The Private Collection 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery was filled into a first-fill sherry cask in April 1948 by Gordon & MacPhail. It was bottled on 15 December, the anniversary of His Majesty's christening, at a cask strength of 50.4% ABV. Only 281 bottles of this remarkably rare release will be made available, priced at £25,000.
It comes around a year after Gordon & MacPhail released a 70-year-old single malt to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022. The independent bottler has an existing link to King Charles III, who officially reopened its Benromach Distillery in 1998, when he was the Prince of Wales.
To celebrate the release of its King Charles III Coronation Edition, Gordon & MacPhail will make a donation of £25,000 to the Prince's Foundation, a charity which runs educational and training programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds including arts and heritage craft skills, horticulture, wellbeing, and hospitality.
Stephen Rankin, director of prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, said: "This exceptional whisky is a fitting tribute to His Majesty, who has continually promoted and protected British tradition and excellence over many decades. This release has been carefully nurtured for more than 70 years and is testament to great patience, long-term thinking, and commitment to creating high-quality products – principles that have been handed down through generations of people working for our family business.
"For more than 50 years, King Charles has placed a firm focus on sustainability and supporting communities. Our donation to the Prince’s Foundation will support his vision of a more sustainable world and aims to help create future legacies."