Glen Mhor

SCOTCH SINGLE MALT WHISKIES > G

GLEN MHOR

8 years old

40 %
Proprietors: Mackinlay & Birnie
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

29 years old

40%
Distilled 1965
Bottled 1994
Proprietors: Mackinlay & Birnie
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

8 years old

57 %
Proprietors: Mackinlay & Birnie
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

14 years old

63,2 %
ORIGINAL ' CASK 'Strenght'
Distilled: 1978
Bottled: 1992
Natural High Strenght,
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

13 years old

64,3 %
Distilled Feb 79
Bottled Aug 92
Society Cask No. code 57.3
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, Leith, Edinburgh

Bleekgeel van kleur. In de neus rook, specerijen. Medium body. In de smaak peper, mout, heftig! Lange afdronk met weer peper en specerijen.

GLEN MHOR

15 years old

40%
Proprietors: Mackinlay & Birnie
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

16 years old

43 %
Highland
Distilled: 1979
Bottled: 1995
Stenen kruik
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh

GLEN MHOR

12 years old

40 %
Proprietors: Mackinlay & Birnie
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

20 years old

59,3%
SILENT STILLS
Distilled 12.5.77
Bottled 28.10.97
Cask No. 1552
230 bottles
Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh

GLEN MHOR

20 years old

43 %
VINTAGE 1977
Distilled 12.5.77
Bottled 14.4.98
Cask No. 1546
348 bottles
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh

GLEN MHOR

22 years old

43 %
VINTAGE 1977
Distilled 12.5.77
Bottled 7.12.99
Cask No. 1563
384 bottles
Natural Colour
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh

GLEN MHOR

22 years old

61.0 %
RARE MALTS SELECTION
Natural Cask Strenght
Distilled 1979
Bottled October 2001
Limited Edition
Genummerde flessen
Scottish Malt Distillers, Elgin.

This pale gold 22 year old is a tipically firm-bodied and intense Highland. Very unusual as a single malt; more still as a mature cask-strenght bottling.

'Pale gold colour, firm-bodied, and warm, spicy flavours. A very rare find from a closed distillery, seldom seen as a single malt'.

GLEN MHOR

21 years old

40 %
RARE OLD
HIGHLAND MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Distilled 1979
Bottled 2000
Proprietors: Mackinlay & Birnie
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

21 years old

62,5 %
SINGLE CASK SCOTCH MALT WHISKY
Date Distilled Dec 81
Date Bottled Jul 03
Society Cask code 57.13
Outturn 420 Bottles
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, Leith, Edinburgh
'Moulin Rouge'.

In its day, this malt was a classic example of a Highland whisky. Alas the distillery at the western edge of Inverness that once faced Glen Albyn was closed twenty years ago and has been demolished.

The first inpression is of fruity and sensual: oranges, perfume and nail polish remo¬ver. Certain members of the Panel were able to indentify a 'tart's parlour' aroma com¬plex. In the mouth this whisky has a lively mouth feel, like popping 'space candy' and with a white pepper finish. With water added the whisky becomes more earthy, like fresh truffles perhaps. At drinking strenght there is a gently smoke with a pleasant sweetness to compliment it, with a finish of toasted wood. The Panel noted that this whisky was quite sensitive to dilution: easy does it!

GLEN MHOR

21 years old

62,7 %
SINGLE CASK SCOTCH MALT WHISKY
Date distilled December 1981
Date bottled October 2002
Society Cask No. code 57.11
Outturn 359 bottles
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, Leith, Edinburgh
'Snorkelling in molasses'

A lovely colour, somewhere between auburn and a grubby two pence piece. The bouquet at cask strenght clearly indicates sherry cask maturation, with a first impression of treacle, rum and molasses. Among the demerara-esque aromas there is also some possible cherry and banana notes. The taste at full strenght confirms European wood, being tannic and having a rubber finish, like 'the mouth-feel you get after a good days snor¬kelling'. With water it becomes a touch spicy, with star anise and cinnamon. With water the whisky retains its body on the tonque very well, and almost does't taste diluted.

It is mouthtingling, with an aniseed nip at the finish. A high impact whisky from a long deceased distillery, which holds together with time very well indeed.

