Gordon & MacPhail toasts Young Person’s Guarantee Employer status

– The family-owned business achieved the accolade as a result of high-quality employment opportunities and career support for young people –

Family-owned premium spirits company, Gordon & MacPhail, has been named a Young Person’s Guarantee Employer after an assessment period which looked in detail at the support the company offers to young people and the career opportunities it provides those aged 16 – 24 years old.

The accolade, awarded in December 2021, is the latest demonstration of Gordon & MacPhail’s commitment to become one of the best places to work in the local area for employees and young people. The company, which has long been a Scottish Living Wage employer and has worked alongside Developing the Young Workforce to provide foundation and graduate apprenticeships in recent years, has also created its first modern apprenticeships.

As part of the application process Gordon & MacPhail made several commitments to support young people in the local area start a new career in the whisky industry. Over the next 12 months, the family-owned company will offer seven modern apprenticeships, collaborate with schools and colleges to introduce more young people to the opportunities available to them, and offer further foundation apprenticeships.

Alongside the apprenticeships which cover many aspects of the business, from working in the distillery through to working in specialist roles such as finance or international sales, or within the operations team, Gordon & MacPhail also provides young people with career mentors. Supporting those still in education, Gordon & MacPhail also offers mock interview support and employability skills at partner schools, helping young people to consider their skills and interests and identify new career opportunities.

Maya McNeil, one of the young people employed, starts with Gordon & MacPhail early this year as an International Sales Admin Assistant and commented: “I was attracted to join Gordon & MacPhail because it is a long established, well-known business which has excellent values. Because it is a local business, it was accessible to me and meant that I could continue staying in the area. If the role at Gordon & MacPhail was not available to me, I would have most likely have had to move to a larger city to find more career opportunities.”

Jodie Clayton, from the HR team at Gordon & MacPhail, said: “It’s particularly important to us at Gordon & MacPhail to create a diverse workforce that provides opportunities to people from all backgrounds and skillsets. There is a misconception that young people need to move away to a big city to pursue an exciting career, however we want to show that this isn’t the case, and that there’s a wealth of opportunity and talent to learn from in the local area if you know where to look.

“We have long been committed to developing our young workforce, now adding the introduction of modern apprenticeships to go alongside our existing foundation and graduate apprenticeships. Achieving the Young Persons Guarantee employer accolade demonstrates our commitment to continue to provide opportunities for our future workforce and ensure we are an employer of choice.”

Libby Hunt, one of the young people employed by Gordon & MacPhail in the last year, commented: “I was attracted to Gordon & MacPhail because of their distinct reputation as a local, family-owned business with strong roots in the community. Within the business there are a lot of experienced workers who are ready and willing to share knowledge and help me find my feet, which has been very reassuring for someone starting their first full-time job.”

Aimee Stephen, Business Liaison, Developing the Young Workforce, commented: “It is important for organisations like Gordon and MacPhail to invest in young people, as they are our future workforce. Employers need to capture people at a young age and inspire them on what their business and Moray has to offer, something which Gordon & MacPhail has been an advocate of. Over the years, Gordon & MacPhail has done an extensive amount of work within Moray schools to better prepare young people, including supporting Foundation Apprenticeship placements and creating career card resources to use at career fairs. The manufacturing industry in Moray is a fantastic place for young people to develop and grow and Gordon & MacPhail is a great supporter of helping individuals achieve exactly that through various upskilling opportunities”.

The news comes after Gordon & MacPhail announced strong profits for the financial year 20-21, with total sales increasing by 1% to £34.1 million from £33.7m and pre-tax profit growing from £9.8m to £13.9m. Continuing to invest for the future, Gordon & MacPhail is not only dedicating resource to training the next generation of the whisky industry but is also gearing up to launch a new distillery, The Cairn, in Grantown-on-Spey in summer 2022.

For more information about Gordon & MacPhail visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.

About Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail, a fourth-generation family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Renowned as a Scotch whisky maturation expert, the business also owns Scotch whisky distillery, Benromach, on the outskirts of Forres, and The Cairn Distillery near Grantown-on-Spey.

