Macallan TIME : SPACE Mastery

Macallan

Perhaps one of the most well known Scotch whiskies throughout the globe, The Macallan is a brand commonly associated with all things luxury. The world’s second best selling single malt, only being beaten by Glenfiddich, Macallan joined the ranks of legal distilleries in 1824 when a license was acquired. Originally being a small farm distillery it has seen a substantial number of renovations and expansions throughout the following two centuries. 12 wash stills and 24 spirit stills now sit inside the distillery, a necessary amount to keep up with the extreme demand the brand maintains. Although primarily known for their use of large ex-sherry butts sourced from a number of sherry houses, Macallan also utilises American oak bourbon casks. The distillery was bought in 1996 by Highland Distillers, now known as the Edrington group, and forms the core of their portfolio along with Highland Park, Glenrothes and Glenturret.

Macallan was a prominent feature in blends before the 1980’s and only when the industry faced a major downturn did the brand decide to focus on its single malt production. This shift in focus allowed it to thrive throughout the late 1970’s and into the early 1990’s. One of the components of Macallan’s success throughout this time was their use of the ‘Golden Promise’ barley variety. A product of gamma ray mutation, Golden Promise provided an excellent, flavour driven malt that held up very well against a strong cask influence. This combination of flavourful malt and Macallan’s exceptional quality sherry casks are what built Macallan’s reputation into what it is today. The distillery transitioned away from Golden Promise in 1994 in favour of a higher yield, although less flavourful, malt. Consequently, bottles distilled prior to 1994 are highly sought after amongst collectors.