Whisky enthusiasts will have the chance to try exceptionally rare drams... but only if they have deep pockets.
Expert firm Gordon & MacPhail has unveiled this year’s Recollection Series, which features a 1981 Port Ellen whisky, the oldest ever to be sold by the company and selling for a cool £10,000.
A total of 18 single cask whiskies from closed or long-silent Scottish distilleries are available, including exclusive whiskies from Banff Distillery in Aberdeenshire and Glen Mhor Distillery near Inverness, which both stopped producing in 1983.
Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, said this year's whiskies are some of the rarest single malts in the firm's liquid library – including its oldest ever Port Ellen.
"This creates a unique opportunity for whisky enthusiasts to experience liquid from distilleries that haven't operated for decades and are rarely seen in the market today; a true window into Scotland's complex and colourful whisky history," Mr Rankin added.
The annual collection, which this year spans 15 distilleries, offers a unique opportunity for whisky enthusiasts and collectors to enjoy forgotten liquids that have lying maturing in the Gordon & MacPhail warehouse.
Alongside the Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Port Ellen Distillery is the 1973 from Glen Mhor Distillery at £6,000, and the Gordon & MacPhail 1976 from Banff Distillery selling for £4,300.
Other releases in the series are also available in select international markets.
French illustrator Tom Haugomat has been engaged to explore and revive the character of Port Ellen, Banff and Glen Mhor distilleries through a series of digital artworks and animations.
To capture each whisky’s taste and history, Tom’s artwork has been inspired by nature, the outdoors and the backstory of each distillery.
Mr Haugomat said: “The brief from Gordon & MacPhail was to echo the theme of last year’s inaugural series portraying the whiskies as ‘forgotten masterpieces’ or ‘lost works of art’.
"The animations of my artwork aim to bring the distilleries back to life, highlighting that, through these releases, the memories stay alive.
"Working with Gordon & MacPhail on this commission has been a truly inspiring experience.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the process of reinterpreting vintage distillery photographs and researching colour palettes that reflect the intricate and diverse flavours of whisky."
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