Glenesk – 1980 Rare Gold Gordon & MacPhail (70cl, 46%)

Glenesk – 1980 Rare Gold Gordon & MacPhail is a whisky from Glenesk (Highland). Bottled at 46% ABV, 70cl. This distillery has gone by many names over the years (Highland Esk, North Esk, Montrose & Hillside) and was even run as a grain distillery for a period. Like many stills, it fell silent during the First World War and was then damaged by fire. When it reopened in 1919 it was solely as a maltings. Whisky only began to be made again in 1938. They immediately transformed it into a grain distillery and, naturally, changed its name again, this time to Montrose. Production was halted again during the Second World War and, in 1953, it became part of DCL, who ran it intermittently as a grain distillery for a decade. With expansion of other grain distilleries and a need for malt whisky rather than grain in the 1960s, the distillery was changed back into a malt distillery in 1964. This obviously necessitated another name change, this time to Hillside. For some unknown reason, its name was changed yet again in 1980, this time to Glenesk. It operated for a final five years before finally being closed for good. Primarily used in blending particularly for VAT 69, the distillery closed in 1985. In an odd turn of events the maltings which were built in 1968 are still in operation, owned now by Boormalt... the distillery itself has been demolished. Founded in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has been bottling single malt whiskies for 120 years and by the 1950s it held the largest range of bottled malt whiskies in the world. This family-run business has bottled the oldest single malt whisky in the world - a Mortlach 1939 75 Year Old - as well as being a distiller itself after buying Benromach in 1993. They bottle whisky across several ranges including Connoisseurs Choice, the Private Collection, and their most exclusive, Generations. Glenesk Please note residue and wear to box.