Scottish Gin brand, Red Door was added to the portfolio in 2018 and Gordon & MacPhail is the operator of a wholesale business in the United Kingdom selling premium Scotch whiskies and spirits. A high-quality retail outlet in Elgin, continues to serve locals and visitors alike, since 1895, when the business was established. www.gordonandmacphail.com.

Sotheby’s Inaugural Spirits Sale in France Now Open for Bidding, Featuring Rare Japanese and Scotch Whiskies

OPEN FOR BIDDING UNTIL 21 JANUARY 2022

PARIS & LONDON, 13 JANUARY 2022 – Bidding is now open on Sotheby’s inaugural spirits auction in France, the first of a regular series of spirits sales in Continental Europe, following the successful launch of wine auctions in France in 2021.

Leading the sale is a bottle of the magnificent The Yamazaki 50 Year Old, offered at auction for the first time in over two years, alongside a curated assortment of The Macallan, including The Fine & Rare series, arguably the most sought-after and collectible Scotch whisky series ever bottled. Comprising 11 lots with a combined pre-sale estimate in excess of €500,000, Fine & Rare Whisky | The Inaugural Spirit Sale in France will close for bidding at 1pm CET on 21 January.

Amayès Aouli, Head of Auction Sales for Continental Europe, Sotheby’s Wine, said: “We are continuing to see strong growth in the Spirits market, as demonstrated by our global sales of $21 million in 2021. Our expansion to hosting regular spirits sales in Continental Europe will add France as an important centre for collectors around the world. This opening will also provide European collectors of Spirits in general, and Whisky in particular, with the greatest access to the global market. Using the same vision as our inaugural wine sale, this auction is composed of the rarest bottles from two of the most prestigious distilleries in the world: Yamazaki and Macallan.”

The Yamazaki 50 Year Old was the oldest Japanese whisky ever bottled upon its release. This edition, the third, is one of only 150 bottles released in 2011, making it one of the rarest of Japanese whiskies (est. €200,000-300,000). The Yamazaki Distillery was established in 1923, becoming Japan’s first malt whisky distillery. Since its humble beginnings, the distillery has gone on to be one of the most popular and sought-after across the world and due to its rich history and careful management, it now has the ability to bring out exceptionally long-aged releases. Having spent over half a century in the finest Japanese Mizunara oak casks, the spirit is deep and rich, with a luxurious spice imparted from the wood. The bottle itself is etched with exquisite detail on the front, and comes housed in a handmade dark wooden box, separating it from the first two releases.  Complementing the Japanese component of the sale, a rare The Yamazaki 25 Year Old is being offered (est. €5,500-8,000).

From Scotland, the sale is made up with highly coveted bottles from The Macallan, ranging in age from 21 years to over 78 years old. The Macallan 50 Year Old in Lalique is the first edition of the Six Pillars Collection, originally released in 2005. The first and most highly coveted release from the series, only 470 decanters were produced. With not one, but two of these extraordinarily rare whiskies included in this auction, the sale offers an opportunity to complete the Lalique Collection in the form of the most difficult to obtain release of them all (each estimated at €65,000-95,000).

In addition, is a more recent release which also happens to be the oldest bottle of The Macallan ever brought to market, The Macallan The Red Collection 78 Year Old, released in 2020. Part of the Red Collection, a six-bottle series, this whisky is housed in a wooden presentation case constructed using the same wood to make The Macallan casks, with each bottle hand numbered (est. €80,000-120,000).

Completing the sale is no less than six bottles from The Macallan Fine & Rare series, dating back to 1937 (est. €26,000-35,000) and as old as 49 years (est. €26,000-38,000). The series is considered amongst the most desirable of all Scotch whiskies and very few collectors own the complete set. Sotheby’s set the world record price for a bottle of whisky when a bottle of The Macallan Fine & Rare 60 Year Old 1926 was sold for $1.9 million in 2019.

Let’s Celebrate Some Recent Wins!

