Gordon & MacPhail named Drinks Wholesaler of the Year

Gordon & MacPhail has been named Drinks Wholesaler of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards 2016.

The judges said the Elgin-based company, one of the UK’s top independent specialist wholesalers, “provides an all-round package which it delivers with high standards of service.”

Organised by Off Licence News, the Drinks Retailing Awards, held at The Dorchester in London on 2 February, brought together hundreds of leading retailers and key suppliers.

Established in 1895, and owned and managed by the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family, Gordon & MacPhail stocks 4,000 product lines, including more than 800 wines, a wide range of beers from Scottish microbreweries, ciders and premium spirits. The company also aims to stock every UK distillery bottling of Scotch Whisky available in the UK.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of UK Sales, who picked up the award, said: “We are delighted to win this award for the fourth time in five years.

“We have a skilled and dedicated team at Gordon & MacPhail and this award is testament to their hard work.

“We work closely with all our customers to ensure our service meets their needs and continually refresh our product portfolio to make sure we provide the best quality products on the market.”

Gordon & MacPhail employs 150 staff at its base in Elgin and has a 20-strong sales team that covers the length and breadth of the UK. The company operates wholly-owned and duty paid warehouses along with its own transport network, supplemented by courier.  

About Gordon & MacPhail

The family owned and managed firm of Gordon & MacPhail is located in Elgin, Scotland. The iconic retail shop on South Street still thrives today on the site where the business began in 1895. Since those early days the company has grown significantly and has business interests as a bottler, exporter, distiller and wholesaler.

As a wholesaler

Gordon & MacPhail is one of the UK’s leading independent specialist wholesalers and distributors, stocking over 4,000 products, including an extensive portfolio of wines, spirits and UK specialist beers and ciders.

As a bottler and exporter 

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with “new make” spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

The World’s Leading Malt Whisky Specialist, Gordon & MacPhail bottles more than 300 expressions of Single Malt Whisky under various ranges – selling them throughout the UK and exporting to more than 50 countries worldwide. In 2009 and 2013 the company won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

As a distiller 

Gordon & MacPhail owns Benromach Distillery located on the outskirts of Forres.  Established in 1898, the distillery went through many changes of ownership and closures before being “rescued” by Gordon & MacPhail, who purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

Photo Caption

(Left to right): Marcus Brigstocke, Comedian and awards presenter; Paul Seenan, Customer Marketing Manager, Maxxium UK; Fiona Fullarton, UK Sales Support Manager, Gordon & MacPhail; Stephen Rankin, Director of UK Sales, Gordon & MacPhail; Martin Green, Editor, Off Licence News.