky, and now it is a collector's item.
Connoisseur's Choice Mosstowie 1979
A nostalgic reminder of the Lomond still, though I had forgotten it could produce such sweet whisky.
Connoisseur's Choice Port Ellen 1982
Connoisseur's Choice Rosebank 1988, Gordon and MacPhail
A deft balance between the whisky's own character and the sherry.
Connoisseur's Choice Rosebank 1990
Connoisseur's Choice Scapa 1993
Connoisseur's Choice Secret Stills 1986
Connoisseur's Choice Strathisla, 25 Years Old
Connoisseur's Choice Teaninich 1991
Connoisseur's Choice Tullibardine 1994
Gordon & MacPhail Aberfeldy 1978
Delicate but not bland. Real subtlety. Very mature, but not a hint of wood. A Highlander, but blindfold I would have placed it as a Speysider.
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1985
I have always thought of Ardmore as having a rather bluff character, but on this occasion I found it both welcoming and comforting.
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1987
Very elegant and fragrant. As an apéritif with melon, basil and Parma ham.
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1990
A pleasant dram, especially with a slash of water but lacks nerve and buoyancy.
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1990 Cask Strength
Starts slowly, and seems uncertain as to where it is going.
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1990 Cask Strength
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1990, Cask Strength
A hidden complexity on the palate. A malt to give you a tender kick on “one of those days, you know…”
Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore 1991
Gordon & MacPhail Avonside 8 Years Old
Gordon & MacPhail Balblair 1966
The nose is rich and harmonious. The palate not so lavish, somewhat dulled by wood dominating. It would have shown better at a higher strength.
Gordon & MacPhail Balblair 1966
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach 18 Years Old
The best Benromach I have tasted. I wonder what she should expect in a few years from the new stillhouse.
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach 1973
After a weekend walk in the country? Mid to late afternoon. Who needs tea? Just a slice of fruit pie and a generous dram of Benromach.
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach 1974
I have always found Benromach assertively flowery, herbal, almost cedary. Will this highly distinctive character prevail in the new, smaller, stills introduced since the change of ownership? Tastings on a recent visit suggest that it might.
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach 1980
A wake up dram. Not a great deal of complexity but an enjoyable fruitiness to make you think of springtime.
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach 22 Years Old, Port Wood Finish
Should the pink tangerine blush of this whisky hint at Bacchus? He may have glanced at the cask, but I can’t find him in the glass.
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach Peat Smoke
Once the middle fills out will be a lovely addition to the range.
Gordon & MacPhail Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish
A success.
Gordon & MacPhail Bladnoch 1991
The nose is unusual, closer to a sour Chinese broth than a whisky! But the palate restores an expected floral Lowland freshness.
Gordon & MacPhail Bowmore 25 Years Old
Old age has completely integrated peat and smoke. Oak overpowers the marine character. A splash of water does not help.
Gordon & MacPhail Bunnahabhain 1989
A breakfast whisky for the truly decadent.
Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1969
Surprisingly, the distillery character resists in this oldie. And peat “revisits” the aromatic palette. Integration again but no fusion.
Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1981
A beautifully balanced, rounded, example of this distinctive malt.
Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1990
Very decent example of Caol Ila, nothing jars here.
Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1991
What you nose is what you get. A beautiful uncompromising version of Caol Ila. More enjoyable when neat.
Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila 1994 Cask Strength
Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila Cask Strength 1995
Gordon & MacPhail Clynelish 1995 Cask Strength
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Calder
On the sweet side, although the finish brings out a more assertive note. A good winter warmer.
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 1948
1948? Amazing. Has retained a refined almost raffish air and though frail is not overwooded.
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 1968
A ghost-like dram almost too elusive to grasp.
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Mhor 1979
A hearty fellow, warming and expressive. A hip flask dram for a wet day.
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Scotia 1992 Cask Strength
Far from the best Glen Scotia, but I have always entertained a sneaky respect for this distillery.
Gordon & MacPhail Glenburgie 10 Years Old
Gordon & MacPhail Glenlivet 1973
A dash of water is perfect. Skip the pudding and enjoy your dram with a shortbread.
Gordon & MacPhail Glenlivet 1973 Cask Strength
Some of the older Smith’s Glenlivets are too woody for me, but this one is a delight.
Gordon & MacPhail Glentauchers 1990
Sherry influence calls the tune. Water calms the flavours down.
Gordon & MacPhail Glenugie 1968, 43 Years Old
Oak is not as prevailing on the nose as on the palate. An exotic profile. Reminds me of Irish whiskey. Interesting richness. Avoid water.
Gordon & MacPhail Inverleven 1985
Not much complexity, but an unusually summery whisky.
Gordon & MacPhail Inverleven 1986
Light, straightforward. Delicacy without mannerism. Keep it for a romantic candlelit dinner.
