NEWS. Issue No.47 AUTUMN

Transcription

1 Scotch Whisky NEWS Issue No.47 AUTUMN

2 CONTENTS 3-5 Generations Generations mortlach 75 years old Years of Liquid History 8-9 Speyside Cooperage The Wood Makes The Whisky New Products Distillery Profile Macduff A-Z of Whisky The wood makes the whisky. 18 Closed Distillery Brora 19 Where in the World? The wood makes the whisky. See pages GORDON & MACPHAIL The future is shaped by what is done today and today is represented by what has been done in the past. Nestled at the heart of Scotland s Speyside region, in the Royal Burgh of Elgin, the family firm of Gordon & MacPhail started from humble beginnings: initially established as a South Street Grocer in Time and continuity are great gifts, 120 years have allowed four generations of the Urquhart family to master the craft of carefully matching Scotland s individual distilleries new-make spirit with oak. Gordon & MacPhail has become one of the world s leading single malt whisky specialists, currently bottling more than 300 expressions of single malt whisky under various ranges and are the proud custodians of the largest selection of greatly aged whiskies in the world. Gordon & MacPhail s specially selected casks are sent to working distilleries to be filled with new-make spirit. These are then either left to mature at the distillery of origin or are brought back to bonded warehouses in Elgin to be carefully stowed. Samples are drawn regularly to determine when the whisky meets the firm s demanding standards: the perfect balance of oak and spirit. Then and only then will the whisky be bottled and presented for sale. On the 2 nd September 2015, Gordon & MacPhail released the latest edition to the Generations Range: Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail. Members of the third and fourth generation of the Urquhart family were joined by whisky writer, connoisseur, and occasional film star, Charles MacLean, alongside renowned Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith at the Royal Opera House in London, where, together, they unveiled the exclusive 75 years old whisky. Charles MacLean invited the assembled guests to join him in tasting the whisky. Carefully tended to by four generations of the Urquhart family, the Sherry butt numbered 2475 was filled at the Mortlach Distillery in November 1939 under the supervision of John Urquhart, the patriarch of the family. 75 years later, 100 decanters of the precious amber liquid - bottled at cask strength - have been released worldwide. Well known as the custodians of some of the oldest and rarest single malts available, Gordon & MacPhail relish in the opportunity to look back at 75 years of history and tradition that has culminated in the bottling of Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail. GENERATIONS 03

3 Mortlach distillery Rome was built on seven hills, but Dufftown stands on seven stills. The Mortlach Distillery, founded in 1823 soon after the passing of the Excise Act, was the first distillery to be built in Dufftown. The site chosen is reportedly that of a former illicit still that drew its water from the spring known as Highlander John s Well. In those days, indeed until relatively recently, the water used to make whisky was considered to have almost sacred properties and to influence the quality of the make. The distillery operates six stills of different shapes and sizes to complete a unique distillation process which distills the spirit 2.7 times. The complex equation includes the No.1 spirit still, known affectionately as the Wee Witchie, which is charged three times in each run. This, combined with the worm tubs used to condense the spirit, gives the whisky the complexity for which it is renowned. The spirit is ranked highly by blenders; however, its intricacy and elegance also makes the whisky suitable for longer ageing. The book Accompanying the Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is a book written by acclaimed whisky writer, Charles Maclean with the assistance of international bestselling author, Alexander McCall Smith. In Seven Nights with Mortlach the authors regale tales of Scotland, Scotch whisky, and the people behind the single malt. Also included in Seven Nights with Mortlach are seven original poems composed by Alexander McCall Smith written to accompany the decanter. It includes a series of poems reflecting relevant topics such as water, oak, and the year the cask was filled with new make spirit. Each poem is illustrated beautifully with special commissions by seven emerging Scottish based artists. All the artists David Lemm, Kate Cunningham, Rachel Hill, Michael Spiers, David Galletly, Deborah Pow, and Gavin Rutherford (aged thirty or under) were chosen for their mastery in their unique fields of printmaking, painting, illustration, and animation. Tasting notes Written by Charles MacLean Appearance: Mid-amber, with rubious lights. Aroma (Nat. Str.): Fresh and clean; very slight nose prickle: still lively. A highly perfumed, floral top note lily of the valley, barber s shop, scented hand cream, soft leather lady s dress handbag with a fruity complex in the middle (dried figs, pomegranate, ripe pear. peach juice); creamy vanilla (Crème Anglaise), even vanilla fudge, and a faint trace of coffee in the background. Aroma (@30% Vol): Water reduces the floral notes with scented oil (bath oil? Teak oil?), increases the soft leather note and dries out the aroma somewhat (warm sanded hardwood). Taste (Nat. Str.): Sweet to start, but not as sweet as expected; considerable fresh acidity and slightly mouth drying. Bitter almonds. A most unusual trace of hemp ropes and very faded creosote, lending a slight smokiness. A medium-length finish, leaving an attractive aftertaste of sandalwood. Taste (@30% Vol): Lightly sweet; slightly oily texture; mouth drying; then slightly bitter finish. Some spice across the tongue. Warming, even at this lower strength. Cask:: 1st fill Sherry butt Comment: A most unusual taste never before encountered. Smooth and highly sophisticated elegant as a grande dame the Ingrid Bergman of malts! The packaging The latest addition to the Generations Range is beautifully presented in the iconic teardrop-shaped Generations decanter. Each decanter is uniquely numbered and skilfully handcrafted with 75 multi-level cuts representing a year of the whisky s maturation. The decanter nestles on an elegant white presentation plinth, delicately sculpted with ripples to resemble the movement of the water used to create this whisky in Two crystal glasses, uniquely designed for the enjoyment of this exclusive single malt, sit either side of the decanter. Completing the presentation is a luxury travel holdall. Handmade using the finest Aniline leather, the holdall is finished with exquisite detailing and during use the leather will develop a rich patina, aging in a way that will be as individual as the owner. Discover more about Gordon & MacPhail, the Generations Range, and Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail by visiting Charles Maclean Alexander McCall Smith GENERATIONS 04 GENERATIONS 05

4 120 years of liquid History s s Gordon & MacPhail Family Grocers, Tea, Wine, and Spirit Merchants open doors to their New, Centrical, and Commodious Premises. Gordon & MacPhail develops relationships with Spanish bodegas and Scottish distillery owners. The company imports Sherry in casks for later bottling and sale. As a result, this gives the firm access to high quality seasoned casks which are sent to be filled at various distilleries. This is the beginning of the whisky broking business which allowed Gordon & MacPhail to bottle whisky under licence for several famous distilleries, including The Glenlivet Moray Brand, a blended whisky, is launched exclusively by Gordon & MacPhail. The Scotch whisky industry experiences several decades of turmoil, starting in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I. In 1929, the world economy is affected once again by The Great Depression. The whisky industry takes additional hits, first with The North American Prohibition followed soon after by the Second World War. One of the issues facing the distilling industry during the World Wars is the rationing of barley. During World War II, the Mortlach Distillery, one of a few distilleries allowed to remain open, produces whisky for two purposes: to be exported as currency for the war effort, and secondly, to produce alcohol to be used in explosives. Rationing means a limited supply of barley is available for distillation. To compound the issue, the amount of whisky allocated for sale in the home market goes from 100% in 1939 down to 50% during wartime and decreases even further to its lowest levels 20% in John and George continue to support the local economy by filling casks throughout these challenging times. Clear whisky (spirit matured in virgin casks for three years) is popular with the overseas crowds although the taste for sherried whisky is growing. The Sixties and Seventies witness an upsurge for the whisky industry often referred to as the Golden Age of Scotch Whisky. It is also during this time that a discovery is made by the Urquharts: warehousing matters. Filled casks were often left to mature at the distillery of filling; however, other casks from the same filling were returned to the Gordon & MacPhail bonded warehouses. It is while sampling the various casks that George and Ian realise climate and location have an impact on a whisky s rate of maturation s 1980 s s Experiments begin with wood finishes. For the first time, new-make spirit is allowed to wholly mature in brandy, port, and wine casks. Unfortunately, the Golden Age leads to an overproduction of whisky and, with the number of markets limited, many long running distilleries are mothballed. Taking the mantle of Custodians