Gordon Macphail Private Collection Dallas Dhu 1981

CELEBRATING SILENT DISTILLERIES The Private Collection by G&M is an out and out celebration of distilleries that have been silent for a long time. With this collection they have brought some exceptionally rare and exclusive malts to their fans. The collection introduces malt enthusiasts to distilleries that are not producing malt anymore and to some brilliant age statements as well. Private Collection releases represents some of the oldest G&M have ever done. This is areally exciting collection and includes malts form places like Dallas Dhu and Longmorn. It has been specially selected by hand, by members of the Urquhart family, who have been involved in the running of G&M for a four generations. Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail said, “My grandfather, George Urquhart, recognised an opportunity to match new make spirit with carefully selected casks at a time when the vast majority of production went into blends. Over the decades he was able to master this art which has become his legacy. “He could never be persuaded to bottle a whisky before he believed it had reached its ultimate peak in terms of quality – a tradition we’re proud to continue today.” Time for yet another remarkable Gordon & MacPhail bottling from a unicorn lost distillery. Dallas Dhu was one of the victims of Diageo predecessor United Distillers cull of 1983, and is almost impossibly rare nowadays - only a handful of bottlings have appeared in the last decade, almost all of them from Gordon & MacPhail. This Private Collection Gordon & MacPhail Dallas Dhu is from a single refill American hogshead - and it must have been a very special one, yielding 134 bottles at a defiant 60.1% after a full 38 years of ageing. Obviously this is going to be an extraordinary whisky by a great Speyside distillery from which, one day soon, even Gordon & MacPhail will no longer have any stock.   Tasting notes: Nose: Fragrant tropical fruit aromas combine with honey and light grapefruit zest. Crystalised violet comes to the fore accompanied by sweet lime. Palate: Smooth and sweet flavours of vanilla leads to cracked black pepper and fresh chilies. Finish: A medium and slightly drying finish with lingering herbal notes and oak.