When Gordon & MacPhail cracks open its warehouse to blow the dust off a few casks, the whisky world tends to take note. It’s a habit that’s become more common thanks to the Recollection Series, with Gordon & MacPhail now releasing the third iteration. Each year, for the past three years, Gordon & MacPhail has released a selection of whiskies from closed or long-time-silent Scottish distilleries, allowing connoisseurs to get their hands on a piece of whisky history.
This latest release features a set of single malts, each bottled at cask strength from Rosebank, Glenlochy, Convalmore, Imperial, North Port and Port Ellen. This is all possible thanks to relationships Gordon & MacPhail formed decades ago, with many of the whiskies hidden for decades. They have had the Rosebank release maturing for 32 years, while the Glenlochy has been in their possession for 44 years.
“This year marks our third Recollection Series, which again brings a carefully chosen selection of rare and unique whiskies to enthusiasts worldwide,” said operations director at Gordon & MacPhail, Stuart Urquhart. “We’re fortunate enough to have access to a liquid library which is testament to the relationships we’ve nurtured with whisky distillers for almost 130 years. We’re proud to be able to revive the spirit of these historic distilleries, bringing their stories back into the present day.”
Positioned as ‘lost works of art’ these whiskies are presented in highly elevated packaging due to a collaboration with Emmy-award-winning artist Bruno Mangyoku. Mangyoku has captured the essence of each distillery in his own style, with the work decorating the packaging and also available to purchase separately.
“The brief for the third Recollection Series from Gordon & MacPhail was to bring back to life the forgotten distilleries of this year’s chosen releases and revive their former glory through illustration,” said Mangyoku. “It was a fantastic opportunity to take a deep dive into the industry’s rich history.”
Rosebank 1991
The youngest whisky in the third Gordon & MacPhail Recollections series dates back over three decades and comes from Rosebank distillery, with its history closely linked to the Forth & Clyde canal, which it sits next to. Thought to have been operating since 1817, from 1840 onwards the distillery prospered, in part thanks to it positioning along a vital artery that connected Glasgow and Edinburgh. This release is one of the oldest and rarest Rosebank single malts ever released.
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Nose: Samplers should expect floral aromas that mix with lime zest and a little milk chocolate. There’s also dried banana that comes through with an undertone of peanuts
Taste: Sweet honeycomb fades into subtle guava and passionfruit
Finish: There’s a medium-bodied finish with apple and tropical fruit.
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ABV: 51.2%
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Glenlochy 1979
As the oldest whisky in the collection, the Glenlochy 1979 is a truly special dram. The distillery dates back to 1898 and thrived thanks to being positioned ideally to transport whisky to Glasgow. The vast majority of the liquid Glenlochy produced was destined for blends, ensuring any whisky bearing its name is particularly rare.
Nose: Immediately orange tones transition into apple with a little ginger. Expect dried mango and honeycomb that fades to beeswax polish.
Taste: Tropical fruit like banana and pineapple mix with lemon sherbet and strawberry, with the sweetness of vanilla fudge and a little pecan.
Finish: The finish is full and smooth, featuring toasted almond and oak.
ABV: 53.%
Convalmore 1984
Heralding from the famous Dufftown, as the fourth of its famed seven stills, Convalmore opened in 1894. Its liquid was almost entirely dedicated to blends, so a Convalmore single malt is a rare thing indeed. Although the distillery expanded in 1964, it was mothballed back in 1985. This 39-year-old spirit captures the year just before the distillery closed for good, making it a particularly special release.
Nose: Aromas of rich treacle mix with cinnamon and a subtle beeswax. There’s also stewed raisin that fades to a sweet soft butterscotch.
Taste: a sharp clementine combines with forest fruit and toasted hazelnut. There’s also demerara sugar beside a hint of coffee bean and dried bananas.
Finish: Expect a full finish with black pepper and grapefruit.
ABV: 51.1%
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Imperial 1990
Constructed by Thomas Mackenzie in 1897, Imperial Distillery sat at the heart of Scotland’s fabled Speyside region. Mothballed only two years later in 1899, the distillery would open and close again several times throughout the 20th century before shutting its doors for good in 1998. A single malt that bears the Imperial name is a cherished piece indeed, this particular release has been matured in a Gordon & MacPhail cask for over three decades.
Nose: There are notes of rich orange that combine with brown sugar and peanut brittle. Elements of poached pear and clover honey merge to a bright pineapple.
Taste: There’s a zesty sweet lime and cocoa powder which is balanced by black pepper. Samplers should also expect green apple and chili spice.
Finish: The finish is full with tropical fruit and charred oak.
ABV: 52.7%
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North Port 1981
Located on Scotland’s east coast, this distillery — originally called Brechin Distillery — was founded by three brothers back in 1820 and remained in family ownership for over a century. Renamed North Port before it closed in 1928, the distillery would return following the Second World War, only to close again in 1983, and later be demolished.
Nose: There a levels of rich citrus which are complemented by red apple and butterscotch. Apricot jam blends with fragrant walnut and a hint of aged leather.
Taste: Tangerine zest blends with a little desiccated coconut and soft ginger. A sweetness of demerara sugar then leads to a mature oak.
Finish: The finish a medium medium-bodied and ends with a hint of Brazil nut.
Port Ellen 1981
Perhaps the most cherished of all closed distilleries, little gets whisky aficionados more excited than a bottle of Port Ellen. Founded back in 1825 on the Isle of Islay on Scotland’s west coast. John Ramsey would take over the lease in 1836, where it would remain in his family’s ownership until 1920 and close in 1930. The site reopened in 1967, before closing once again in 1983. The spirit from this distillery is cherished for its subtle distinctiveness ensuring a Port Ellen always carries a high price tag. To great acclaim, Port Ellen actually reopened in 2024, however, a mature bottle like this 1981, would be impossible to replicate.
Nose: There is a welcome dark chocolate that combines with ginger and cinnamon spice, before blackcurrant gives way to Medjool date and vanilla
Taste: Elements of fruitcake, head towards baked apples and sweet smoke, with peanut brittle detected alongside cherry and a spicy pepper.
Finish: The finish is long and full, leaving dried fruit and the embers of a bonfire.
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