Gordon & MacPhail Inverleven 1990, 40 Years Old
The nose is appealing but the palate far tougher. Water eases the release of grassy notes. But the aromatic profile keeps shallow.
Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 15 Years Old
That malt could easily be thrown in a calvados blind tasting, with aged oaky individuals.
Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 1969
Linkwood is a lovely whisky, especially in its older incarnations.
Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 1972
A luxurious after-dinner malt.
Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood, 15 Years Old
Gordon & MacPhail Longmorn-Glenlivet 12 Years Old
The most honeyed Longmorn I have tasted. A breakfast malt.
Gordon & MacPhail Miltonduff 1968
Remarkably scenty. Very clean indeed. Delicate for my tastes but if you like an elegant malt.....
Gordon & MacPhail Miltonduff 1993
Lusty, voluptuous. Finishes with a bang.
Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1938, 60 Years Old
A great age, but it has matured beautifully.
Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1951
After dinner. Or with a re-run of Inspector Morse.
Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1980
A lovely digestif whisky.
Gordon & MacPhail Old Pulteney 1990
The hug of sherry is soporific; the saltiness a stinging reviver. A morning run in Wick; a gale in John O’Groats.
Gordon & MacPhail Old Pulteney 1990 Cask Strength
So sherry… Dark Oloroso wipes out all maltiness. Unbalanced but sherry fanatics will love it.
Gordon & MacPhail Old Pulteney 8 Years Old
Tastes like Manzanilla to me. I don't speak for anyone else.
Gordon & MacPhail Port Ellen 1982
A restrained example of this fine malt, but the silent still is almost out of stock. There will be few further opportunities to buy.
Gordon & MacPhail Pride of Islay 12 Years Old
More Islay character on the nose than on the palate. A good appetite-teaser.
Gordon & MacPhail Pride of Orkney 12 Years Old
Very fragrant on the nose but more restrained in the mouth. Needs time to perk up.
Gordon & MacPhail Pride of Orkney 12 Years Old
Gordon & MacPhail Pride of Strathspey 12 Years Old
Good introduction to Speyside’s generosity. Especially if served with a crème brûlée.
Gordon & MacPhail Pride of the Lowlands 12 Years Old
Disappointingly on the wood side. For those who like it oaky!
Gordon & MacPhail Rare Vintage Smith's, Glenlivet 1974
Somewhat lifeless and one-dimensional. Not the best old Glenlivet I've tasted.
Gordon & MacPhail Rosebank 1990 Cask Strength
Gordon & MacPhail Scapa 1987
A complex, delicate, well-balanced vintage.
Gordon & MacPhail Scapa 1988
I am not sure about that sulphur. Is it from the cask, or is it seaweedy? I usually like seaweed, but am not convinced by this bottling.
Gordon & MacPhail Scapa 1993
Gordon & MacPhail St Magdalene 1975
Typically lowland, with a nice progression of sensation: sweet, malty then zingy.
Gordon & MacPhail Strathisla 1960
Strathisla has its own distinct, rather dry style-and this is a good example.
Gordon & MacPhail Tamdhu 1981 Reserve
No, I don't think I was being suggestible. An unusually complex Tamdhu.
Gordon & MacPhail Teaninich 1983
Well worth sampling, but don't expect anything fancy. This is a workaday malt.
Gordon & MacPhail The Glenrothes 1965
Classic Speyside. Confident. Aristocratic.
Gordon & MacPhail The Macallan 1993 Speymalt
Another unusual Macallan. Well-balanced. No sherry overload. Second-or third-fill maybe. Or a fino cask?
Gordon & MacPhail Traditional
This one really does have subtlety. A lovely, delicate aperitif.
Gordon's Dram The Arran Malt
A gentle and sweet farewell to one of the gentlest and sweetest men in the industry. Farewell Gordon, we’ll miss you.
MacPhail's Collection Bunnahabhain 1990
MacPhail's Collection Bunnahabhain 1991
MacPhail's Collection Highland Park 30 Years Old
More robust and less sophisticated than the distillery bottlings.
MacPhail's Collection Highland Park 8 Years Old
Only 8 Years Old, but a seasoned sea-salt. A return to form for the independent youngster.
MacPhail's Collection Highland Park 8 Years Old
MacPhail's Collection Old Pulteney, 15 Years Old
MacPhail's Collection Tamdhu 30 Years Old
Tamdhu is a pleasant, polite, whisky. Does it really have the stamina for such a marathon maturation?
MacPhail's Collection The Glenrothes 30 Years Old
Private Collection Balblair 1973
Elegant and uncomplicated. Refreshing and appetising. Hides its 50% ABV very well.
Private Collection Caol Ila 1969
After a few of these, the rebel leader (played by Anthony Quinn) toasts freedom, and we start firing our carbines in the air.
Private Collection Caol Ila 1969
Private Collection Caol Ila 1988 Cognac Finish
All the action is in that finish. A clear points victory for the whisky, with brandy going the distance.
