House of Hazelwood, home to one of the largest inventories of aged Scotch whisky in the world, has officially launched in Australia through United Cellars.
The Sydney-based, independent, family-owned merchant will provide local collectors and enthusiasts first access to the highly limited releases.
For nearly a century, generations of the Gordon family have been laying down stocks of whisky for private occasions and personal enjoyment. Now, under the banner of House of Hazelwood – named after the family’s Dufftown residence, Hazelwood House – the collection is being offered outside the family for the very first time.
The range spans more than seven decades of whisky-making, encompassing rare parcels of malt and grain Scotch from across Scotland. Each expression is described as a liquid time capsule, representing lost techniques, historic firsts and final casks, never to be repeated.
The newly released collection available via United Cellars features eight whiskies, including The Transatlantic, a 33-Year-Old Blended Grain that marries Scottish and American traditions, and Queen of the Hebrides, a 36-Year-Old Islay Blended Malt renowned for its intense maritime and peated profile.
At the heart of the release is The Last Trace, a 58-Year-Old Blended Malt matured in American white oak, of which only 65 bottles exist worldwide. Each whisky has been bottled only at its peak maturity, reflecting the family’s philosophy that whisky is “ready when it’s ready”.
To celebrate the launch, fifth-generation family member Kirsten Grant-Meikle hosted an exclusive dinner at Sydney’s Quay Restaurant. Guests were guided through five courses paired with rare whiskies, including The Garden at Hazelwood, a 47-Year-Old Blended Malt noted for its orchard fruit character.
Speaking at the event, Grant-Meikle said: “For almost 100 years, my family has been laying down maturing whiskies for future generations to enjoy, with the collection growing in scope and stature as the decades have passed. For the first time, this once-private collection is being offered to those outside the immediate family in small batches hand-selected for release. I am honoured to present these whiskies for the first time in Australia and to share the legacy, stories and spirit behind each bottle. I hope whisky lovers are inspired discovering The House of Hazelwood collection as we have been in creating it.”
For United Cellars, the partnership represents a major coup in bringing rare Scotch to Australian whisky connoisseurs, says Founder Anthony Ghattas.
“This truly is whisky at its rarest. We are very privileged to have first access to these whiskies in the Australian market. With only a handful of bottles available worldwide – and even fewer opened – the opportunity to sample them is incredibly special. We believe connoisseurs, collectors and enthusiasts alike will agree these are some of the most compelling whiskies ever released.”
He added: “This event wasn’t simply a dinner, but an exploration of legacy, time and craftmanship through the lens of one of the most exclusive whisky collections in the world: House of Hazelwood.”
The line-up, drawn from both the Charles Gordon Collection and The Legacy Collection, includes whiskies such as The Old Ways, a 1972 Single Grain celebrating now-lost production methods, and A Minute to Midnight, a 45-Year-Old Blended Scotch described as an unapologetic sherry bomb.
Retail prices for the collection start at RRP $1,885, with only a small allocation available for the Australian market.