At the same time, the 2022 World Whiskies Awards winners were announced and included:

MacNair’s Lum Reek 12 yo
GlenAllachie 12 yo
Port Askaig 25 yo

Bringing home wins from the 2021 Whisk(e)y and Barrel Nite Consumer Choice Awards:

Gold Winners:
Ardnamurchan Small Batch
Kilchoman Sanaig
GlenAllachie 15 yo
Gouden Carolus
Penderyn Rich Oak
The ImpEx Collection 3 yo M&H Cask

Consumers’ Choice, Gold Winners:
The ImpEx Collection 2006 14 yo Glen Elgin
Port Askaig 8 yo
Filey Bay Fino Single Cask
M&H Classic

This was the first year we entered this competition and we were blessed to have two winners for 2021

We just couldn’t resist sharing a couple more amazing wins!

Click on the images above to learn more about these!

There’s so much more to come in 2022 and we’re excited to share with you the new adventures and special drams coming in.  We’re sure you’ll find something extra special arriving with each one of you in mind!

If you have any questions or would like any additional information, please don’t hesitate to email Office@ImpExBev.com

ImpEx Beverages Inc.
360 Swift Ave
Side B # 9
South San Francisco, CA 94080

The Loch Fyne Fynest Bunnahabhain 19 Year Old

We still have a limited amount of bottles from our latest release in the Fynest Series of special single cask stunners. Aged for 19 years in a single sherry cask this one is all the good stuff: free form chill filtration, natural colour, cask strength 55.5% abv and highly limited to 597 bottles. Treat yourself!

Bunnahabhain is just a ferry ride away from ourselves in Inveraray, and we like to think that we know a good Bunnahabhain when we see one. This expression is exactly that! Distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2021, this was filled to a sherry wood cask, and is bottled at cask strength. A 19-year-old dram, this is part of our newly released Fynest Series, where we hand select single casks that capture the essence of some of the most celebrated whisky producing locations in the world. At 55.5% abv, this is a single malt with power. It is also totally free of chill filtration and arrives with a cask-imparted colour. Limited to 597 bottles!

A right proper treat if we don’t say so ourselves!

HAMISH SAYS

£150.00
Buy Now

Imperial 30 Years

1989 vintage single cask from the Lost Speyside distillery. 224 bottles. Imperial 30 Year Old 1989 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single refill barrel bottled October 2019 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare series. 224 bottles. A pale golden coloured whisky with a rich, full-bodied, sweet nose with vanilla custard, stewed apples and red berries. Smooth and fruity on the palate with sweet vanilla tablet and butterscotch all leading to a long, satisfying, pleasant finish.

£800.00

Shop Imperial 30yo »

Imperial Distillery was designed by Charles C. Doig and established in 1897 by Thomas Mackenzie at Carron in the heart of the Speyside whisky region. Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and a huge golden crown was placed upon the pagoda roof of one of Imperial Distillery’s two malt kilns to commemorate the occasion. Imperial Distillery was equipped with four huge stills but closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2013. A new distillery called Dalmunach has been built on the site and opened in 2015. Independent releases of Imperial malt whisky feature in the Signatory Vintage ranges and those of Gordon & MacPhail.

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be reviewing a selection of bottlings from Independent bottler James Eadie.

https://youtu.be/wkY1_slvJKo

The Epicurean Launches White Port Finished Addition to “Wood Series” Single Cask Series 

Douglas Laing & Co., leading distiller, blender and bottler, has today released a White Port Cask Finished Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky as part of The Epicurean Wood Series.

The sixth Single Cask release in the specialist “Wood Series” is bottled at a high alcohol strength of 48% and is proudly offered without colouring or chill-filtration. This innovative collection already encompasses a Ruby Port Finish and a Rivesaltes Finish, amongst others, and seeks to demonstrate that flavour is created throughout the Whisky-making process but most significantly during the interaction between the spirit and the wood when it is in the oak cask. This latest edition is said to be “perfectly fruity and packed with fresh, zesty charm, balanced with a delicious sugary sweetness”.

In crafting The Epicurean Limited Edition, the Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky is first matured in premium American Oak before being re-racked into a hand-selected White Port Single Cask for a second maturation period of more than twelve months.

The White Port cask itself originates from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest demarcated wine regions in the world.

