If you’re serious about Scotch whisky, then you must know the name Gordon & MacPhail. Established in 1895, this family-run firm is perhaps the most renowned independent bottler of single malt whiskies in the world, with a long-standing symbiotic relationship with practically every established Scotch distillery. This close relationship stems from their early business model, which involved purchasing new-make spirit directly from distilleries and maturing it in their own casks. This foresight allowed them to amass an unparalleled library of rare and aged whiskies that dwarf the collections of most other independent bottlers.

Second-generation owner, George Urquhart was instrumental to the modern day popularity of single malt Scotch, promoting it at a time when the Scotch industry was only interested in blends.

Since there were very few companies with the same foresight as Gordon & MacPhail, many Scotch distilleries themselves see Gordon & MacPhail as a faithful friend and customer that continued to support them by purchasing their casks even during periods of downturn in the Scotch industry. During a recent interview with us, Gordon & MacPhail’s Stephen Rankin, a fourth generation son of the family business, fondly recalled the camaraderie felt by the Scotch community and Gordon & MacPhail, “[a distillery owner] speaks fondly of Gordon & MacPhail because there were times when, if it wasn’t for the contracts Gordon & MacPhail had for filling and sending Jura’s casks, Jura Distillery probably would have had to run silent, because the income kept things going.”

Read our interview with Director of Prestige Stephen Rankin: Inside Gordon & MacPhail’s Evolution: On The Art of Aging 80-Year Whisky

While this golden era of independent bottling might be slowly coming to an end, the party will still go on for quite a while as the firm continues to sit on a trove of rare aged Scotch. We shall continue to see the company's bottlings on shelves for the next 10 to 15 years.

On that note, we’ll be taking a look at the third edition of Gordon & MacPhail's high-end Recollection Series. This series focuses on a range of rare whiskies from closed or long-silent Scottish distilleries that were matured for many decades in Gordon & MacPhail's cellars and personally selected by members of the founding Urquhart family. The spirit is no longer produced (even if distilleries are recently “revived” under the same brand name) and they reflect a bygone era and a fascinating chapter in Scotch whisky history.

The third edition of the Recollection Series features the following six malt whiskies from closed distilleries:

• Rosebank 1991
• Glenlochy 1979
• North Port 1981
• Convalmore 1984
• Imperial 1990
• Port Ellen 1981

Artist Bruno Mangyoku was commissioned to design the packaging of each of these bottles around the theme of bringing back to life forgotten distilleries in colourful illustrations.

We got an opportunity to taste three of the six expressions from the Recollection Series #3 at La Maison du Whisky Singapore — namely, the 31 Years Old Rosebank 1991, the 44 Years Old Glenlochy 1979, and the 42 Years Old North Port. 

Rosebank 1991, Gordon & MacPhail Recollection Series #3, 51.2% ABV – Review

32 Years Old, first-fill bourbon barrel, 141 bottles only.

Rosebank Distillery, with its romantic name, was built in 1840 in the town of Falkirk by the Rankine family. It sits by the banks of the Forth-Clyde canal, and it was said that roses once grew in abundance along the water's edge, which inspired the distillery's name.

Rosebank's business initially flourished, its spirit highly regarded by both drinkers and blenders. The distillery has a unique combination of triple-distillation and worm tubs, a rarity in Scotland, contributed to its distinctive character of an estery, floral and aromatic spirit that is slightly more heavy-bodied on the palate compared to other Lowlands whiskies.

Rosebank Distillery resiliently ran almost without interruption since the 1800s, pausing briefly during the World Wars and surviving several periods of Scotch whisky crises. Yet, despite the high regard for the spirit, its fate was sealed by the authorities’ neglect of the canal which lay at its feet. As the canal fell into neglect, with unsightly decaying detritus and stagnant water, its owner, United Distillers, did not prioritise marketing Rosebank’s spirit. This ultimately led to the distillery's closure in 1993. This nostalgia for Rosebank’s spirit led to its revival under new management in 2024 with a grand fanfare.