seriously, the firm continues to support the local economy, filling casks, and buying whiskies. The Urquhart family succeeds in fulfilling a family ambition to become distillers. Benromach Distillery in Forres is bought, carefully re-equipped drawing upon generations of expertise in the whisky industry and officially reopened by HRH Prince Charles in The Naughties introduces the world to the Private Collection Range: a pioneering development in whisky maturation. Encouraged by the success of wood finishes, Gordon & MacPhail chooses to experiment using two particular styles of whisky matured in specific casks finishes. The chosen whiskies are Imperial from Speyside and Caol Ila, an Islay whisky. These are filled at the same time into Cognac, Calvados, and Claret casks and left to mature until they are bottled early in the new century. Gordon & MacPhail wins the prestigious Queen s Award for Enterprise. Gordon & MacPhail releases the oldest whisky ever bottled, Generations Mortlach 70 Years Old. Following the success of the first Generations bottling, the company releases Generations Glenlivet Years Old. HRH The Princess Royal visits the Elgin premises to present Gordon & MacPhail s second Queen s Award for Enterprise. Four rare and unique single malts are released under the Private Collection Ultra Range. A new era of exclusive whiskies begins with the release of Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail s Early in his career, George had been dubbed eccentric by his peers because he adopted the approach of maturing his whiskies longer than usual. He now takes the unprecedented step and launches the Connoisseurs Choice Single Malt Range. This new range allows an opportunity to explore single malts normally used to create blends. Urquhart family members who have worked for Gordon & MacPhail 1895 John Urquhart 1933 George Urquhart 1967 Ian Urquhart 1972 David Urquhart 1980 s Michael Urquhart & Rosemary Rankin 2000 Stephen Rankin 2002 Neil Urquhart 2008 Stuart Urquhart 2009 Richard Urquhart 2013 Laura Anderson 2013 Jenny Houldsworth 2014 Suzy Bearne 120 Years of liquid history years of liquid history 07

5 speyside cooperage and cask ends that cannot be repurposed into new casks are sold and used by artisans to create furniture and other artistic/functional pieces; the remainder, unusable, bits are used as firewood. Imagine roasting marshmallows over a fire smelling like Sherry matured whisky! STAGES OF BUILDING A CASK Using a metal hoop and between staves, the cooper alternates broad and narrow staves in the hoop until there are no gaps. A second hoop, placed a quarter of the way up the bulge, holds the staves in place. Staves are squeezed together and the remaining hoops are added. Strong and swift hammer strokes secure the hoops. The cask is charred to the specification of the distiller. Cask ends are added. The cask is made watertight by using a reed called flagging (similar to thatch) from the River Ouse. Earlier this year, we were fortunate to have a behind the scenes, exclusive look into the Speyside Cooperage. Located just outside of Craigellachie (pronounced Craig- ELL-a-chie) in Moray, it is the only British cooperage open to the public. Established in 1947 by the Taylor family; the Speyside Cooperage was sold to the family-owned French firm of Tonnellerie François Frères in At the time of our visit, there were sixteen experienced coopers and six apprentices working onsite. Using traditional tools and methods, the coopers build new casks and refurbish old ones. They are paid by piece and can complete, on average, three casks per hour. These casks are shipped all over the world; however, many remain in Scotland to be used for maturing Scotch whisky. For over 2000 years, mankind has used wooden casks to transport and store innumerable materials. Because of their shape they are easy to move - even when filled with weight; the durability of wood makes casks ideal for long term storage and reuse. Oak casks are especially prized in the whisky industry as they are ideal for maturing whiskies the oak is sturdy enough to prevent seepage and yet porous enough to allow the whisky to breathe. Of the multitude of varieties of oak available, whisky casks are usually made out of American Oak or European Oak trees. At Gordon & MacPhail, we are driven to ensure the casks we use are of the highest quality. We use three sizes of casks regularly: the hogshead and butt frequently originally filled with Sherry; and the barrel most often originally filled with bourbon. It is in producing and refurbishing this last cask, the barrel, where we work closely with the Speyside Cooperage. In addition to refurbishing used casks, the Cooperage also builds new casks from scratch using American Oak. The US branch of the Speyside Cooperage, located in Kentucky harvests the year old oak trees; the wood is then cut, shaped into staves, aged for at least a year before being