The Macallan 44
The Macallan Malt Whisky, Unique Art and Sir Peter Blake
REVEALING THE MACALLAN ANECDOTES OF AGES COLLECTION – A UNIQUE ART AND WHISKY COLLABORATION WITH SIR PETER BLAKE
The Macallan has unveiled the Anecdotes of Ages Collection, an extraordinary art and whisky collaboration with globally renowned British pop artist, Sir Peter Blake.
The collaboration, which is The Macallan’s third with the iconic artist and is part of a relationship which has spanned more than three decades, celebrates The Macallan’s rich legacy and Sir Peter Blake’s remarkable contribution to the art world.
At the heart of the esteemed collection are 13 one-of-a-kind bottles of exceptional 1967 whisky. Classic but with a distinctly colourful character, this peerless single malt Scotch has been matured for more than 50 years and was carefully selected to represent the year that Sir Peter Blake’s signature collages transcended from art into popular culture.
Each individual bottle features its own original Sir Peter Blake collage art on the label, detailing unique stories relating to The Macallan’s history, community, and the beautiful natural landscape of The Macallan Estate.
Pioneering pop artist Sir Peter Blake is renowned for his highly distinctive collages featuring images from popular culture. His diverse style ranges from colourful lettering to likeness drawing, but he remains best known for his signature crowd work. Over many decades, his unique and timeless style has transcended fashion, music, and even art movements.
The long-held relationship between The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake is based on a mutual respect for craftsmanship as well as a strong desire to deliver truly creative and visionary work. In 1986 he collaborated with The Macallan to create a bespoke label for The Macallan 1926 taking inspiration from the events of the era. In 2012 The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake collaborated again to create a unique, limited edition art piece in celebration of his 80th birthday and decades of collaborating with The Macallan.
As part of The Macallan’s strong support for the arts, one of the extremely scarce 13 Anecdotes of Ages bottles is being auctioned to raise funds to benefit the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Support from The Macallan will advance efforts underway at the Guggenheim to increase free access and develop engagement with a variety of audiences, in alignment with the museum’s diversity, equity, access, and inclusion initiatives. The sale is being conducted by Sotheby’s in March 2021
Sir Peter Blake said: “I am deeply inspired by the incredible legacy of The Macallan, and its emphasis on family, tradition, and the natural world.
“Each collage in the Anecdotes of Ages Collection is inspired by The Macallan’s history and heritage, one that respects time and craft, two essential components of my own creative process. I meticulously worked on each collage, pulling from The Macallan Estate’s rich history to complete a collection that is a celebration of art and whisky.”
Sarah Burgess, Lead Whisky Maker at The Macallan, said: “This exceptional 1967 whisky was chosen for its classic yet distinctively colourful character, which is reminiscent of Sir Peter Blake’s work of the same year. With notes of oak and fig leading to a burst of hazelnut and strawberry, this is a truly special single malt that finishes with complex flavours of chocolate and lightly spiced peach. It is in many ways, its own work of art.”
The exquisite and incredibly rare Anecdotes of Ages Collection will be sought after worldwide by whisky and art lovers alike.
Each of the 13 original bottles are hand-blown with an oak stopper, and feature a label signed by Sir Peter Blake. Presented in a handcrafted European oak case incorporating thumbnail photography revealing Sir Peter Blake’s inspirational journey with The Macallan, the expressions are also accompanied by a leather-bound book showcasing all 13 label artworks and corresponding stories, as well as a certificate of authenticity.
While the 13th original bottle will be retained in The Macallan archive, a highly limited-edition whisky featuring a duplicate label and the same rare 1967 whisky, will be released as The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work Limited Edition. Only 322 bottles will be available worldwide.
An innovative 360-degree virtual art exhibit enabling visitors to explore the Anecdotes of Ages Collection will be available on The Macallan website. Whisky and art enthusiasts will be taken on a journey through Sir Peter Blake’s studio and the Anecdotes of Ages gallery, which showcases the inspiration behind each of the individual artworks, before attending a world reveal of the 13 bottles with Sir Peter Blake’s handcrafted and original label artwork.
Whisky lovers will also welcome the release of a further special single malt Scotch created to commemorate Sir Peter Blake’s visit to The Macallan Estate on the legendary River Spey. An Estate, A Community, And A Distillery is displayed in a custom box inspired by Sir Peter Blake’s art, alongside a certificate outlining the history and heritage on which the art was based, and Sir Peter Blake’s artwork printed on a scroll.
To view The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Virtual Art Exhibit, visit https://www.themacallan.com/virtual-art-exhibit. The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down To Work Limited Edition and the An Estate, A Community, And A Distillery will both be available from February 2021.
The RRSP of The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work is £50,000
The RRSP of An Estate, A Community, And A Distillery is £750
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
Collaborative Festive Whisky Campaign Announced
The Macallan Reveals David Carson Collaboration
Shared Creativity and Craftsmanship Inspire Seasonal and Gifting Campaign
The Macallan has collaborated with globally acclaimed graphic designer David Carson to create a powerful and disruptive creative campaign for the festive season.