The spirit we're tasting today is from the pre-revival period, bottled in 1991 and matured for 32 years in a first-fill bourbon barrel. 

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Gold

Nose: Rich, honeyed and crystalline. Opens with this rich tapestry of honey, maltose candy and vanilla cream, accented by a subtle orange peels and a distinct waxiness. With time, this evolves into caramel, butterscotch, graham cracker crumble, interwoven with polished wood. A hint of stewed spiced apple emerges, complemented by anise and clove.

The aroma continues to brighten as it goes, introducing fresh apple and pear notes, touch of Calvados, alongside a revitalising citrus and a persistent vanilla cream. Crystalline barley sugars and candied corn add a playful sweetness. It’s  a concentrated and heady bouquet that further deepens with swirls of dark caramel, cola syrup, sarsaparilla, a touch of black liquorice, and the herbal freshness of lemon balm. A growing presence of wax, camphor, and eucalyptus accented by delicate hints of meadow flowers, lavender powder and fresh linen.

There is an impressive longevity in the way these aromas maintain its richness throughout.

Palate: A medium-bodied yet flavourful. An initial fizziness reminiscent of lemon cough drops with honeyed sweetness intertwined with mint, lemon balm, eucalyptus and camphor. Leads into a crescendo of barley sugars and a candy cola-like sweetness with hints of sarsaparilla. After that peak, we get some delicate meadowy and grassy notes, some dried flowers and manuka honey.

Finish: Long, lingering with the honeyed, slightly herbaceous character of manuka honey and a delicate lemon perfume. As it fades, some wet grass and wax develop, alongside a very subtle hint of diesel and pepper. Gentle toasted oak qualities emerge then segues into a savoury, slightly teriyaki-like dimension along with plums, prunes, dry leather, mocha and a fading touch of dry lavender powder.

My Thoughts:

This is an elegant and powerful Rosebank, with a concentrated profile that unfolds beautifully. Honeyed and lemony notes dominate, giving us that quintessential Lowland experience, while the fizziness and citrus on the palate really evoke the elegant spirit of "whisky's champagne."

Despite its age, it also retains very a playful character with its crystalline sweetness and a refined elegance. I also adore that evocative floral whisper of lavender baby powder at the very end. 

Glenlochy 1979, Gordon & MacPhail Recollection Series #3, 53.2% ABV – Review

44 Years Old, refill American hogshead, 124 bottles only.

Next up, we have a dram from the enigmatic Glenlochy. Founded in 1898 on the banks of the River Nevis, almost all of its spirit was used for blending and thus no official bottlings were released during this Highland distillery’s lifetime. Any single malt expressions bearing the distillery's name is therefore very rare.

The distillery was strategically built shortly after the completion of the Western Highlands Railway, and allowed for easy transportation of the spirit south to Glasgow. Glenlochy was acquired by Diageo’s predecessor, which eventually closed Glenlochy in 1983, during a period of industry rationalisation and declining demand. The land it stood on was converted into a hotel.

Distilled in 1979, this whisky was aged for 44 years in an American refill hogshead.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Light amber.

Nose: Very rich, complex and exotic nose. It brims with spices yet retains a lovely freshness throughout. Initially, I get fresh plums and figs, followed by soft yellow bananas, passionfruit, tangerine peel and pink guava. A musky, aromatic layer of herbal notes intertwines with the fruit, reminiscent of old cologne and a well-worn leather armchair, eventually developing into the aroma of polished wood.

There's an intriguingly exotic and playful note of rose and mint jelly note in there too. The spices are deep, reminding me of a Turkish bazaar with rose water and rose-flavoured Turkish delight. Some notes of leather and espresso coffee.

Palate: Echoes the nose in many ways. The texture is initially oily, then lightens up and dissipates. Flavours of lemon drops and honey give way to tropical fruits like passionfruit and pink guava. This leads us into fresher notes of grass and lemon zest before turning towards mint, thyme, lemon balm, and even a hint of spearmint Fisherman's Friend.