shipped to Scotland. In addition to building these new virgin casks, the Speyside Cooperage reworks and refurbishes old, used casks previously filled with bourbon, Sherry, brandy, wine, or whisky. The used casks received at the Cooperage vary in size and variety of oak. These can be classified into three states: good, rebuilding required, and those that cannot be reused affectionately known as shifters. Many of the casks are broken down and rebuilt by the experienced coopers using traditional methods. Shifters, however, are recycled in a variety of manners: the metal can be scrapped; staves The job of a cooper is highly skilled and requires a fouryear apprenticeship On average the Cooperage works on 100, ,000 casks a year; at peak capacity, the Cooperage has held as many as 250,000 casks on site. Heat transforms flavourless wood compounds into rich aromatic compounds that can be extracted during the whisky maturation process. The temperature level and length of time that a cask is fired can vastly alter the flavour profile of the whisky. speyside cooperage 08 speyside cooperage 09

6 Introducing the wood makes the whisky. A good cask is one that delivers what you want it to deliver. From branch to barrel, we aim to deliver a perfectly matured whisky time and again. For over one hundred and twenty years Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit with oak. This interaction is the key point in the maturation process, where oak cradles spirit until it is ready to be released as single malt Scotch whisky. We have learned from our vast experience that the wood makes the whisky. Managing a portfolio of casks is a complex business. We have honed our expertise over generations allowing us to fully understand how the different styles of spirit produced by Scotland s individual distilleries matures in cask. At the very heart of our business lies the sample room, its contents the sum of over a century of experience in maturing and bottling the finest Scotch whisky. Our unrivalled collection is a liquid library of distilleries, age profiles, and whisky character. These exceptional snapshots in time are not heirlooms or there to impress. They exist to help inform and shape our future decision making. Referring back to these unique expressions of the past ensures that our legacy of great whiskies can continue. Each future sample we place on our shelves becomes a valuable piece of history. It is this cask curation that allows us to consistently deliver our range of perfectly matured whiskies. Our maturation management creates complex, balanced, and subtle single malts, which will only carry the Gordon & MacPhail name when ready. Our The wood makes the whisky. campaign provides a rare insight into Gordon & MacPhail s philosophy in matching wood to spirit. The perfect match of spirit and oak Our skilfully coopered casks, which have previously held bourbon or Sherry, deliver a full spectrum of flavour compounds: from sweet, vanilla, and tropical fruit notes to rich toffee, dark chocolate, and spice notes. The array of flavours derived from wood is abundant across the Gordon & MacPhail portfolio with each whisky demonstrating its own unique flavour profile reflecting both the distillery character and the cask type. Matching wood to spirit is at the very heart of Gordon & MacPhail and The wood makes the whisky. campaign provides you with a rare and detailed insight into this philosophy. Our website explains: how we choose the right casks to transform our specially selected clear new-make spirit; how we monitor cask activity to bottle at the point where the wood and spirit flavours are perfectly balanced; our find your perfect match tool will help you to discover what whisky suits you best based on your preferred spirit character and cask type. We have highlighted six perfect profile combinations in our New Products section (overleaf). the wood makes the whisky 10 the wood makes the whisky 11

7 new products CONNOISSEURS CHOICE CAOL ILA % DISTILLERY LABEL GLENTAUCHERS % CONNOISSEURS CHOICE INCHGOWER % The wood makes Initially sweet cured meat aromas with hints of ripe banana and fruit cake. The palate is sweet and spicy with orange zest and pineapple flavours. An underlying peat smoke edge develops and lingers. Sherry influences with pear and stewed plum aromas, a hint of liquorice develops. The palate has chilli spice with orange zest, red apple and kiwi flavours. Delicate Sherry influences with fresh pineapple and peach aromas. The palate is mouth warming with ripe banana and orange flavours. The finish is creamy with a milk chocolate edge. the whisky. MACPHAILS COLLECTION GLENTURRET % CONNOISSEURS CHOICE TOMATIN % CONNOISSEURS CHOICE STRATHMILL % Rich Sherry influences with stewed apple, kiwi and orange zest notes. The palate is peppery with toffee, ripe banana and rhubarb flavours. A lingering charred oak edge develops. Sweet vanilla with apricot, banana and blueberry aromas. A subtle trace of smoke develops. The palate is sweet and creamy with orange, apple and milk chocolate flavours. Sweet vanilla with hints of honey and green apple aromas. The palate is peppery initially with ripe banana, orange and milk chocolate flavours. new products 12 new products 13

