Gordon & Macphail Glenlivet 1946 - 70cl
Gordon & MacPhail Glenlivet 1946 is a very rare independent bottling of Glenlivet distilled in 1946, the year after the Second World War ended. It is not a distillery release. Gordon & MacPhail's 1946 Glenlivet bottlings were matured in sherry butts and bottled at 40% ABV.
- Reported as surprisingly fruit-forward, with soft fruit, floral notes and hints of honey and wood smoke
- Distilled 1946, matured in sherry casks and bottled at 40% ABV by Gordon & MacPhail
- For serious collectors of historic vintages and independent bottlings
- 70cl bottle presented in a wooden case
The full story & FAQBackground · serving notes · questions
Gordon & MacPhail and Glenlivet
Gordon & MacPhail was founded in Elgin in 1895 and has filled its own casks at Speyside distilleries for generations, Glenlivet among them. In 2011 it released a 70 year old Glenlivet distilled in 1940, showing how long it has held stocks from the distillery. This is an independent bottling, not a distillery release.
The whisky
This Glenlivet was distilled in 1946, as Scotch distilling was recovering from wartime restrictions. Gordon & MacPhail's 1946 Glenlivet bottlings record maturation in sherry butts and a bottling strength of 40% ABV. Very few bottles of whisky from this vintage remain.
How to enjoy it
If you open it, pour a small measure neat into a tulip glass at room temperature and do not add water or ice. Give it time and taste it slowly. If you keep it sealed, store it upright, away from light and heat.
Frequently asked
Is this an official Glenlivet bottling?
No. It is an independent bottling by Gordon & MacPhail of whisky distilled at Glenlivet in 1946. It is not a distillery release.
Are there tasting notes?
No official tasting notes have been published for this bottling. Retailers describe it as surprisingly fruit-forward, with hints of honey and wood smoke.
Can I see it before I buy?
Yes. Book a private viewing at our showroom at 2 Sims Close, #02-10, through our concierge on WhatsApp +65 9680 5856.
How is it delivered?
Delivery is free with no minimum spend, and our concierge arranges the handover with you personally.
TASTING NOTES
NOSE
Sparkling and surprisingly vibrant for its age with fresh summer fruit, citrus, green apple, and cantaloupe at the fore, layered with sweet vanilla, a beautiful aged Cognac note, waxed fruit, pineapple juice, and a delicate dusty bookshelf quality that speaks eloquently to decades of quiet maturation in G&M's Elgin warehouses.
PALATE
Fruity, sweet, and gently complex with red apple, sultanas, green apple, and a soft sherry character, underpinned by a light vegetal note, old seal wax, dry oak tannins, warming spice, and hints of honey — remarkable vitality and fruit-forward elegance for a whisky of such extraordinary age.
FINISH
Long, honeyed, and gently woody with a drying, tannic oak note, dried fruit, warming winter spice, and a subtle tang of aged oak — a finish of exceptional length and quiet, dignified character that lingers as a testament to over four decades of patient Speyside maturation.
ABV: 40% ABV