A while ago, the most authoritative whisky book, Whisky Bible, released the best whisky of the year in 2022 in major categories, which attracted a lot of attention. Among them, there is a wine that is worth knowing - Gordon McPhail's bottled 72-year Grand Crown 1948 (Gorden & MacPhall Glen Grant 1948).
Not only was this whisky named "Scotch of the Year" and "Scottish Single Barrel Single Wheat Whisky of the Year" by Whisky Bible, but it also broke the record for the highest rating ever recorded by the Whisky Bible, receiving a high score of 97.5!
The whisky single barrel from Speyside, Scotland, numbered 440, matured in a first-filled American sherry barrel and launched in January 2021 with an alcohol content of 52.6% alcohol and only 290 bottles worldwide. The first batch of 100 bottles released is now sold out, and one of the 100 bottles is the 88th Grand Crown 1948, which broke the world record for whisky at the most recent 2021 Hong Kong Powerlong Auction (Bonham's) with a pre-tax auction price of HK$421,000/ £39,600 (about RMB343,830). On wine-searcher, the 72-year Grand Crown 1948 international pre-tax average price has also reached 434,210 yuan / bottle.
Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible, said: "I'm not sure there's a scotch whisky that has a better aroma than this one. This wine has any whiskey quality you want... And even more..., an exceptionally outstanding and rare flawless single-wheat whisky, matured in impeccable oak barrels for a truly perfect harmonious blend. ”
“I really am not sure the nose of a scotch whisky can be better than this,” writes Murray. “It has everything you can wish for… and so much more… an incredibly rare case of an impeccable malt filled into an impeccable cask finished in true harmony.”
"Most whiskies that are 72 years old are likely to have too much oak flavor and lose their overall balance, but this whisky is not at all, it is a rare whisky in the world that combines oak barrel aging with outstanding quality, and it is at the top of the fashion bottle at its best."
- Vintner's Premier Whisky
"I'm pretty sure that in my 40-year career, this is one of the finest single-wheat whiskies I've ever drunk, and it's a delight to me. I've drunk a lot of old single wheat in the past, but they have lost their vitality and appear weak and unremarkable. But this one won't. ”
—Charles MacLean, a famous whisky writer
In 1948, shortly after the end of World War II, when coal supplies were scarce, many distilleries switched to malt to make whisky, and the malt aroma of that era was very strong and gave whisky excellent complexity. So this Grand Crown 1948 is also quite historic, witnessing the twists and turns of whisky, tasting it as if tasting history.
The flavor notes are as follows:
Color: very deep amber;
Smell: After 72 years of aging, its aroma can still be so cheerful and active, surprisingly, dominated by sweet aromas such as cake, juice, baked apple peel, etc., under which there are shavings, coconut, molasses toffee, chocolate, coffee, licorice and other aromas, smoke and oak flavor harmoniously integrated, as slowly wake up, the delicate and fresh mint breath also wafts in;
Taste: Orange peel, green cardamom and other dry skin and fruit flavors are intertwined, there is a sweet feeling, accompanied by coffee, chocolate, spices and other flavors. Like the aroma, the palate is very active, vibrant, full of texture, strong tannins, perfect harmony and a long aftertaste.
This wine is bottled in Dartington brand crystal bottles, Dartington is the only crystal glass manufacturer in the United Kingdom, with a stylish and modern design, practical functional appeal to produce a lot of elegant and simple works. Since it is matured in American shells, the packaging design of this wine is also fixed by American-style dark wood box packaging.
In January this year, the official released the second batch of 100 bottles quota, which is still on sale, and those who want to collect it can be grasped