House of Hazelwood plans 100YO grain whisky

The Gordon family, owners of William Grant & Sons, has unveiled a new series that will culminate in the 'world’s first' 100-year-old single grain whisky.

The collection debuts with a 60-year-old single grain whisky from William Grant & Sons' Girvan Distillery, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Whiskies for the collection are drawn from casks laid down by Charles Gordon in 1964, the distillery's first year of production. Called One For The Next, the series will feature five grain whiskies. House of Hazelwood aims to release a new expression every decade until 2065, creating a collection of whiskies aged for 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 years. The collection honours the Gordon family’s long-standing tradition of preserving stocks for future generations. One For The Next Chapter One 60-Year-Old is a blend of whiskies distilled in 1964, displaying notes of currants, candied fruits, toasted almonds, citrus, and green Granny Smith Apples. With only 25 bottles available, the remaining 60-year-old single grain blend will be stored in custom-made European oak hogsheads. These barrels have been commissioned by Charles Gordon’s niece, Kirsten Grant Meikle, and are specifically designed to support long-term maturation for future generations. Meikle said: "To be part of our family is to have whisky in your DNA. It’s an honour to be carrying on the family tradition of laying down whiskies for the next generation, of innovating and, of course, to be working with grain whisky first laid down by my uncle himself makes this extra special. “Our family has been doing this forever – laying whisky down, protecting it, nurturing it in the full knowledge that it’s not something we will personally enjoy. It’s for those that come next. "This is our family story, and it always has been. And for whoever gets to open and enjoy these bottles in the future, it truly is an incredible opportunity to witness and taste the evolution of a grain whisky through the decades."

Something for the collectors

For The Next Chapter One 60-year-old is the first part of a series of five whiskies. Customers who purchase the 60-year-old whisky will have the first opportunity to buy future bottles released in the series. Those who acquire the entire collection can present it in a custom-built display cabinet, made from wood sourced from the garden of Hazelwood House, the Gordon family's home in Speyside. Jonathan Gibson, director of House of Hazelwood, commented: "In recent years, there has been a trend towards speculation in the Scotch market, with some investors looking to buy hard-to-find bottles and sell them quickly for financial gain. "We’re fortunate that those who buy House of Hazelwood releases typically buy for different reasons – understanding greatly aged Scotch whisky for everything it represents: liquid character, the story behind the flavour and the time and care that has gone into its creation. This is something for them – an opportunity to become a part of this whisky’s story and to build on the pioneering work of Charles Gordon himself. "The ambition to take this whisky through to 100 is also a fascinating technical challenge and, for those who join us on the journey, it will certainly be rewarding." Purchasers will gain access to a private microsite that will keep them updated on the collection, including annual reports on the whisky's maturation process. They will receive a certificate of ownership, invitations to exclusive owner events, tasting samples, and information on transferring ownership to future generations. The collection is available exclusively to order from House of Hazelwood and William Grant & Sons Distillers Libraries with an RRP of £10,000 (US$13,300). Last September, William Grant & Sons reported a 34% revenue and profit increase in 2023. Last month, the company announced a production pause at its Tullamore Distillery in County Offaly, Ireland.