Gordon and MacPhail: the most venerable of Scotland’s independent bottlers, with over 125 years in the business and an enviable stock of old and rare malts. Today I’ll review some not too enviable stock, but still worthy enough to be bottled under their premium “Connoiseurs Choice” range, instituted in 1968.
In both cases, the dram will be poured from a bottles that I own: a recently bought 15yo Tullibardine that’ll be cracked open for the occation (= first impression tasting), and a 15yo Allt-a-Bhainne, that’s all but finished.
These are rather lesser-known distilleries that I did not review before, nor have memories of ever trying before getting these bottles. So how did I dare to chance ~€100 per bottle? The reputation of G&M and positive signals from whiskybase surely help a lot, but mostly I was taken in by the flavour descriptions on the front label.
For the Allt-a-Bhainne: “Brown sugar aromas complement lemon peel and ripe pear. Pineapple and grapefruit flavours give way to pepper. A medium-bodied finish of sweet toffee and citrus”. As a sucker for pineapple, I had was taken in back in May 2022 when this bottling appeared.
For the Tullibardine: “Crystallized violet and green apple aromaslead to gorse flower. Coconut and peanut flavours give way to milk chocolate and banana. A full finish with lingering mature oak“. Sounds different and intriguing, right? Never had or heard of crystallized violet, but maybe it’s this. With gorse flower, though, I have a very personal relationship. So I had to get this one.
In my reviews below I’ve put an asterisk on tasting notes that are identical to items in G&M’s descriptions. Whether I picked up on those notes due to priming or they are “objectively” there in the whisky, I’ll leave unsaid.
Tullibardine | 15yo (2008) | 58.2% | Gordon & MacPhail
🌐
🪵
🔆
💲
🔗
Scotch single malt
refill bourbon barrel
unchillfiltered & natural color
available for €110
Bottle first impression
⚡Experience
To great benefit, I’ve aerated the glass for nearly an hour, and added a plash of water. At first floral and delicate nose, with some freshness of lime and green grass, and more sweet-savoury aromas of coconut*, banana* chips, and digestive biscuits. There’s a hint of nutmeg and white pepper, and moderate amounts of oak as well. The palate has a surprising and exhilarating punch: malty, biscuity, and with notes of fruity tobacco and mild musk that bloom out over a few seconds. The taste brings together savoury, salty and sweet in fine balance. The finish rings clean, with juicy bourbon oak*.
💡Thoughts
I believe this is indeed a Connoisseur’s type of whisky. It requires great patience, but amply rewards it. It’s delicate on the nose, and in the finish, yet offers a very substantial mouthfeel and flavour, robustly malty. I believe this one will grow only grow with time.
Personal Favourite
❤️
Allt-a-Bhainne | 15yo (2006) | 60.4% | Gordon & MacPhail
🌐
🪵
🔆
💲
🔗
Scotch single malt
refill American hogshead
unchillfiltered & natural color
sold out, originally €100
Bottle kill
⚡Experience
Here also, the need for patience is imperative. Then on the nose there’s tropical fruits (passion fruit, lime, grapefruit*), some other fruits (green apple, cider, blackberry), and cream soda, vanilla, and brown sugar*. Some woodsy notes of cedar and hessian. The palate is salty-sweet and quite substantial, malty and creamy, but not giving any very distinct flavour impressions, apart from perhaps cane sugar.
💡Thoughts
I recall buying this bottle in May 2022, with quite high hopes that have not been totally met, although it improved a bit with time. I think it could be more generous with the flavour, especially as the alcohol is so strong and need pampering and dilution. But in the end, it is certainly a fine malt.
Rewarding
✔️
Between these two bottles reviewed today, I’m glad that the Allt-a-Bhainne is the on that’s almost finished and the Tullibardine just opened. But in general, I think G&M deserves its reputation and I’ll likely take a chance with another CC in the future.
DuckDrams 
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