RHASS Lifetime achievement award for Malt Whisky specialists
Gordon & MacPhail
 The
Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland's
2003 Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution
to the Scottish food and drink industry has gone to malt
whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail of Elgin.
The award was presented by RHASS Chairman
Willie Sanderson to Gordon & MacPhail directors Ian,
David and Michael Urquhart and Rosemary Rankin, all grandchildren
of John Urquhart, who joined the company shortly after
its establishment in 1895.
The presentation was part of the Scottish
Food and Drink Excellence Awards gala dinner held in the
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, last night. (Thursday,
May 22).
Introduced in 1998 to recognise excellence,
innovation and quality over a broad span of years to an
industry individual, company or product, the RHASS Lifetime
Achievement Award has previously been won by Gordon Baxter
of Baxters of Fochabers, Ian Galloway of Scotbeef, Colin
Warden of Castle MacLellan Foods Ltd, the product Walkers
Shortbread and the company Tunnock.
Gordon & MacPhail was established
by James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail in 1895 at
South Street, Elgin, the original business combining groceries
with wines and spirits. From the outset there was a strong
leaning towards whisky with the firm blending and bottling
under its own labels as well as dealing in mature whiskies.
Within a few months of opening for business,
a new apprentice, John Urquhart joined the company. In
1915 he became the senior partner following the death of
one of the founders and the retirement of the other.
So began the Urquhart family's connection
with the management and direction of the firm as malt whisky
specialists – a focus developed throughout the 50s,
60s and 70s by John's son, the late George Urquhart, and
continued today by his family who describe themselves as
custodians of what their father and grandfather achieved.
George Urquhart was an innovator, bottling
malt whiskies when others promoted blends. Malts were matured
for longer, different oaks were used for casks, special
bottlings took place to commemorate special events and
new markets were developed.
Under George Urquhart's direction, the
company built up unrivalled cask stocks of malt whiskies
and currently, 87 different single malt whiskies are maturing
in the firm's warehouses in Elgin. Some of these are extremely
rare either because of their age, some are over 50 years
old, stocks are in short supply or the distillery has ceased
to operate.
Gordon & MacPhail describes itself
as the World's Leading Malt Whisky Specialist, offering
more than 460 presentations of own bottled single malts,
aged from five to 60 years old, and a stock holding of
more than 700 whiskies.
In addition, George Urquhart's dream for
the company to be a distiller in its own right was fulfilled
in 1993 with the purchase of Benromach Distillery in Forres.
In 1998, the distillery, which produces a single Speyside
malt, was re-opened by Prince Charles.
Given its origins in the wine trade, the
company also stocks 500 wines from 19 countries.
Gordon & MacPhail enjoys an international
reputation for Scotch whisky, exporting to more than 30
countries. Many of the company's brands are available as
miniatures for sampling, others are presented in specially
commissioned ceramic and crystal decanters, commemorating
vintage years or events.
The whole range can be seen at the original
shop in South Street, Elgin, and examples will be on display
on the company's stand at the Food and Drink Exhibition
at next month's Royal Highland Show.
RHASS Chairman Willie Sanderson said: "An
independent company still in family ownership, Gordon & MacPhail
has achieved international recognition and has won many
prestigious awards for both its single malts and blended
whiskies."
"Our Lifetime Achievement Award is
in recognition of the company's ability to innovate and
pioneer and for its unique contribution to the Scotch whisky
industry which, of course, draws its raw material from
Scotland's farming industry."
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