Finish: Quite long with a deepening warmth. Walnut oil, leather and stewed fruits like plums, raisins and figs linger, accented by just a touch of cardamom. The aromatic polished woodiness persists, with a lasting heathery acacia note. Some milk chocolates and tangerine peel notes rounding things up.

My Thoughts:

This Glenlochy is phenomenal. The exotic aromatic notes on the nose and palate are really captivating, particularly the Turkish bazaar-like Turkish delight and spice blend that beautifully balances with those delightful tropical fruit notes while the muskiness, wood polish and acacia notes add further depth and complexity. It’s not often you see so much freshness and muskiness in one place.

This one really showcases the artistry of managing a cask over immensely long maturation periods that Gordon & MacPhail excels in. 

North Port 1981 (Brechin Distillery), Gordon & MacPhail Recollection Series #3, 50.9% ABV – Review

42 Years Old, refill American hogshead, 132 bottles only.

Finally, we come to North Port,. Founded in 1820 near the east coast of Scotland—and sitting near the site of Fettercairn Distillery—by three brothers, David, John and Alexander Guthrie, North Port Distillery is often also referred to by its original name of Brechin Distillery, both names often being used interchangeably its whisky.

North Port’s whisky was never officially bottled as a single malt during its lifetime due to the focus on blended whisky production, only bottled after it had been  However Diageo had it bottled for its Rare Malts series as well as for its Special Releases series under the name ‘Brechin’. The distillery was closed in 1983 and the site was demolished in 1994.

The renowned whisky writer Michael Jackson intriguingly described North Port’s whisky as ‘dry, fruity, gin-like’.

The whisky we’re tasting was distilled in 1981 and aged for 42 years in a refill American hogshead. Let’s give it a taste

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Yellow gold.

Nose: Quite malty with bright orchard fruits and floral accents. A bright and fresh opening with maltose candy and barley sugars intertwined with the gentle floral notes of lemon balm and white blossoms. Orchard fruits like apples and pears emerge, complemented by a subtle smokiness and a growing peppermint.

The malt character deepens with time, bringing a cereal gristiness and the creaminess of oats. Then fresh apricots and pears follow, reminiscent of a walk through an orchard in summertime with some meadow grassiness adding to the freshness before it gives way to some exotic sweetness of pink guava and kiwi.

Some woody, dried floral notes with a touch of heather smoke and a flinty edge, with a subtle aged leather accent.

Palate: It’s got a silky, almost oily texture that carries the maltiness from the nose. Sugared oats and maltose remain prominent, interwoven with herbal nuances of eucalyptus and camphor, some depths of manuka honey sweetness. A pleasant sweet waxiness develops, that slowly evolve into red fruit notes of stewed plums and prunes. Some soft tannins show, bringing some old leather and dry Amarone.

Finish: Long and somewhat drying with a pronounced spice. Anise and cinnamon build gradually with lingering maltose candy. Dry woody influences continue, interestingly reminiscent of European oak or a dry sherry cask (although this is a refill hogshead), with a touch of rancio. Dark chocolate and mocha notes before it all culminates in a zingy sensation on the tongue.

My Thoughts:

Can I say this is my favourite? Of the trio I've had the pleasure of tasting, this one boasts the most substantial palate, with this rich oily texture.

The nose is captivating with its maltiness and exotic notes of pink guava and kiwi though I most enjoyed the elegant evolution on the palate, revealing surprising nuances that remind me of European oak despite its maturation in a refill American oak hogshead.

Once again, here’s another testament to the magic of four decades of ageing; the balance is impeccable, with aromatic oak notes that simply wouldn't be present in a younger spirit. The dryness right at the end also seems to make Michael Jackson's description ring true – there’s an undeniable fruitiness yet counterbalanced by that idiosyncratic dry, gin-like zing right at the end.

Really a whisky that makes you think! 

@CharsiuCharlie