House of Hazelwood Q&A
House of Hazelwood
In this exclusive Q&A, House of Hazelwood offers insights into their meticulous curation and bottling process, the historical significance behind their rare and luxurious whisky collection, and what sets their offerings apart.
House of Hazelwood is known for curating some of the rarest and most luxurious whiskies. Can you share the story behind how House of Hazelwood was founded and the inspiration that led to its creation?
For almost one hundred years, generations of the Gordon family have carefully laid down stocks of whisky for special occasions and personal consumption. This rare collection has become known as House of Hazelwood, after the family’s Dufftown home – Hazelwood House.
Today, the House of Hazelwood collection has grown to become the greatest inventory of aged Scotch whisky held anywhere in the world. Spanning seven decades and every corner of Scotland, the diverse whiskies held in cask tell stories of remarkable places, lost ways of working, first casks, last casks, the ambitions, and achievements of several lifetimes – none of which will be repeated.
In 2022, this once-private collection was made available in small batches hand-selected for release. The whisky stocks had amassed to such a level, it simply would be impossible for one family to consume it all – and at the age statements and styles offered, this is a unique opportunity to sample liquid history, bottled.
While House of Hazelwood isn’t a distillery, your approach to selecting and bottling whisky is both unique and meticulous. What sets your curation process apart, and how do you ensure each bottle maintains such high standards of quality and craftsmanship?
As an independent producer, we are not bound to the same commercial challenges as others may be – and as a result, House of Hazelwood can foster a whisky making methodology that truly is “ready when it is ready” and bottled not a minute sooner. The stocks are assessed regularly by the sampling team – and when a whisky reaches optimal maturation or takes on a particularly unusual characteristic, we make the decision to bottle and share with connoisseurs.
With such a prestigious collection of rare whiskies, are there any upcoming releases or special projects that you’re particularly excited about at House of Hazelwood?
We recently released the 2024 collection, adding eight new expressions to our current offering, inspired by the adventuring spirit of the Gordon Family. Every bottle within this release is to be cherished, but there are a few that really demonstrate our ethos of constant innovation and producing exceptional whisky. For instance, our 1972 Single Grain Scotch Whisky titled “The Old Ways” is a remarkable example of whisky-making techniques which are no longer employed. At its time of distillation, the technology simply did not exist of which we have today, so it offers a true insight into how things have evolved into present day.
Given House of Hazelwood’s distinct position in the whisky industry, how do you envision the future of rare and luxury whisky? Are there any industry trends or innovations that you’re paying close attention to?
As a company, we are never driven by trends, but rather opting to bottle only the most exceptional of expressions when they are assessed to be ready to bottle – at 30 years, or 50 years. Looking to the future, we believe the whiskies will represent a liquid time capsule of techniques, flavours and stories that are unlikely, or in some cases even impossible, to recreate in the modern day. For us, our custodianship of such pivotal, yet drinkable, moments in history is an honour to serve.
If you would like to find out more about House of Hazelwood or would be interested in purchasing one of their bottles you can visit their website here