Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail was established on 25 May 1895 on South Street, Elgin, by James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail as a licensed grocer and wine and spirit merchant — a typical Victorian combination that allowed them to deal in whisky, wine, and provisions under one roof. Over 130 years the Urquhart family, who took control in the 1930s, built the company into one of the most respected private cask custodians in the Scotch whisky world, accumulating a vast private cask reserve that underpins the company's ultra-aged releases.

In 1993 Gordon & MacPhail acquired Benromach Distillery in Forres, which had been mothballed since 1983, and restored it to production by 1998. The acquisition gave the company its first producing distillery and marked a shift from pure independent bottling towards distillery ownership.

Notable milestones include the 2010 release of a Mortlach 70 Year Old — then marketed as the world's oldest bottled single malt whisky — and a Glenlivet 1940 70 Year Old in 2011. In 2021 Gordon & MacPhail released an 80-year-old Glenlivet expression, setting a new record. In 2023 the company won Whisky of the Year at the International Whisky Competition for its Connoisseurs Choice 1989 Mortlach.

As of July 2023, Gordon & MacPhail announced it would cease filling new barrels from other distilleries from 2024 onwards, focusing instead on its own distillery operations at Benromach and The Cairn — a significant strategic shift that marks the end of an era for the independent bottling operation.

The flagship South Street premises in Elgin are undergoing a multimillion-pound renovation to create a new whisky visitor experience incorporating tasting rooms and a "liquid library" of rare whiskies. During renovation, a temporary shop operates at 121 High Street, Elgin.

The Elgin shop is open to visitors with bookable tastings. During the South Street renovation, the temporary shop is at 121 High Street, Elgin. Check gordonandmacphail.com for the current location and tour/tasting details.