Ultra-rare 1970s whiskies lead House of Hazelwood 2026 Charles Gordon Collection release

House of Hazelwood has unveiled the latest chapter in its accumulating archive of premium Scotch, releasing four new expressions under the Charles Gordon Collection. The Speyside-based custodian of the Gordon family’s extensive cask inventory, has built a reputation for premium curated bottlings,  and these new offerings draw on nearly half a century of patient maturation.

Named after Charles Gordon, a former William Grant & Sons chairman who championed the idea that whisky is “ready when it’s ready”, this new quartet comprises four limited expressions, each drawn from casks laid down when Slade dominated the charts, and limited to fewer than 300 bottles each.

Jonathan Gibson, director at House of Hazelwood, described the collection as a continuation of the Gordon family’s long-standing approach to whisky making, a willingness to allow spirit and cask to evolve at their own pace.

“As with the previous collections, these are the most compelling whiskies that the Gordon family inventory has to offer, a bridge between the past and the present, each parcel remarkable by virtue of its character, its history, or its method of production.”

This new collection comprises four limited expressions, each drawn from casks laid down in the 1970s, and limited to fewer than 300 bottles each…

A Different World 48 Year Old single grain Scotch whisky, £3,200

Leading the release is A Different World, distilled at Girvan during a period when maize was still used as the base, and production methods differed markedly from today. 

Matured for 48 years in a first-fill sherry butt and bottled at 57.2% ABV, this release is limited to 219 bottles. Its character is shaped by an unusual off-take point during distillation, resulting in a pronounced herbal profile. On the nose, there’s a subtle sherry influence with notes of thyme and a gentle sherbet sweetness emerging with a drop of water. The palate is said to be rich and oaky, with delicate spice and a persistent thyme note that evolves into a lingering impression of generously brewed herbal tea.

The Silent Partner 47 year old peated blended Scotch whisky, £3,300

The Silent Partner marks a first for the house as its inaugural peated blended Scotch whisky. Aged for 47 years, and bottled at 46.7% ABV, it combines a sweet Lowland grain base with Highland malts matured in both American and European oak. A restrained use of peated malt, drawn from a Highland distillery that retained traditional methods in the 1970s, adds a subtle smoky dimension. According to official tasting notes, the nose opens with heather blossom sweetness and summer flowers, while the palate carries those floral tones forward. A thread of smoke recedes into a long, softly sweet finish. Limited to 228 bottles.

A Fond Farewell, 46 year old blended malt, £4,000

At the top of the price range is A Fond Farewell, a 46-year-old blend drawn from the Gordon family’s rare ‘Hogmanay casks’, filled each New Year’s Eve during the 1970s. 

Bottled at 43.8% ABV, and limited to 252 bottles, it’s matured in a mix of refill European and American oak, for a richly spiced profile. The nose is reportedly dense and syrupy, with notes of brown sugar, treacle scone and Dundee cake, alongside a hint of spiced ginger wine. On the palate, expect warming spice, balanced by sweetness and depth.

An Organised Whole 45 year old blended malt, £3,200

Completing the collection, An Organised Whole is a 45-year-old bottled at 47.3% ABV. Built from a range of Highland distillery profiles and matured in both hogsheads and sherry butts, it is presented as a study in blending. The nose is rich and inviting, with muscovado sugar and soft caramel, while the palate delivers a full, oily texture with a balance of sherbet brightness and oak tannins. Drinks can look forward to Sherry depth, tempered by a softer, sweeter character derived from American oak. There are 267 bottles available.

All four expressions are available now via the House of Hazelwood.