When the esteemed independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail releases a new single malt, the whisky world tends to pay attention. This is certainly the case with the ‘Mr George Legacy’ series which represents some of the finest bottles from Gordon & MacPhail.
This latest release is the fourth edition of a series dedicated to George Urquhart, described as ‘the father of single malt whisky.’ George Urquhart, known as ‘Mr George’ by those he was close to, was the second generation of the family that continues to own Gordon & MacPhail to this day.
Mr Geogre Legacy 1958 from Glen Grant Distillery was laid down by ‘Mr George’ himself, who had a particular affinity with Glen Grant. This particular whisky was left to mature for 65 years in cask no.3818, a first-fill sherry butt designed and made to his particular specifications.
Bottled in November 2023 this limited release has an impressive cask strength of 56.5% and is priced at $9,000 with only 376 bottles available, with 60 heading across the pond to the US market.
“My grandfather had a particular affinity with Glen Grant Distillery,” says Stuart Urquhart, operations director at Gordon & MacPhail and fourth-generation family member. “Local to our home in Elgin, Mr George had a strong relationship with the owners and distillers. Through the decades he enjoyed experimenting with different casks to complement the distillery’s lighter spirit style.”
Thanks to over six decades of maturation, Mr George Legacy 1958 is a smooth, full-bodied whisky with sweet, warm spices on the nose. Seville orange peel, dark morello cherry and a hint of coffee can all be detected on the palate.
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“Back in the 1950s, the spirit would have been slightly smoky due to floor maltings and a small level of peat being used,” says Stuart Urquhart. “It’s a style rarely seen in today’s modern Speyside whiskies, giving this whisky a charred oakiness, balanced by long-term maturation in a Sherry cask made of European oak.”
The packaging and theme surrounding this particular release is ‘having the courage of one’s convictions’ and is symbolized by ‘The Lone Oak’. Deciding to age whisky for as long as necessary was an unusual path in George Urquhart’s time, this bottle celebrates sticking to principles and potentially going against the grain in the pursuit of perfection.
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Since its founding in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has built its reputation by releasing aged spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries, finding particular success maturing single malts for many decades in its own casks.
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Mr George Legacy 1958 tasting notes
Nose: Hints of molasses, stewed prunes and warm spices. A subtle aged leather also develops alongside oak and cocoa powder.
Palate: Smooth and full-bodied, there is Seville orange peel and dark morello cherry that gives way to notes of tobacco and coffee.
Finish: Long and balanced with a light hint of smoke.
This limited release is priced at $9,000 and is available from gordonandmacphail.com