GLEN MHOR

21 years old

43%
SIGNATORY VINTAGE
VINTAGE 1980
Distilled on 4.3.80
Bottled 14.12.2001
Matured in a sherry butt
Butt No. 878
714 Genummerde flessen
Natural Colour
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh

GLEN MHOR

Aged 29 years

42,5 %
RAREST OF THE RARE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
A Historic Collection of
Cask Strenght Single Cask Whiskies
from Distilleries which no longer exist
Unique Whiskies of Distinction
Fons et Origo
D T C
Distilled:12.1975
Sherry Cask
Cask no. 4038
Bottled: 11.2004
Numbered Bottles
222 Bottles
No Chill Filtering or
Colouring of any kind
Duncan Taylor & Co, Ltd,
Huntly, Aberdeenshire

GLEN MHOR

25 years old

43 %
Distilled 1979
Bottled 2004
Proprietors: MacKinlay & Birne
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

28 years old

51,9 %
RARE MALTS SELECTION
NATURAL CASK STRENGHT
Distilled 1976
Bottled April 2005
Limited Edition
6000 Bottles
Numbered Bottles
Scottish Malt Distillers, Elgin

Glen Mhor 1976.

Built in 1892 near Glen Albyn on the Caledonian Canal at Inverness,

the little distillery at Glen Mhor is now closed, its single malt seldom seen.

From the last ever bottling of the Rare Malts.

This green-gold 28-year-old Highland Malt is very complex, fresh-tasting and zesty,

with typical lemon juice and white pepper flavours, sweetly drying to a soothing, minty finish.

GLEN MHOR

Aged 31 years

42,6 %
RAREST OF THE RARE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
A Historic Collection of
Cask Strenght Single Cask Whiskies
from Distilleries which no longer exist
Unique Whiskies of Distinction
Fons et Origo
D T C
Date distilled: 12.1975
Cask Number: 4031
Date Bottled: 05.2007
258 Numbered Bottles
No Chill Filtration or
Colourings of any kind
Duncan Taylor & Co, Ltd,
Huntly, Aberdeenshire

GLEN MHOR

Aged 32 years

40.6 %
1 9 7 5
RAREST OF THE RARE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
A Historic Collection of Cask
Strenght Whiskies from Distilleries
which no longer exist
Unique Whiskies of Distinction
Fons et Origo
D T C
Distilled 12.1975
Cask no. 4041
Bottled 11.2008
Numbered Bottles
148 Bottles
No Chillfiltering or Colouring of any kind
Duncan Taylor & Co, Ltd, Huntly, Aberdeenshire

GLEN MHOR

1 9 6 5
42 years old

43 %
Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Distilled 1965
Bottled 2007
Glen Mhor Distillery, Inverness
Bonded and Bottled by
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR
31 years

43 %
Single Highland Malt
Distilled 1980
Mackinlay & Birnie
Proprietors:
Bonded and Bottled by
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

GLEN MHOR

1 9 6 6

52,1 %

44 years old

GORDON & MACPHAIL RESERVE

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Highland

Distillation date: 01/11/1966

Cask Number: 3690

Cask Type: Refill Sherry Hogshead

Bottling Month: June 2011

Numbered Bottles: 133

Exclusively Bottled for Van Wees

Working with the specialists at Gordon & Macphail,

Van Wees has selected the cask for this unique bottling

Specially Selected, Produced and Bottled by

Gordon & Macphail, Elgin

Nose: Pale gold

Nose: Fresh bwith pronounced hints of toasted malt. Some ripe summer fruit

Influences with an earthy edge

Finish: Long and smooth

The Northern Highlands
GLEN MHOR

Inverness. Licentiehouders: Mackinlay & Birnie. Glen Mhor is onderdeel van Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. (S.M.D.). De malt divisie van de Distillers Company Ltd. (D.C.L).
Gesloten in 1983, ontmanteld in 1988.
Gesticht in 1892 door John Birnie en James Mackinlay. Glen Mhor is Keltisch en betekent groot dal, vernoemd naar het grote dal dat loopt van Fort William naar Inverness.
John Birnie, eerst bedrijfsleider van Glen Albyn ging een compagnonschap met James Mackinlay van Charles Mackinlay & Co, whiskyblenders en handelaren te Leith.
Het ontwerp was van Charles Doig. In December 1894 werd Glen Mhor opgestart. Het water voor de produktie van Glen Mhor kwam van Loch Ness.
In 1906 werd John Walker & Sons Ltd eigenaar van 40 % van de aandelen van Glen Mhor.
De distilleerderij werd toen ook uitgebreid.
Mackinlay & Birnie Ltd kochten in 1920 de Glen Albyn distilleerderij.
Beide distilleerderijen waren in zowel de eerste- als de tweede wereldoorlog gesloten.
Neil M. Gunn, die veel over whisky heeft geschreven was hoofd van de accijnzen van Glen Mhor van 1923 tot 1937 en had een grote voorliefde voor deze whisky.
In 1949 werd de vloermouterij door het Saladin systeem, maar werd gesloten in 1980.
Charles Mackinlay & Co werd in 1961 overgenomen door Scottish & Newcastle Breweries en werd de Schotse whiskydivisie van de Waverley Group tot 1985 toen Mackinlay werd overgenomen door Invergordon Distillers voor E 17.5 000.000.
Glen Mhor en Glen Albyn werden in 1972 overgenomen door Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd, (S.M.D.) die al via John Walker & Sons, aandeelhouder was in de distilleerderijen.
Glen Mhor en Glen Albyn werden gesloten in 1983 en ontmanteld. Glen Mhor had één Wash Still en één Spirit still.

