Independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail has revealed the fifth and final instalment in its Mr George Legacy Series: a 70-year-old single malt from Glen Grant Distillery, matured in a first-fill sherry puncheon for seven decades.
Distilled on 24 April 1954 and bottled in January 2025, this rare whisky—drawn from Cask No. 1823—marks the culmination of a collection created to honour George Urquhart, the second-generation family member often credited with revolutionising the single malt category.
Urquhart, known affectionately as “Mr George”, played a pioneering role in bottling single malts at a time when the industry focused primarily on blends. He is also remembered as the mind behind the now-iconic Connoisseurs Choice range.
Stuart Urquhart, Operations Director and grandson of Mr George, commented:
“The fifth and final release from the Mr George Legacy Series is the perfect tribute to my grandfather’s lifetime of work, which still impacts our approach today. As we celebrate our 130th anniversary, we not only honour the past but also inspire future generations to continue the innovation and craftsmanship championed by Mr George.”
This Glen Grant 1954 is bottled at 50.5% ABV and limited to just 130 bottles globally, each priced at £8,000 (US$10,850). The whisky is said to offer aromas of vanilla fudge and coffee, leading to a palate of red apple, walnut, dried orange peel, dark chocolate, and toasted oak.
Charlie MacLean, whisky author and historian, added:
“Mr George was arguably the world’s foremost expert in combining spirit, oak and time… This final release in the series is surprisingly vibrant for such an old whisky, but with the multi-layered complexity that can only be developed by long maturation in the right cask. A whisky worthy of Mr George Urquhart, who will have selected the cask and would have been proud of the result.”
The release not only honours a man integral to Scotch whisky’s modern identity but also coincides with Gordon & MacPhail’s 130th anniversary, closing the Mr George Legacy Series with one of the most mature and limited expressions the company has ever bottled.
The previous release in the series, Mr George Legacy 1958, offered a similarly rare experience. Sourced from a first-fill sherry butt tailored to Mr George’s own specifications, the whisky was bottled in November 2023 at a striking 56.5% ABV after 65 years of maturation. Only 376 bottles were made available worldwide, each priced at £7,000, making it a prized addition for collectors.