8 Distillery profile Macduff There are two similarities between the Brora Distillery [page 18] and the distillery located in Macduff: both have experienced name changes and have their whisky bottled under different names. In its brief 53 year history, the distillery s name has vacillated between Macduff and Glen Deveron and, indeed, the Macduff distillery, as it is currently known today, bottles its whisky spirit under the Glen Deveron label. For bottlers such as ourselves, however, the whisky produced by this distillery is bottled and sold as Macduff. TASTING NOTES CONNOISSEURS CHOICE MACDUFF 2000, 46% Colour: Dark Straw. without WATER Nose: Stewed pear and peach aromas with a touch of sweet vanilla. Sweet honey with a subtle aniseed note. Palate: Sweet and peppery with green apples and a dark chocolate edge. THE FACTS MACDUFF DISTILLERY Owner: John Dewar & Sons ltd - Bacardi Established: Founded in 1958, production began in 1962 Original Water Source: Local springs and the Gelly Burn Malting Capacity: None Like so many of the towns and villages peppering the coastal nooks and crannies of North-East Scotland, Macduff has a rich seafaring history. In comparison to some of these other Scottish communities however, Macduff is relatively young: granted burgh status in 1783 it became the hub of the area s fishing industry. The town s maritime heritage continues today, being the only place in the UK where the tradition of building deep-water wooden fishing boats is kept alive and boasting the fascinating Macduff Marine Aquarium. Macduff Distillery, namesake of the town where it was built, is a 50 minute drive east of Elgin. Located on the bank of the River Deveron, the distillery sits upriver from a picturesque seven arched bridge connecting the neighbouring towns of Macduff and Banff. It is only fitting that a relatively young town would host a relatively young distillery. In 1958, The Glen Deveron Distillers Limited - a group of local business men started building Macduff distillery. Whisky production began in 1962 and ten years later, the distillery was sold to William Lawson Distillery Ltd. Eight years later William Lawson was purchased by Martini & Rossi, which became part of Bacardi International in Today, Macduff Distillery is managed by John Dewars & Sons, a subsidiary of Bacardi International, along with four other distilleries: Aberfeldy, Royal Brackla, Aultmore, and Craigellachie. Today s spirit has predominantly malty cereal aromas, with a hint of grassy and fruity notes. The tonne mash is emptied into one of the nine stainless steel washbacks. Liquid yeast is added to the cloudy wort which can ferment - depending on the day of the week for 48 to 55 hours. This wash is then double distilled by the copper potstills into the clear new-make spirit. The traditional distillery has undergone many changes over the years, at one time having a cooperage and bottling plant on site. Today, the whisky spirit is shipped in tankers to a warehouse in central Scotland where it is disgorged into barrels and left to mature. Scotland s first distillery to use a metal mash tun; it is also one of the first to use steam coils in the stills and again to lag the stills for energy conservation. These pioneering approaches are now standard in many of today s distilleries. Additionally, did you know that Macduff distillery has an uneven number of stills with the unusual combination of two wash stills and three spirit stills; has an unusual condenser set up: the wash stills condensers are horizontal while those of the spirit stills are vertical; is situated on the eastern edge of the Speyside region, and is classified as a Highland single malt; has visitor platforms around the stills but are not open to the public; is still a major component of the William Lawson Blend. with WATER Nose: Hints of ripe banana, pineapple and mango. Sweet honey notes develop with a touch of dried apricot. Palate: Creamy with fresh fruit flavours, lime, banana and grapefruit. A delicate charred oak edge lingers. Body: Light. Finish: Fairly short with a light fruitiness. Cask Type(s): Refill Sherry Hogshead. Whisky Style: Aperitif. Malt Source: Bairds & Simpsons Malt Storage Capacity: 6 x 28.5 tonnes Mill Type: Buhler mill Grist Storage: 2 hoppers which can each store 6.75 tonnes Mash Tun Construction: Stainless steel lauter design Mash Size: 6,750 tonne No. of Wash Backs: 9 stainless steel wash backs with conical top and bottoms and switchers Wash Back Capacity: 44,000 litres Yeast: Liquid yeast No. of Wash Stills: 2 Wash Still Charge: 15,000 litres Heat Source: Gas boilers Wash Still Shape: Potstills No. of Spirit Stills: 3 (yes three - very unusual!) Spirit Still Charge: 16,200 litres Spirit Still Shape: Potstill without boiling bubbles. Lye arms have slight incline into the condensers Current Annual Distillery Output: 3.4 million litres of spirit over 48 weeks distillery profile 14 distillery profile 15

