‘We Are Not Cautious About Stepping On Toes’: Gordon and MacPhail Announces Milestone Decision

Gordon and MacPhail made the decision to only focus on using whiskies produced by the distiller, and this decision will go into effect in 2024 (Photo: Gordon and MacPhail)

Gordon And MacPhail has made the decision to stop bottling whiskies from distilleries it does not own, according to an article published in the Scottish Herald on Sunday. The decision that marks the end of the Scottish distillery’s tenure as an independent bottler is quite possibly one of the most significant changes it has made in its 128 years of history.

In 1993, Gordon and MacPhail acquired the Benromach Distillery — a mere 12 miles away from its Elgin-based facilities. Shortly after, it built The Cairn, another distillery. Because the storied scotch producer has its own pipeline of single malt whiskies, it announced that as of 2024 it will discontinue filling casks with spirit it does not own.

“It is a big decision to cease the third-party fillings, but I think it is part of that natural evolution that happens,” said Ewen Mackintosh, managing director of Gordon and MacPhail, per the Herald.

The decision was something the company had been considering for many years, and the team at Gordon and MacPhail described it as a “milestone” for the company. The effects of Gordon and MacPhail’s choice to go in this direction won’t be felt until at least another 10 to 15 years.

“It allows us to really focus on the story of Gordon and MacPhail, on that exclusive rarity and exclusive mantra which has been a real aspect of Gordon and MacPhail whiskies for a number of years now, with some very exclusive bottlings we have offered such as the 80-year-old,” Mackintosh said.

Mackintosh went on to explain the difficulties the Scotch producer had to face during its tenure as a licensed bottler.

“You are always bottling someone else’s whisky, either on their behalf or under your own labels.”

He went on to cite control and the ability for the distillery to make scotch on its own terms as the primary reason for the decision. According to Mackintosh, Gordon and MacPhail has always been about complementing the other distilleries it has purchased whisky from, not competing with them.

The recent scotch boom and additional demand for single malts has made it increasingly difficult to complement the other distilleries, and at times Gordon and MacPhail would not be able to get whiskies it needed to bottle under its own label.

“As the popularity of single malt grows, that is always going to be the challenge — finding your own space. We do see a bit of a partnership between ourselves and the distillery owner, and it was always offering something different to what they do. The benefit of doing things with Benromach and The Cairn is we have free reign – we are not cautious about stepping on toes.”

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