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Strathisla 1937. Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in the early 1960s. 26 2/3 Fl Ozs. 70 Proof. No box.
Distilled in 1937 and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in the early 1960s, this is an extraordinarily rare survivor from one of Speyside's most historic distilleries. Released under Gordon & MacPhail's classic licensed-label series, it represents the era when the Elgin bottler was cementing its reputation for selecting and maturing exceptional casks from Scotland's finest distilleries.
Founded in 1786, Strathisla is one of Speyside's oldest and most revered distilleries, renowned for producing an elegant, richly fruity spirit. Since becoming the home of Chivas Regal in 1950, much of the distillery's output has been reserved for blending, making early single malt bottlings such as this exceptionally scarce.
Bottled at 70 Proof (40% ABV) in the traditional 26 2/3 fl oz format, this example is fitted with the distinctive Securo cap, a closure used only briefly during the early 1960s. Despite its short production run, the Securo cap is widely regarded as one of the best seals ever fitted to a whisky bottle, creating an exceptionally reliable closure that has helped preserve liquid levels remarkably well over the decades.
Distilled before the outbreak of the Second World War, this whisky belongs to an exceptionally small group of surviving pre-war Scotch whiskies. Very few casks distilled during the 1930s were ever bottled as single malts, with the overwhelming majority destined for blends or simply lost to time through decades of consumption. As a result, pre-war bottlings have become some of the most sought-after and historically important whiskies in the world, offering a direct connection to a vanished era of Scotch whisky production.
This 1937 Strathisla is among the rarest surviving Gordon & MacPhail bottlings and is the first example in this format that we have ever seen. Its appearance on the open market represents an exceptionally rare opportunity for collectors to acquire an extremely rare example.
This bottle comes from the remarkable collection we have been privileged to offer at auction over the last several years, a collection that has consistently yielded some of the rarest and most important Scotch whiskies ever to appear on the open market.
One of the greatest of the Speyside distilleries, Strathisla distillery’s whisky is equally at home in sherry or bourbon casks but is not heavily marketed as a single malt, as its spirit is a crucial ingredient in owner Pernod Ricard’s portfolio of blended whiskies. The only official bottlings released are the standard 12-year-old and a series of single cask bottlings available only at the group’s distillery visitor centres.
Thankfully, Gordon & MacPhail have long been a licensed bottler of Strathisla and hold a very considerable stock of Strathisla casks dating back decades. G&M have bottled a remarkable number of superb Strathislas, from the extraordinary 1937 vintage bottles through to the recent 65-year-old Strathisla 1953. At auction, away from the famous vintages and long-aged sherrybombs, mid-aged Strathislas from Gordon & MacPhail are generally excellent value.
Founded in Elgin as a merchant grocer and wine and spirits wholesaler in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail are one of the oldest independent whisky bottlers in Scotland. Co-founder James Gordon owned shares in Longmorn, Strathisla and Glen Grant, and Gordon & MacPhail were soon bottling officially licensed single malts from several distilleries and sending empty casks from their wine business to be filled with new make spirit and returned for maturation in their Elgin warehouses.
Gordon & MacPhail pioneered high strength single malts at 100 proof (57%) in the 1950s, and in 1968 the company launched Connoisseurs Choice, one of the first integrated ranges of small batch independent whisky bottlings. After finally becoming distillers themselves with the purchase of Benromach in 1993, in 2010 Gordon & MacPhail bottled the first 70-year-old single malt whisky (a Mortlach 1938) and in 2020 the company released the first ever 80-year-old whisky: Glenlivet 1940.
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| BID | DATE | TIME | |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,200.00 | 30th July 2026 | 12:54 PM | |
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No Product Found
By placing a bid, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by Whisky-Online Auctions' Terms and Conditions of Sale.
You acknowledge that your bid is binding and irrevocable.
If you are the successful bidder, a legally binding contract for the purchase of the Lot will be formed in accordance with the Terms and Conditions. You agree to pay the hammer price together with the Buyer's Premium, any applicable VAT and all other charges payable under those Terms, including delivery charges where applicable.
By bidding, you confirm that you are authorised to place the bid, are acting on your own behalf or have full authority to act on behalf of another person or entity, and have the financial means to complete the purchase if your bid is successful.