9 the a-z of whisky The definitive whisky directory, as told by the world s leading malt whisky specialist. Bung How is spirit filled into the cask? Holes are drilled into the bilge point (the widest part) of a cask into which, the spirit is pumped. The bung is a wooden stopper inserted into the aforementioned bung hole to seal the cask, pounded in with the assistance of a bung hammer. Hessian bung cloth is often used to create a tighter seal between the cask and the bung. Prior to the 1980s cork was the material choice: known as soft bungs these were prone to leaking, and as the name might imply, easier to remove. Hard bungs made of oak or poplar gained popularity, eventually becoming the standard choice in the industry today. Brora In 1819, a two still distillery was built outside the coastal town of Brora located in the Scottish county of Sutherland in the Highland region. Originally named Clynelish, the little distillery could produce 45,000 litres of spirit per year. It was renamed Brora in 1969, two years after the larger Clynelish Distillery was built on an adjacent site. The two distilleries worked side by side, both drawing water from Clynemilton Burn, and producing spirit from identically shaped stills. Bourbon Bourbon is a whiskey spirit made only in the United States; the term bourbon can be traced back to the early 1800s. This American whiskey is made with a number of cereals; however, its prime component (stipulated minimum 51%) is corn (maize). As with Scotch whisky, the distillation and maturation of bourbon are strictly regulated: the alcohol by volume is controlled at distillation, disgorging, and bottling,; and all bourbon spirit must be aged years in fresh, unused oak casks. These virgin casks are heavily charred, which is a process that opens up the wood grain to speed up maturation. This gives the spirit a highly distinctive, sweet, aromatic character along with a vibrant colour. At Gordon & MacPhail, we frequently use casks that have previously held American bourbon whiskey. Bourbon-matured Scotch whiskies carry flavours which can be derived from both the wood type and previous spirit matured in the cask. Typically, whisky matured in bourbon barrels will present a base of vanilla sweetness, vibrant and light aromas, with fresh tropical fruits and beautiful ethereal top notes on the palate. Butt A butt is a cask usually made of European Oak and almost exclusively ex-sherry. A butt holds 500 litres, is twice the size of a hogshead and four times the size of a barrel. It is the second largest in cask size (next to the puncheon) but has the smallest surface area per litre which makes the butt ideal for slow maturation. This smaller surface means less spirit is in direct contact with the cask and, as the whisky matures it develops less woody, more complex tobacco, fig, and spice flavours. The epitome of this long and slow maturation process is the latest Gordon & MacPhail release. The new-make spirit of the Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail, featured on the front cover, was filled into cask no a Spanish oak, ex-bodega Sherry butt at Mortlach Distillery in Dufftown. The instructions for this filling came from John Urquhart on the 17th of November 1939; this butt was nurtured and cared for by four generations of the Urquhart family. A-z of whisky 16 a-z of whisky 17

10 Closed Distillery Brora The distillery was originally the brainchild of the 2nd Marquess of Stafford (later 1st Duke of Sutherland) who, like many Scottish landowners at that time, was looking to support tenants displaced by the Highland Clearances and dissuade illegal whisky distillation: a very profitable industry with over illicit stills impounded in Located in proximity to the town of Brora and the Marquess other new financial investment, the colliery, the distillery used two local resources: tenants cereal crops and Brora coal. Both the colliery and distillery saw ups and downs over the next 140 years; however, the distillery continued to use the local coal until it was converted to electricity in the 1960s. During the first 87 years of the distillery s life, the Dukes of Sutherland leased the Clynelish (Brora) distillery in succession to four separate families, until it was sold outright to James Ainslie & Co. in Considerable improvements were made to the distillery during this time a new malt kiln, copper stills, and warehouses were added many of these are attributed to the last lease holders and the remainder were built by James Ainslie. In 1912, after some financial difficulties, James Ainslie & Co. sold half the distillery to James