The Macallan distillery

The Macallan distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Craigellachie, Moray. The Macallan Distillers Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Edrington Group, which purchased the brand from Highland Distillers in 1999.[1]

The Macallan
Region: Speyside
LocationMoray, Scotland
Coordinates57°29′3.74″N 3°12′27.28″W
OwnerEdrington Group
Founded1824
StatusOperational
No. of stills12 wash
24 spirit
The Macallan Fine Oak
Age(s)8-year-old
10-year-old
12-year-old
15-year-old
17-year-old
18-year-old
21-year-old
25-year-old
30-year-old
72-year-old
Cask type(s)Bourbon
Sherry (both American and European oak)
The Macallan Sherry Oak
Age(s)10-year-old
10-year-old (cask strength)
12-year-old
Elegancia 12-year-old
18-year-old
25-year-old
30-year-old
40-year-old
72-year-old
Cask type(s)Sherry (mostly European oak)
The 1824 Collection
TypeSelect Oak
Whisky Maker's Edition
Estate Reserve
1824
Oscuro
The Macallan Double Cask
Type12-year-old

The Macallan is generally considered be the second or third highest-selling single-malt scotch, next to Glenfiddich and, by some accounts, Glenlivet.[2][3]

Originally, The Macallan was matured only in oak sherry casks brought to the distillery from Jerez, Spain. Beginning in 2004, The Macallan introduced a new main product, the Fine Oak series, with the whisky mellowed in bourbon oak casks as well as sherry ones.[4]

Bottlings

The distillery produces a number of expressions in its core Sherry Oak series, the most generally available being the 12-year-old, although the 18-year-old is widely distributed, alongside a 10-year-old cask strength expression at 58% ABV; expensive 25- and 30-year-old versions can also be found.

More recently, starting in 2004, The Macallan for the first time started to offer single malt expressions vatted with whisky matured in used casks other than ex-sherry casks as part of the Fine Oak range. Macallan also markets special scotches in duty-free shops at airports such as the 1824 Collection.

Many rare, special releases and other small production run bottlings also exist.

Publicity and marketing

In 2001, Michael Martin selected The Macallan 10 Years Old as the official Scotch of the Speaker of the House of Commons, even though Martin himself had given up drinking alcohol. He did smell whiskies to make his selection. This selection continued the tradition of the Speaker designating an official single malt.[5] In 2003, The Macallan started laboratory tests to determine if some antique whiskies purchased for their collection were forgeries, perhaps generated by a dealer with mafia ties.[1] In 2004, it was revealed that laboratory testing had determined at least 11 bottles in its antique whisky collection were fakes.[6] Although The Macallan had tested the paper of the labels and were satisfied the whiskies were genuine, additional tests on the contents of some bottles revealed whisky believed to be only 10 years old. David Cox, director of fine and rare whiskies for The Macallan, said, "As a result of these tests from now on, no antique bottles from the antique collection held at the distillery will be made available for sale."

In 2007, a bottle of 1926 The Macallan was sold at a Christie's auction for $54,000, making it one of the most expensive bottles of whisky ever sold.[7] In 2010, a bottle of The Macallan 64-year-old single malt whisky in a one-of-a-kind "Lalique: Cire Perdue" crystal decanter was sold for $460,000 at an auction at Sotheby's in New York City. All proceeds from the sale were donated to charity: water, an organization that helps provide access to clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations.[8] In 2012, The Macallan received the Guinness World Record for the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction. In 2014, a decanter of Macallan's 'M' whisky sold at auction in Hong Kong for a record breaking $628,205.[9] In 2018, The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 60-year-old sold for £848,000 at auction in Edinburgh, the world's most expensive bottle of whisky.[10]

New distillery and visitor experience

In July 2019, the £140 million new distillery and visitor experience, on the Easter Elchies estate near Craigellachie, made the shortlist for the Stirling Prize for excellence in architecture. It was designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.[11]

See also

References
  1. English, Shirley. "Macallan begins testing for fake vintage malt". The Times (UK). 3 November 2003
  2. Bain, Simon. The Herald. 2009-10-24 retrieved from Macallan predicts ‘strong year’ as improved efficiency sends turnover up by £9m on 9 February 2011
  3. Lyons, William. "Macallan has a taste for global domination". The Scotsman. 2009-08-16. retrieved from <http://business.scotsman.com/fooddrinkagriculture/Macallan-has-a-taste-for.5558155.jp> on 9 February 2011.
  4. Macallan Fine Oak (page retrieved 24 May 2006).
  5. Watson, Roland. "Macallan whisky is teetotal Speaker's brand". The Times (UK). 2 March 2001.
  6. "Collector's Market Rocked by Fake Macallan Discovery". Whisky Magazine. 2004-05-17. retrieved from <http://www.whiskymag.com/news/1389.html> on 9 February 2011.
  7. Rosenberg, Rebecca (9 December 2007). "Scotch Whisky". New York Post. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  8. "The Macallan® and Lalique Break Record for Most Expensive Whisky and Crystal Decanter Ever Sold: $460,000 -– All for Charity --".
  9. Lord, Bronte. "Record-setting whisky sells for $628,205 at Hong Kong auction".
  10. "Whisky sold for world record £848,000". BBC News. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  11. "London Bridge station makes 2019 Riba Stirling Prize shortlist". BBC News. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
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