Jenny Rogerson, Head of Marketing at Douglas Laing commented:

“Our Epicurean brand is characterised by his own effervescent, adventurous personality, and the spirit within is the ultimate distillation of Scotland’s Lowland region, representing the archetypally fresh, vibrant flavour profile of the Malt Whiskies distilled there. It’s these two factors – the versatile Malt Whisky and our Lowland gent’s innovative brand values – that lend themselves particularly well to this Limited Edition Wood Series, which seeks to compare and contrast a cross-section of fascinating finishes.”

Packed in a premium gift tube, The Epicurean White Port Finish Limited Edition is expected to retail at £60.00/€72.00 from good specialist retailers.

Glen Grant Aged 72  Years

1948 Vintage Single Cask #44052.6% ABV1 of 290 Decanters

Normally unavailable to UK customers, this rare Single Malt Scotch Whisky can now be purchased from HTFW. This 72 Year Old Whisky was bottled from an exceptional old Sherry cask that was laid down in 1948, and matured for decades by Gordon & Macphail.

This rare Whisky is presented in a stunning cut glass decanter and housed in an American black walnut presentation box. Despite its extraordinary age, this Single Cask Single Malt Whisky is bottled at a robust cask strength of 56.2% ABV.

Contact me for more information about this incredible release.
Justin Bourne – Sales Director

£40,000.00

PRE ORDER NOW

Tasting Notes By Charles Maclean

Master Of The Quaich, Edinburgh

I can honestly say this is one of the finest malts it has been my pleasure to taste in forty years of professional exploration. It is outstanding – rarely, if ever, have I been able to write so fulsome a testimonial!

Appearance: Very deep amber, Oloroso Sherry; American oak ex-Sherry cask, in spite of its deep colour, probably first fill. Viscous, with exceptionally good beading.

Aroma: A mellow but lively nose-feel, astonishing that the Whisky has remained high strength after all this time. The top notes are of Christmas cake moistened with Oloroso Sherry, with a slightly burnt base. These are supported by prune juice and baked apple skin, but the overall impression is dry. The base notes derive from oak (shavings, coconut, a suggestion of treacle toffee) and coffee grounds (chocolate and liquorice). Taste: The texture is mouth-filling and lightly waxy (teeth-coating); the taste is sweetish to start and tannic dry to finish, with a surprising amount of spice. The aftertaste whispers of espresso coffee and very dark chocolate. Like the nose, the taste is lively and full of vitality. The whole palate is in perfect harmony.

Final Comments: This is a hugely complex and rewarding Malt Whisky by any standards. Obviously, its great age adds value to the experience of tasting it, conjuring images of what the world was like in 1948, but – more important from a connoisseur’s perspective – its flavour opens a sensory door into another era, when Whisky was different.

The fact that it has retained a high ABV after all these years means that the aroma and taste are still vital and lively. Too often very old Whiskies lack vitality, owing to low strength; they become fragile ghosts of their former selves. Not in this case!

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Chinese New Year Edition 2022

This limited edition single malt will keep you toasty warm during any celebrations moving into the cold months of the new year. This is a Reserve Rum Cask Finish, perfected by Glenfiddich’s experience Malt Master Brian Kinsman. From the Caribbean, to Speyside, with a splash of China, now that’s a dram with depth of character!

£165.00
Buy Now

HAMISH SAYS

Talisker 27 Year Old

Single first fill sherry butt selected by Hart Bros. Filled December 1993 and bottled 2021. While stocks last… Talisker 27 Year Old 1993 vintage Island single malt Scotch whisky. Single first fill sherry butt distilled December 1993, bottled January 2021 by Hart Brothers

Buy – Taslisker 27 Years – £750 / €732* / $829* / c$1055*

Brothers Hugh and Keneth MacAskill Talisker Distillery was established at Carbost on the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland in 1830 with construction commencing the following year. Soaking up its own reflection from Loch Harport one day yet fending off North Atlantic gales the next. Talisker is an Islands malt whisky distillery equipped with five stills and has retained its traditional five round wooden worm tubs. There is an excellent range of official bottlings, including Talisker 10 Year Old and Distillers Edition supplemented by independent bottlings in the Secret Stills and Old Malt Cask ranges.