14th May, 2014 by Melita Kiely

Gordon & Macphail has already sold all 160 decanters of a limited edition 66-year-old single malt Scotch whisky from the Glen Grant distillery that launched in Poland yesterday (13 May).

First distilled in 1948, cask number 1369 was bottled this year at cask strength (46.6% abv), by Gordon & Macphail for Polish based Wealth Solutions, who specialises in delivering unique spirits and art work to connoisseurs and collectors.

“I am very happy to be able to offer this unique, very rare, greatly aged single malt Scotch whisky to Polish connoisseurs and collectors,” said Michał Kowalski, vice-president of Wealth Solutions. “It was created before man went into space and landed on the moon, before he climbed Mount Everest. This is not only whisky, it’s a living witness to the second half of 20th century.”

The 66-year-old Glen Grant whisky, which is non-chill filtered, was officially launched at a special event held in Polonia Palace Hotel in Warsaw.

All but one decanter had been sold prior to the official launch event, with the owner of the last bottle selected from individuals who watched the event online and entered a special contest.

Each decanter is numbered and packaged in a mahogany box, which contains a book produced and written specially for the release by renowned whisky writer, Charles MacLean, depicting details of the project, the 66-year-old whisky and the history of Gordon & MacPhail.

Describing the single malt, MacLean said: “Such scents and flavours can only be achieved by long maturation in the right cask, yet neither the aroma nor the taste has been adversely influenced by wood. The best single descriptor that comes to mind is exquisite.”

Michael Urquhart, managing director at Gordon & MacPhail, commented: “The pioneering approach adopted by my father and grandfather has today provided Gordon & MacPhail with an unprecedented portfolio of greatly aged Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

“As custodians of this liquid history the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family are honoured to release this exceptional example of whisky distilled at Glen Grant Distillery in 1948.”