Gordon & MacPhail has bottled the world's oldest single malt Scotch whisky - an 85 year old Glenlivet
Whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail is set to release the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky this October – an 85-Years-Old from Glenlivet Distillery – in partnership with American architect and designer, Jeanne Gang.
On 3 February 1940 in a quiet corner of the north-east of Scotland, George Urquhart and his father, John, had the extraordinary foresight and vision to lay down spirit from Glenlivet Distillery in a Gordon & MacPhail American oak cask to be enjoyed after his lifetime by future generations.
George Urquhart, or ‘Mr George’ as he was fondly known by those who knew him best, knew he would never taste it. Only when the whisky was deemed ready would it be shared. Leaning on the family’s unique skills and experience, the time for Cask 336 came to be 85 years – longer than any other single malt Scotch whisky in history
On 5 February 2025, the decision was taken to finally empty the cask. A total of 125 decanters of the 85 years old whisky were bottled in line with Gordon & MacPhail’s family expertise to produce liquid of the highest quality.
“This whisky is truly exceptional due to its remarkable history and unique maturation process. The influence of the cask, combined with the rarity and scarcity of the liquid, creates a whisky with a strength of 43.7% ABV that is not only extraordinary in its taste but also a living piece of history,” explained Stephen Rankin, director of prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, and member of the fourth generation of the family that owns the company.
For 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been bottling old, rare and interesting single malt Scotch whisky. Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched its own casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. It is this long experience of cask curation that allows Gordon & MacPhail to consistently deliver a range of quality whiskies, found nowhere else in the world.
With all whisky releases, timing is everything. The team said that Gordon & MacPhail will only release a whisky when over a century of experience determines it is appropriate to do so. Leaving each cask to mature, undeterred by commercial necessity, is a long-held, unnegotiable mantra, a fitting way to honour the integrity of each release. Because of this, Gordon & MacPhail’s whiskies are often the oldest expression ever to be released from a particular distillery.
This is true of their earlier release this year, the fifth and final release in the Mr George Legacy Series – an ultra-rare 70-Year-Old whisky celebrating ‘The father of single malt Scotch whisky’, Mr George Urquhart, and his lifelong quest in pursuit of the perfect dram. And, in 2021 the firm released an 80-Years-Old from Glenlivet Distillery - in partnership with Sir David Adjaye OBE.
To celebrate the 85 year old Glenlivet release, Gordon & MacPhail has collaborated with internationally acclaimed American architect Jeanne Gang, to create a unique decanter to house the world’s oldest whisky to date. The product design – themed around ‘Artistry in Oak’ - will be revealed later this year. Known for a distinctive design approach that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries, Ms Gang was a natural choice as a creative partner, sharing the company’s commitment to leave a legacy for future generations.
Of the collaboration, Ms Gang said: “I was excited to learn about everything involved in whisky’s creation. Each careful step lends something to a whisky’s unique flavour. Then, there are years of protecting the casks so they can age. In architecture, these elements of materiality and time also play a critical role in the design process. Both are about creating something enduring, so this is what I found inspiring about this opportunity to design a decanter for Gordon & MacPhail’s 85-year-old single malt whisky.”
Jeanne Gang’s stunning decanter will be revealed in October 2025, with decanter #1 auctioned by Christie’s New York in November 2025. To continue the legacy theme, auction proceeds (minus costs) will be donated to the oldest national non-profit conservation organisation in the United States, American Forests, a leader in forest restoration.
Mr Rankin said: “Given the importance of oak in our craft, this partnership was a natural fit, aligning with our mission to leave a meaningful legacy for ongoing generations, via fundraising for the sustainable future of American oak trees.”
Those who would like to learn more about the whisky ahead of its release are encouraged to register their interest at the brand’s official website at the Gordon and MacPhail website.
As well as being Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, Gordon and MacPhail also own Benromach and The Cairn distilleries in Speyside and 2023 announced that they’d no longer be purchasing stock for the bottling side of the business in order to focus on these distilleries. A statement on their website reads: “The practice of filling spirit into casks at distilleries not owned by Gordon & MacPhail will stop in 2024 as the company’s long-term future will focus on whiskies from Benromach and The Cairn. The company retains extensive maturing stocks so whiskies carrying the Gordon & MacPhail name will continue for decades to come.”
Speaking to Whisky Magazine, Gordon & MacPhail's outgoing managing director Ewen Mackintosh said: “We've always had the philosophy of to complement and not compete. When I started in the business 30-plus years ago, we were bottling whiskies which weren't available from the distillery owner because they were very much used for blending... But 30 years on, every distillery is generally available in whisky retail with multiple expressions, so our space as an independent bottler to complement and not compete is dramatically changed. And then we don't want to be offering things which are directly in competition with official bottlings – that's never been part of our ethos and our relationships with the distillery companies.”
The world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky: Gordon & MacPhail 85 Years Old from Glenlivet Distillery to be released in October 2025 .
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.