Scotland, Southern Highlands. Distillery operational. Owner: Lalique Cristal

The old adage “good things come in threes” is particularly apt when it comes to the Glenturret distillery. Indeed, its birth certificate could legitimately feature three dates: 1814 with Thomas McComish, before its closure during the 1850s; 1875, when Thomas Steward renamed his Hosh distillery Glenturret; and, finally, 1959-1960, when James Fairlie fully renovated the site and reopened the distillery. After a short period with the French company Cointreau, it eventually joined Highland Distillers (Edrington Group) and now makes an important contribution to the Famous Grouse blend. Despite its modest production, Glenturret has garnered something of a following among malt whisky enthusiasts thanks to the magnificent vintage editions (1966, 1967, 1976) launched in the mid-80s, alongside the distribution of its also popular classic versions. From the early 2000s, numerous single casks and small batch versions were added to the range, making Glenturret a collectors' distillery.

A single cask Glenturret (#587) distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2012 by Gordon & MacPhail. Gordon & MacPhail was founded in Elgin in 1895 by James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail. As was often the case at the time, the business started out as a delicatessen and wine merchant. In 1915, John Alexander MacPhail retired and a new partner joined the business, John Urquhart. He was joined by his son George in 1933, a few years after James Gordon sadly died in a car crash. Gordon & MacPhail works with many of Speyside’’s leading distilleries, from whom it has accumulated considerable stocks. It is also licensed to bottle whiskies for many of them, including Glen Grant, Linkwood, Mortlach, Macallan and Glenlivet. The business really took off in the 1970s, acquiring distributors in a huge range of countries and selling casks to several Italian bottlers in selections that would become legends in their own right. Gordon & MacPhail is still run by the Urquhart family today, from the same building, and is one of the most iconic bottlers in the industry, with incredible stocks of sometimes very old and rare whiskies. The company is in complete control of the entire maturation process. Gordon & MacPhail has also owned the Benromach distillery since 1993. A limited edition of 396 bottles.