Risk and the other half to The Distillers Co. Ltd. (D.C.L.). After a brief investment from John Walker in 1916, D.C.L. was the sole owner by 1930, transferring the ownership to its subsidiary Scottish Malt Distillers, Ltd. (S.M.D.) the majority of whose assets are now part of Diageo. The small Clynelish (Brora) distillery fell silent between the years of , due, in part, to the depression that spread across the globe. It resumed production briefly only to close its doors in 1941 because of government imposed restrictions on barley during the Second World War. Whisky production resumed at Clynelish in late 1945 and the whisky produced was popular for use in blends. In order to keep up with the demand for Clynelish, a new six still distillery was built over the road. The two distilleries ran in tandem briefly in 1968 producing spirit loosely differentiated as Clynelish A (new) and Clynelish B (old) before the old distillery shut down its stills. Fate, however, had other plans for the little distillery when a drought on Islay crippled production of heavily peated whisky used in popular whisky blends. S.M.D. made the decision to reopen the distillery and used it to distil a smokier spirit to make up for the Islay shortage. As Customs and Excise would not allow for both distilleries to operate under the same name, the older, smaller distillery was renamed Brora and the whisky it produced was nicknamed The Lagavulin of the North. In the early 70s, with the production of Islay malt back on track, the peat levels were reduced to make the Brora spirit fall in line with the traditional Highland malts. Brora was mothballed for the last time in May 1983; however, the distillery itself is still intact and the historic site is protected as a listed building. In theory, the Brora distillery could fire up her stills one day and start producing One can only hope. TASTING NOTES RARE OLD BRORA % Colour: Pale Gold. without WATER Nose: Fragrant green apple aromas enhanced with lemon and lime and subtle menthol notes. A sweetness develops with hints of milk chocolate. Palate: White pepper, ripe banana, blueberry and cardamom spice flavours are complemented by an underlying peat smoke edge. with WATER Nose: Subtle vanilla with fresh green apple, pear and orange notes complemented by hints of Parma violets. Palate: Peppery with hints of banana, dark chocolate and orange zest. An undertone of dried tobacco is present. Body: Light to Medium. Finish: Medium in length, smooth and creamy with traces of smoke. Cask Type(s): Refill Sherry Puncheon. Whisky Style: A mouth watering rare old Highland dram. Where in the world? Country Festival / Event City Date(s) Australia Oak Barrel Whisky Festival Sydney 21 st -22 nd August 2015 Denmark Copenhagen Whisky Festival Copenhagen 11 th -12 th September 2015 Sweden Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival Stockholm 24 th -26 th September 2015 France Whisky Live Paris Paris 26 th -28 th September 2015 USA Indie Spirits Chicago, IL 30 th September 2015 Sweden Stockholm Beer and Whisky Fesitval Stockholm 1 st -3 rd October 2015 Netherlands Pot Still Amersfoort 2 nd -4 th October 2015 Italy Cento Vini Monza 5 th October 2015 Ireland Whisky Live Dublin Dublin 24 th October 2015 Hungary Budapest Whisky Show (Whisky.Net) Budapest 7 th November 2015 Netherlands Whisky Live Den Hague The Hague 13 th -15 th November 2015 Canada New Brunswick Whisky Festival Fredericton, NB 18 th -21 st November 2015 Canada Whiskies of the World St John s, NL 26 th November 2015 Switzerland Whisky Ship Zurich Zurich 26 th -29 th November 2015 Germany Inter Whisky Frankfurt 27 th -29 th November 2015 Canada Victoria Whisky Festival Victoria, BC 14 th -17 th January 2016 Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: All images, photographs, logos and copy are owned by Gordon & MacPhail or are licensed to Gordon & MacPhail. They may not be reproduced or copied without the written consent of Gordon & MacPhail. Photographs are by Paul Watt Photography, John Paul Photography, Graham Vaughan Photography and Gordon & MacPhail photographer. Gordon & MacPhail George House Boroughbriggs Road Elgin Moray IV30 1JY T F E [email protected] Gordon & MacPhail is the trading name of Speymalt Whisky Distributors Ltd. closed distillery 18 where in the world 19

11 The wood makes the whisky. or over 120 years, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit with oak. This interaction is the key moment in the maturation process, where our Fmeticulously crafted casks hold a spirit until it is ready to be released as single malt Scotch whisky. We have learned from our vast experience that The wood makes the whisky. It is our unique skill in spirit selection, coupled with our expert cask curation, which allows us to consistently deliver a range of perfectly matured whiskies, from eight to seventy five years old. PLEASE ENJOY GORDON AND MACPHAIL WHISKIES RESPONSIBLY.