Private Collection Caol Ila 1988 Sherry Wood Finish
Less complex, with the distillery character coming through much more strongly.
Private Collection Caol Ila 1990 Demarara Rum Finish
A bit puzzling at start. Seems somewhat austere and restrained. Then releases sweet notes. Is it an effect of the rum finish?
Private Collection Caol Ila 1990 Port Wood Finish
No contest, the Inner Hebrides quickly overwhelms the Duoro.
Private Collection Caol Ila 1990 Vintage Rum Finish
Hang on! Is that a single malt with a rum finish or a good rum matured in a bourbon cask? An exemplary phagocytosis or a magical trick. But we wanted whisky!
Private Collection Caol Ila 1998 Calvados
The Calvados character is almost overwhelming but Caol Ila comes surging through in the finish.
Private Collection Caol Ila 1998 Claret Finish
The least characterful of the three Caol Ila wood finishes
Private Collection Clynelish 1969
A hint of sulphur in the nose had me dismissing this whisky. It seemed young, immature, callow – but we finishing up flirting.
Private Collection Glenlivet 1943
The Glenlivet is another whisky that I have encountered at great ages, often past their best. This shows its age only in its raffish, extrovert, confidence.
Private Collection Imperial 1990 Calvados Finish
As with the Caol Ila wood finishes reviewed in the last issue, the calvados is a powerful influence but the whisky does fight back-makes for an interesting combination.
Private Collection Imperial 1990 Claret Finish
The wine seems to have made common cause with the juicy sweetness, and the two have overwhelmed the cereal-grain and peat smoke that usually make this a more robust malt. This version would be a good dessert though.
Private Collection Imperial 1990 Cognac Finish
Cognac finishes seem to have achieved results that are, at best, mixed. In this instance, the contribution is less than obvious.
Private Collection Imperial 1990 Sherry Finish
The flavours hang together better in this version, and I favour it over the port finish (not featured here), but by too narrow a margin to score.
Private Collection Imperial 1991 Port Wood Finish
More Imperial than Port. With or without Port, I would like to see more Imperial.
Rare Old Glenlochy 1965
A breakfast whisky?
Rare Old Glenury Royal 1972
Rare Old Highland Park 1970
Disappointing. Where is the richness, and especially the island character?
Rare Old Inchmurrin 1973
Maturity improves it. Still needs rounding out, but less gauche than the distillery bottling.
Rare Old Ledaig 1976
Rare Old St Magdalene 1975
Rare Old St Magdalene 1975
Rare Old St Magdalene 1982
Livelier, fresher, less "difficult" flavours than in most bottlings.
Articles about 'Gordon & MacPhail'
Read and preview articles from the Whisky Magazine library about 'Gordon & MacPhail'.
The Italian job
Gavin D Smith heads to Speyside to discover what's going on at Glen Grant.
Found in issue 71 (whisky matters)
War on whisky fakers
.
Found in issue 70 (News Analysis)
Small but perfectly formed
Joe Bates looks at the delightful London City airport..
Found in issue 69 (Travel retail)
The red carpet treatment
Whisky tourism continues apace and discerning enthusiasts continue to demand something special
from their visit.Dominic Roskrow reports.
Found in issue 67 (Whisky Tours)
A grievous loss (Rosebank)
In the latest of our series Gavin D Smith looks at the history behind Rosebank.
Found in issue 65 (Lost distilleries)
Highland survivor (Millburn)
In the latest of our series Gavin D Smith investigates another gem.
Found in issue 64 (Lost distilleries)
Casting off with Benromach
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Found in issue 62 (Whisky News)
Raising the bar (Gordon & McPhail)
Gordon & McPhail is something of a âone stop shopâf or whisky enthusiasts. As it celebrates 10 years as
a distillery owner our man looks at why it continues to surprise and delight.
Found in issue 62 (Whisky Spotlight)
Inverness and beyond
We look at the region of Speyside round about Inverness.
Found in issue 61 (Visitor guides)
New Classics
The autumn is always an exciting time for whisky collectors and connoisseurs. There are generally a number of exciting limited edition releases,targeted at the gift market,and this year is no exception..
Found in issue 60 (Limited editions)
Ask the expert
John Rose answers another selection of our readersâ letters.
Found in issue 60 (Whisky Questions)
A captivating cocktail
Ian Wisniewski looks at the Atholl Brose.
Found in issue 56 (Whisky cocktails)
Russians seek out a taste of luxury
A new elite in Russia is demanding the worldâs very best products, quality single malt among them. Marcin Miller reports.
Found in issue 53 (Whisky Destinations)
Mixing the grain with the grape
Ian Wisniewski looks at wine finishes.
Found in issue 51 (Whisky Production)
The state of independents
How good are the independent bottling companies? We decided to find out in our biggest ever tasting â more than 175 entrants in 24 categories,judged by nine judges over seven weeks. Dominic Roskrow reports.
Found in issue 50 (Independent bottlers challenge)