The Connoisseurs Choice series from Gordon & MacPhail is a range of the very finest single malt whiskies from one of Scotland’s favourite independent bottlers.
Created in 1968, by George Urquhart, the series has featured over 2000 bottles from around 100 distilleries. During this time there has been eight different label designs; from the black label original bottlings, followed by the brown label design, four varieties on the map label and right up to the modern day cask strength bottlings and upper dumpy series, that were both released from a revamped model in 2018.
Bottlings for the Connoisseurs Choice series are chosen from the rarest and finest aged single malt whiskies, including many from distilleries that had previously never bottled single malts before. They offer great value for money and an entry to rare and exclusive single malts that had scarcely been accessible to whisky lovers before.
There have been some outstanding offerings from the Connoisseurs Choice brand since its inception, see below for some of their finest bottlings over the last 50 years, highlighting the many different labels, casks and bottling strengths: -
Mortlach 1936 43yo Connoisseurs Choice – Black Label
This brilliant 43 year old Mortlach was distilled in 1936 and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at 70 proof as part of their Connoisseurs Choice bottling's.
Incredibly rare and very collectible, this sherry maturerd Speysider received a fabulous score of 92 points from WhiskyFun.
The Whisky Vault Price: 3,750 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Longmorn 1955 25yo Connoisseurs Choice – Brown Label
This glorious 25 year old Speyside single malt was produced at the Longmorn distillery in 1955 and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for their Connoisseurs Choice series in the early 1980's.
Supplied in excellent condition, this particular bottling was originally introduced to the Italian Market by Pinerolo of Turin.
The Whisky Vault Price: 1,500 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Glendronach 1960 25yo Connoisseurs Choice – Brown Label
A vastly rare 25 year old Speyside single malt that was laid to rest at the Glendronach distillery in 1960 and bottled around the mid-1980's for Gordon & MacPhail's much loved Connoisseurs Choice series.
This old-style brown label release has clearly spent many years maturing in Sherry wood.
The Whisky Vault Price: 2,500 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Ardbeg 1965 17yo Connoisseurs Choice – Brown Label
This superb, and very rare, 1965 distillation from Islay distillers Ardbeg was bottled for the popular Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice range as a 17 year old.
The Whisky Vault Price: 2,500 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Ledaig 1972 11yo Connoisseurs Choice – Brown Label
This 11 year old single malt was distilled in 1972 at the Isle of Mull Tobermory distillery and bottled under the Ledaig label for Gordon & MacPhail's Connoisseurs Choice series.
Tobermory used the Ledaig name between 1972 and 1975 for all production, but later just used it to promote their heavily peated whiskies, which is what makes these bottlings special and helps explain their sparseness.
This superb brown label bottling comes in very good condition and was rewarded with a humongous 93 points from the folks over at WhiskyFun.
The Whisky Vault Price: 1,666.67 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Glenrothes 1956 Connoisseurs Choice – Old Map Label
This 30-odd year old Speyside single malt was distilled at the Glenrothes distillery in 1956 and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for their Connoisseurs Choice series in the late 1980's or very early 1990's. A stunningly rare deep sherry-matured malt.
The Whisky Vault Price: 1,000 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
St. Magdalene 1965 Connoisseurs Choice – Old Map Label
A highly sought after 1965 distillation from the now silent Lowland distillery, St. Magdalene, which was specially selected and bottled for Gordon & MacPhail's Connoisseurs Choice range in 1991.
There were some superb 1960's distillations produced at St. Magdalene, with this expression being no exception - backed up by the WhiskyFun chaps, who awarded it a huge 92 points.
This particular release adorns the old map style label, which was introduced around 1988, when it replaced the old brown style label.
The Whisky Vault Price: 1,000 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Rosebank 1991 Connoisseurs Choice – New Map Label
This limited release Lowland single malt was laid to sleep at the Rosebank distillery in 1991 and bottled for Gordon & MacPhail's long-running Connoisseurs Choice series in 2008.
Drawn from refill sherry and American casks, this lovely light and sweet malt was bottled at approximately 17 years of age.
The Whisky Vault Price: 500 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Linkwood 1994 26yo Connoisseurs Choice – Cask Strength
This superb 26 year old Speyside single malt was laid down at the Linkwood distillery in 1994 and bottled for the rejuvenated Connoisseurs Choice range from Gordon & MacPhail on the 26th May 2021.
Drawn from refill sherry butt number 12601201 at a natural cask strength 52.5% ABV, this is one of 627 bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: 312.50 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
Strathisla 1987 33yo Connoisseurs Choice – Cask Strength Upper
This super cool 33 year old Speyside single malt was laid to rest at the Strathisla distillery in 1987 and bottled as part of Gordon & MacPhail's Connoisseurs Choice series on the 26th January 2021.
Charged from refill American hogshead number 3052 at a natural cask strength 55.4% ABV, this is one of just 121 bottles.
The Whisky Vault Price: 791.67 GBP (Ex-VAT). Buy Here.
The Connoisseurs Choice range has always been mega popular with customers at The Whisky Vault and we love the direction that the company continue to take it in. We can’t wait to see the new releases every month! Click here to view our full range from the Connoisseurs Choice archives.