Gordon & MacPhail wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise for the second time!

Some great news just in - Gordon & MacPhail has won a second Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade! We were just sent this great news direct from Gordon & MacPhail, you can read the full press release below... Congratulations Gordon & MacPhail, well deserved. NEWS RELEASE: The growing success of Benromach whisky has helped family-owned whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail win a second Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. The whisky specialist and distiller brought the Benromach Distillery back to life in 1998 when it was officially re-opened by HRH The Prince of Wales. Since then the Forres distillery has unveiled a series of hand-crafted single malt whiskies including the flagship Benromach 10 years old. Managing Director, Michael Urquhart expressed his delight at winning the prestigious award for a second time, saying: “This is a wonderful achievement and recognition for the company and our dedicated staff, as well as for our customers and suppliers worldwide. The Queen’s Award is recognised across the world as a mark of outstanding quality and I have no doubt that winning the first award in 2009 has contributed to our recent growth. “I am particularly pleased that the continuing success of Benromach whisky has played such a major part in our winning this award once more. The launch of Generations in 2010 with a 70 Year Old Mortlach then a 70 Year Old Glenlivet in 2011 were also highly sought after additions to the extensive range of single malt whiskies Gordon & MacPhail can offer to the market. As a result total exports have almost doubled in three years to more than £6m in 2012. “We have been championing malt whisky for more than a century by buying and storing casks of whisky from distilleries across Scotland. But it’s been a particular pleasure for us as a family to drive the growth of our own Benromach whisky.” Scotch Whisky Association Chief Executive, Gavin Hewitt welcomed the endorsement, saying: “Further congratulations to Gordon & MacPhail are very much in order. I am delighted that they have again been recognised for their outstanding export performance. The Scotch Whisky business is doing very well in our many overseas markets. Gordon & MacPhail is one of the beacons and an inspiration to others.” The family-owned company is proud of its Moray roots and the company, its directors and its staff all play an active role in the local community. The company’s support helped secure Forres as the host town for the European Pipe Band Championships over the next three years when Benromach will be the principal sponsor. Successful marketing of the Benromach brand has included sponsorship of the National Theatre of Scotland’s highly acclaimed production of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart which toured extensively overseas following sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. As part of the performance, audiences have the chance to enjoy a dram of Benromach. Gordon & MacPhail employs almost 140 people in Elgin and Forres. With around 300 different whisky brands stored in its warehouses, it cares for some of Scotland’s oldest and rarest casks. About Gordon & MacPhail Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned Scotch whisky specialist which has been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of seeking out the best and rarest Scotch whiskies. Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin. Now one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 55 countries. It offers more than 300 presentations of own-bottled single malts. In 2009, Gordon & MacPhail was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. In 1993 Gordon & MacPhail purchased Benromach Distillery and re-equipped it before it was officially opening by HRH Prince Charles in 1998. A four star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach distillery is a member of the world famous malt whisky trail. In 2010 Gordon & MacPhail made history by bottling the oldest cask ever released – a 70 Year Old Mortlach, distilled in 1938. They followed this up by releasing 100 70cl and 175 20cl decanters of 70 Year Old Glenlivet in 2011. They have now released the remaining 100 70cl decanters from this cask. Gordon &MacPhail is proud of its Moray roots and the company, its directors and its staff play an active role in their local community by supporting local charities and sponsoring local events.