The story of Glen Mhor begins across the road - the Great North Road at Inverness, where in 1884 corn merchants, Grgory & Co, had built a new distillery at Glen Albyn, on the site of the ruined Muirtown Brewery. Well situated on the Caledonian Canal where it falls to the sea, and supplied with water from Loch Ness, the new distillery prospered, thanks in no small part to its energetic manager, John Birnie.
Unable to see his efforts rewarded by a partnership, he set up a rival business with his friend and customer, Leith merchant Charles Mackinlay.
In 1892 the pair engaged Charles Doig, doyen of distillery designers, to build a brand new distillery directly opposite. There was, after all, no shortage of water supply. Meeting succes the partners formed a private company in 1906, now backed by their trade customers John Walker & Sons.
In 1920, they were able to complete their conquest by buying Glen Albyn.
The two distilleries were worked in partnership for the rest of their lives, joining first Scottish Malt Distillers, then the Distillers Company before finally each falling victim to the rapid expansion of Inverness in the 1980s.

October 2005
Diageo has announced that its 2005 Annual Rare Malts Selection will be the last.

The collection will consist of four cask strenght single malts from closed distilleries; Glen Mhor 28 years old, Millburn 35 years old, Glendullan 26 years old and Linkwood 30 years old.
Dr. Nicholas Morgan, global malts marketing director commented: 'As the Special Releases are now well established, it makes less sence to continue selecting and promoting a parallel series of Rare Malts with his own separate indentity'.
In future, all premium and rare whiskies will be made available in the annual Special Releases series.

1892

Built by John Birnie, Manager

of Glen Albyn distillery, and

James Mackinlay
of Charles Mackinlay & Co,

whisky blenders, Leith, under

the firm of
Mackinlay & Birnie Ltd, Principal

shareolder is Charles Mackinlay
Architect is Charles Doig
1893

Production starts in December
1906

A large shareholding being taken by

John Walker & Co
1920

Mackinlay & Birnie Ltd, buys

Glen Mhor and Glen Albyn distilleries
1954

A Saladin box replaces floor maltings

which makes Glen Mhor one of the
first distilleries to introduce mechanical

malting
1972

Glen Mhor is bought by

Distillers Company Limited (D.C.L.)
1980

Own maltings is decommissioned
1983

Glen Mhor closes
1986

The buildings are demolished
2001

Glen Mhor 22 years old from 1979

is launched as a Rare Malt
2005

Glen Mhor 28 years old from 1976

is launched as a Rare Malt

THE RARE MALTS SELECTION
The Rare Malts Selection, now drawing to a close after ten years, has always been made from remarkable cask-strenght single malt Scotch whiskies; among the rarest, most precious stocks to survive in Scotland.
Looked after undisturbed by careful hands since birth, each has been nurtured to perfection, then selected on merit by a distinguished panel of experts.
Often twenty or more years of age, many Rare Malts have been so rare that they will never be seen again.
Connoisseurs have appreciated their full rich colour and enjoyed their true depth of flavour, thanks to unfiltered cask-strenght bottling.
Nosing them has been an act of reverence to enjoy in itself. When tasting, it has always been advised that the correct dilution for a cask-strenght Rare Malt should be two parts water to one of whisky.
Each individually numbered bottle has revealed a most intriguing character, its individuality emphasised by a quirk peculiar to natural cask strenght bottlings.
So small has been each bottling run that every Rare Malt, drawn from casks, which naturally differ, has had its own unique strenght.
The Rare Malts Selection: each unique to taste, give, collect and now, to remember with affection.

THE LAST RARE MALTS SELECTION
The Rare Malts have always been, by definition, rare. They have never been on widespread sale. Available only in selected outlets, each has been released as a strictly limited edition of individually numbered bottles.
As with fine vintage wine, the supply of Rare Malts has been restricted by availability.
Once each was exhausted, its place in the Selection was taken by an equally rare bottling of a similarly fine old single malt.
And now, the stocks from which the Rare Malts were drawn are almost exhausted, the very last selection has been made.
It is limited to no more than 6000 bottles of each make, and is additionally distinguished by coming in part from closed distilleries.
The last of the last. Truly, these are The Rare Malt

Glen Mhor was one of a number of single malts which were being bottled in the late 19th and early 20th century, a further demonstration that the commonly held notion that this was a 1960s concept is not borne out by historical evidence.

