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Whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail picks up top industry awards.

The folks at family-owned Scotch malt whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail are celebrating an award winning year, so far, the Elgin based independent whisky maker and bottler has been presented with both a gold and silver medal at the International Spirits Challenge, and a Master and silver award at the Scotch Whisky Masters.

One of the most authoritative, respected and influential spirits competitions in the world, which attracts over 1,300 entries from more than 70 countries, these were assessed by an experienced panel of specialist judges at the International Spirits Challenge.

The outstanding Rare Vintage Strathisla 1967 which I recently reviewed myself and is one of the unique whiskies in Gordon & MacPhail’s exclusive Rare Vintage range, was unsurprisingly awarded the top prize of a gold medal. A classic mature sherry rich dram perfect as a special after dinner dram with rich fruit cake, oak and spice.

An elegant Speyside dram, Distillery Labels Glentauchers 1996 was presented with a silver medal in recognition of its complex flavours and rich chocolate edge. The colour of dark gold, the whisky has light sherry influences with stewed apple and candied fruit aromas, before rich praline chocolate and toasted hazelnut notes develop. Chilli spice emerges on the palate with red apple, orange peel and dark chocolate notes, giving way to a delicate liquorice edge.

The Scotch Whisky Masters 2016 saw a record-breaking number of whiskies battle it out to be named a Master of their category, from blends through to single malts from various regions, including Speyside and Islay.

Rare Vintage Longmorn 1967 was crowned ‘Master’ of Speyside single malts aged over 31 years. Soft and delicate on the nose with sweet sherry mixed with ripe nectarine and hints of marzipan, it is a long and warming dram full of sweetness and spice, with flavours of ground black pepper, stewed fruit and citrus.

Winner of the silver award in the Speyside single malt aged 13-18 years’ category, Connoisseurs Choice Glen Elgin 1998 impressed the judges with its unique flavour profile. Subtle sherry influences lead on the nose with pressed apples, dried apricots and tangerine aromas, complemented by a cocoa edge. Flavours of spice with orange, grapefruit and blackcurrant give way to lingering milk chocolate on the tongue, with a smooth and spicy finish.

These recent wins follow an outstanding year for the company, which saw a number of products in its extensive range of whiskies honoured with prestigious awards throughout the course of 2015. Amongst these accolades the world’s most exclusive whisky, Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail, which was released in September 2015 to great acclaim by whisky lovers and the industry, was presented with the Master Award by the Spirits Business Design Masters.

Stephen Rankin, UK Sales Director and a member of the fourth generation of the Urquhart family who own Gordon & MacPhail, said: "At Gordon & MacPhail we are dedicated to providing whisky lovers across the world with high quality products, which are lovingly handcrafted by experts in their field.

"Winning these awards alongside numerous other accolades over recent years demonstrates our commitment to producing quality whisky, something which has clearly been recognised by some of the most influential leaders in the spirits industry."

You can find the full current Gordon & MacPhail whisky range available from specialist Whisky retailers such as The Whisky Exchange
 

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