Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail, an iconic name in the Scotch whisky world, is a family-owned business with a storied history dating back to 1895. Based in Elgin, it has been led by four generations of the Urquhart family. The company's core revolves around its South Street retail premises, where a delightful combination of deli, wine merchant, and The Whisky Room offers over 1,000 malt whiskies for enthusiasts.

While its retail heart beats on South Street, Gordon & MacPhail's offices, maturation, and bottling facilities reside in a modern building on Boroughbriggs Road. This facility is a treasure trove of rare and vintage whisky casks, including pre-war Macallans. The company, which employs approximately 130 people in Elgin, bottles whisky across various ranges, with Connoisseurs' Choice being the most well-known. Other series include The Private Collection, Cask Strength, Rare Old, and The MacPhail’s Collection, with the exclusive Generations range featuring extraordinary releases, including a 70-year-old Mortlach.

The company's origins trace back to 1895 when James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail established a grocery and wine merchant business in Elgin. In 1915, John Urquhart joined the firm and played a pivotal role in developing the whisky brokering business. This included bottling single malts under license for esteemed distilleries, like The Glenlivet, and maturing new-make spirit in Speyside distilleries for blending or single malt bottling.

A long-standing ambition of John Urquhart and successive generations was realized in 1993 when Gordon & MacPhail acquired Benromach Distillery in Forres. The distillery was re-equipped and officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998, introducing a range of Benromach single malt expressions.

Through its 125-year journey, Gordon & MacPhail has upheld its reputation by carefully curating casks, fostering relationships with over 100 Scottish distilleries, and producing a range of impeccably balanced whiskies, each deemed ready after four generations of experience.