A small two-still operation, it is now very rarely seen although SMWS and Gordon & MacPhail have, on occasion, bottled it. Bottlings show it to be a big, fat and quite muscular malt with a meaty and lightly smoky undertow.

It re-emerged most recently when it was named as one of the malts in the Mackinlay’s blend which was found entombed in ice under Ernest Shackleton’s hut. The distillery’s other claim to fame was as the place where Scottish novelist, and author of the polemic Scotland and Whisky, Neil M. Gunn, was first based.

Clearly in 1892 when John Birnie, the manager of Glen Albyn (which sat opposite) entered into a business partnership with Leith blender Charles Mackinlay, he was thinking commercially. The new distillery was designed by the leading architect of the era, Charles Doig, and located between the Caledonian Canal and the railway giving it superb communication links. In 1920, Mackinlay & Birnie bought Glen Albyn.

Unusually, the distillery remained water-powered until the 1950s and had Saladin maltings installed in 1954.

In 1972, it became a late addition to the DCL portfolio, although it would only remain with the industry giant until 1983 when it was another of Scotland’s smaller stills to close. Three years later it was demolished.

Seen from a modern perspective in which the importance of whisky tourism is a major consideration, the fact that the capital of the Highlands doesn’t have a single distillery might seem strange. It’s easy to forget how vey different the business was only a few decades ago.

Diageo

1997 - present

United Distillers

1986 - 1997

Distillers Company Limited

1972 - 1986

Mackinlay & Birnie

1892 - 1972

MACKINLAY'S

BLENDED & SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

Mackinlay’s has been bottled in numerous guises over the last two centuries, with blended Scotch, vatted malt and single malt all bottled under the brand.

By the early 1980s the brand was the 11th best-selling Scotch in the UK, led by Mackinlay’s Legacy, which was bottled at 12, 17 and 21 years of age, and The Original Mackinlay. At the time, The Original contained ‘no less that 34% malt’, the majority of which was from Speyside. Although the name has changed to Mackinlay’s Original, the same recipe is still adhered to today by Whyte & Mackay’s master blender Richard Paterson. The current version is a vatting of malt and grain whiskies aged for at least five years and bottled at 40% abv.

The brand is most famous for being the whisky of choice of Sir Ernest Shackleton to accompany his 1907 expedition to the South Pole. The 25 cases of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt were made to order at a specific 47.3% abv strong enough to withstand freezing temperatures.

In 2007 several bottles of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt were found at Shackleton’s Antarctic base camp, and analysis found the whisky had been matured in American oak Sherry casks, and produced using Orkney peat in the malting process.

The liquid was recreated for two limited edition releases –The Discovery and The Journey – both of which contained malts from Glen Mhor and Dalmore among others.

For over 140 years Charles Mackinlay & Company remained a family firm, with five generations involved in the business of blending and distilling. Established in 1815 as a wine merchant in Leith, Charles Mackinlay first became agent for Macfarlane’s whisky and then introduced his own proprietary brands, the first of which was Mackinlay’s Vatted Old Ben Vorlich.

In 1847 The Original Mackinlay was registered and became the bedrock brand for the company. Two further brand extensions – ML (Mackinlay Legacy) and V.O.B (Very Old Blended) were introduced in the early 20th century and widely advertised from the 1920s to ‘60s with the tagline: ’There’s no use talking… taste it!’

In 1892 Mackinlays was involved in building Glen Mhor distillery in Inverness, after which it adopted ‘Leith & Inverness’ on its labelling.

Charles Mackinlay & Co’s family ownership eventually ended in 1961, when the company was sold to Scottish Newcastle Breweries Ltd and subsequently became part of Waverley Vintners Ltd. The company was later picked up by Invergordon Distillers and is now part of Whyte & Mackay.

Mackinlay’s most enduring tale is most certainly one of adventure and perseverance. In 1907 polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton took 25 cases of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt (a single malt from Glen Mhor), along with 18 further cases of brandy and port, on the Nimrod expedition to the South Pole. The journey was later abandoned – Shackleton was within 97 miles of reaching the South Pole when he took the decision to turn back, saving the lives of his men. Around 100 years later, three Mackinlay’s crates containing 11 intact bottles were discovered by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, frozen in the ice underneath Shackleton’s base camp at Cape Royds.

In 2011, Whyte & Mackay master blender Richard Paterson secured three of the bottles for analysis, which lead to the recreation of the original whisky as a blended malt.

A second recreation followed in 2013 to mark the Epic Expedition, the first genuine recreation of Shackleton’s 1914-17 Trans-Antarctic Expedition.