Today, another surpasses it, becoming the first Scotch whisky to reach 85 years old. Gordon & MacPhail traces its penchant for hyper-aged malts back to 1933, when George Urquhart began his whisky career alongside his father, John. By 1940, both John and George appreciated how whisky continues to improve if left to age in oak for decades. “You had people laying down spirit not knowing what flag was going to be flying over their house when it turned into a Scotch whisky: a Union flag or a Swastika. For companies like Gordon & MacPhail to be laying down spirit through these tough years was a real statement of optimism.”Another statement of optimism is the price point.