And, in 2018, 600 bottles of Macallan Lalique 72 Year Old - The Genesis Decanter went on sale for $60,000 each. In fact, in 2017, a Macallan Lalique 50 Year Old sold for more than $460,000. There have been collaborations with the likes of Lalique, the French luxury glassmaker. It’s also the Official Scotch of the UK House of Commons, which is slightly less cool but still impressive. For one thing, Daniel Craig as James Bond drinks Macallan whisky in Spectre. Macallan has also grown to be associated with all things suave, sophisticated, and successful. It’s somewhat of a Scottish icon, too, with images of Macallan’s copper stills appearing on Bank of Scotland £10 notes. Today, Macallan is considered one of the world’s best Scotches and represents one-third of the world’s single malt whisky market, selling around 700,000 bottles a year. Another option is the Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years, for that classic Macallan fruit-cake flavor. The best Macallan whisky if you’re just beginning your affair with Scotch? The Macallan 10. For example, the Macallan Lumina, sherry seasoned in European and American oak casks, or the Macallan Terra, matured in oak casks from America and Europe. Then there’s Macallan’s Triple Cask whisky where yet another cask is used to create even greater depth and complexity.īeyond that, there’s Macallan’s Quest Collection, where whisky casks are sourced from around the world. Macallan’s Double Cask Gold, for example, has a sweet and citrusy taste with notes of boiled sweets while the Double Cask 12 Year Old has honey and ginger flavors. Macallan Double Cask whiskies are aged in two different casks to create a spirit with mixed character.
More recently, the brand has introduced its Fine Oak series with some of the whiskies matured in bourbon oak casks. Macallan’s sherry oak single malts are aged in Oloroso seasoned oak casks which makes for a sweet whisky that gets richer over time.
Endless choice: the different Macallans explained The Macallan Reflexion forms part of a collection of precious whiskies created to showcase the beautiful range of The Macallan’s natural color. Many whiskies get their golden hue from artificial colorings and so Macallan’s lighter shade is actually proof of its superior quality. In terms of color, Macallan whisky is quite light-but don’t let that put you off. Today, Macallan spends more per cask than any other distillery. In fact, they are the only Scotch distillers with a designated Master of Wood whose job it is to source the barrels from trees in the US and Spain, after which they are dried, shaped, and seasoned. At Macallan, the emphasis is firmly on the casks. By picking just the finest cut, the distillery can ensure that famously smooth and viscous mouth-feel and that fruity aroma and flavor. Only 16% of the distilled spirit is used. This reduced size allows the maximum surface contact between the alcohol and the copper, lending the drink a distinct richness and body. Speyside whiskies are known for their lightness and sweetness, more approachable than peat-heavy Islay whiskies, and with unique apple, pear, honey, vanilla, and spice notes.ĭistillation takes place in 25 copper stills-the smallest to be found in Speyside, holding 3,900 liters each. Located on a 390-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands and by the River Spey, Macallan is a Speyside whisky: a single malt Scotch distilled in Strathspey.
The distillery was one of the first to receive a legal license in Scotland. Macallan was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid, a barley farmer and school teacher. ShOP NOW Macallan: the story behind the brand What makes a Macallan whisky? Macallan’s 12 years old single malt is one of the best whisky from the famous Scotch distillery. Here’s what makes Macallan whisky so special, so sought-after, and, of course, so expensive. Whether you choose to drink it straight, with ice, or in any number of addictively tasty cocktails, when you drink Macallan, you’re drinking something imbued with centuries of history, tradition, and prestige.
The secret to the brand’s success and to their whisky? A commitment to superior craftsmanship, a peerless attention to detail, and an estate by the famous River Spey in Scotland.įrom the accessible and easygoing Macallan 12 to bottles over 50 years old that are auctioned off at eye-watering prices, plus a flavor range that includes dried fruit, toffee, nuts, smoke, and spice, this is a brand that does whisky like no one else. A whisky that broke records after going on sale for nearly $2 million. There’s good whisky, great whisky, critically acclaimed whisky, and then there’s Macallan.