For more than 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been creating single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality, matching its own casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. As the oldest single malt Scotch ever bottled, their latest release is a testament to the foresight of George Urquhart and his father, John, who selected cask 336 in 1940. ‘This has never been done before. Every year that goes by is a year into the unknown,’ says Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, and fourth generation of the family that owns the company. ‘We’re dealing with mother nature so the key traits of this process are patience and trust.’
To house their most precious whisky to date, Gordon & MacPhail commissioned Jeanne Gang to design a unique decanter. The celebrated American architect established Studio Gang in 1997, with key projects including the Populus hotel in Denver and the residential Verde tower in San Francisco – both expressing the concern for the community and the environment that defines the practice’s ethos.
Embracing the theme of ‘Artistry in Oak’, Jeanne Gang’s design was shaped by her careful observation of growth and form in nature. A celebration of the artistry, craft, care and time that went into the liquid it encases, the decanter evokes the idea of a tree slowly entwining a piece of amber.
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Four solid bronze branches spiral upward, wrapping around a suspended glass vessel, providing an armature that cradles the liquid in the same way the oak cask nurtured the whisky for eight and a half decades. American oak informed their design – a nod to the wood used to make the Gordon & MacPhail cask. Bronze is an enduring material; one that acquires a beautiful patina over time, mirroring the way whisky deepens in colour and character.
‘It was of utmost importance that the quality of the whisky itself be manifest in the design of the decanter,’ says Gang. ‘Made from handblown glass and cast bronze, I thought about how each material would exhibit its own inherent qualities while fulfilling its purpose to hold and protect the liquid.’ Together, the elements depend on and complement each other, in a reciprocal dance whose form, like the whisky it holds, is a product of both natural growth and the nature of its materiality,’ she adds.
Only 125 decanters are available worldwide, at £125,000 each. As part of this landmark release, Gordon & MacPhail is supporting American Forests, the oldest national non-profit conservation organisation in the United States via an online auction of Decanter #1 in partnership with Christie’s.
Other lots in the auction include a whisky tasting hosted, a framed, signed sketch of an oak tree by Jeanne Gang and the cask end of cask 336 in a bespoke frame. ‘Given the importance of oak in our craft, this partnership was a natural fit, aligning with our mission to leave a meaningful legacy for ongoing generations via fundraising for the sustainable future of American oak trees,’ says Rankin. gordonandmacphail.com