Featuring striking artwork in David Carson’s signature iconoclastic style, the campaign focuses on a selection of five distinctive single malt whiskies which reflect the uncompromised pursuit of excellence which has driven The Macallan since 1824.
Each of the expressions – The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, Sherry Oak 18 Years Old, Sherry Oak 25 Years Old, Rare Cask and Estate – also share key characteristics with David Carson and his award-winning work including uniqueness, innovation, craftsmanship and complexity.
Crafted from the perfect partnership of American and European oak sherry seasoned casks, The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old embodies the innovation pursued by The Macallan and David Carson. Full-bodied and complex, The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old showcases mastery and craftsmanship while The Macallan Sherry Oak 25 Years Old is complex and distinguished, with exceptional character – just like David Carson’s inimitable work.
Selected from casks that exhibit a distinctive and unusual flavour profile The Macallan Rare Cask 2020 stands out and apart, in the manner of David Carson’s style and The Macallan Estate contains rare spirit distilled from barley grown on The Macallan Estate, creating a unique single malt like no other.
David Carson, born in Texas, 1954, is considered one of the world’s most influential graphic designers. Also a professional surfer, he began his career as a magazine designer, before in the 1990s becoming art director of the magazine Ray Gun where his experimental page layouts featuring pioneering use of typography revolutionised the field of graphic design.
His work has been displayed in one-man shows across the world and he is a recipient of the AIGA, which is renowned as the design profession’s highest accolade. Since establishing his own studio, he has created campaigns for some of the world’s leading consumer brands including Nike, Levi, Pepsi and Ray Ban.
The American artist’s collaboration with The Macallan brings together bold, fractured typography with graphic illustrations of notable flavours present in the five featured whiskies and playful representations of the festive season. Straplines include: I love it; Nothing less will do; You don’t have to; and You know me so well.
The designs will be published digitally and in print, with David’s name and signature appearing on all communications throughout the course of the campaign.
Jaume Ferras, Global Creative Director for The Macallan, said: “David Carson is an extraordinary visionary whose ground-breaking graphic designs continue to excite and inspire to this day.
“Like The Macallan, he is renowned for his unique style and mastery of his trade. Working with him has been an incredible process and we look forward to revealing the results of our collaboration over the festive season.”
For further information, visit www.themacallan.com.
The Macallan Unveils Distil Your World
Introducing The Macallan Distil Your World: The London Edition
An Extraordinary New Collaboration With The Roca Brothers
The Macallan has unveiled Distil Your World: The London Edition, a unique limited edition single malt whisky providing a sensorial journey through one of the world’s greatest capital cities.
Marking the first global release in a ground-breaking series in collaboration with the Roca brothers to discover the essence of some of the world’s greatest cities, Distil Your World: The London Edition embodies London’s special charisma, and captures the people, experiences, colours and history that ultimately define the city.
United by an insatiable curiosity, quest for knowledge and dedication to mastery, The Macallan and the Roca brothers, owners of El Celler de Can Roca in Spain, twice named Best Restaurant in the World, explore different cultures and source inspiration for their own worlds of whisky-making and gastronomy.
Distil Your World: The London Edition is inspired by the long-standing partners’ journey and exploration through an uncharted London, with the purpose of distilling its soul and capturing the unique essence, aroma and flavour of the city in an exceptional single malt whisky.
In homage to its birthplace, the edition will be unveiled to the world in a highly coveted window display in Harrods’ world-famous flagship store in Knightsbridge, London on 1st November 2020. Over the years the renowned Hans Crescent window has hosted iconic displays from some of the world’s leading luxury brands and will showcase The Macallan’s remarkable whisky on a global stage.
During their adventure, The Macallan’s Whisky Maker Steven Bremner and Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca spent time with the craftspeople and creators who fuel London’s inimitable creativity and entrepreneurial drive; the committed leaders who add to its vibrancy; and the special thinkers who understand its past and anticipate its future. They truly immersed themselves by discovering emblematic buildings and going behind the scenes to uncover the unique flavours and scents that define London and unearthing its vibrant community spirit.
Ultimately, this journey led them to their own complex and sensorial map of the city and with this map as inspiration, they masterfully selected the perfect combination of six first fill European oak Oloroso seasoned casks to translate London’s values into an extraordinary single malt with unique tasting notes representing the spirit of the city.
A character led whisky with encapsulating nuances of orange caramel, curry spice and Earl Grey tea, rare to find in The Macallan single malts, this expression takes the taste buds and imagination on a journey of discovery, bringing London’s soul and unique character to life, while retaining The Macallan’s renowned signature taste. Seeking out these distinctive flavours among thousands of casks was a complex and highly skilled process, but Steven Bremner and the Roca brothers’ mastery of flavour, aroma and craftsmanship enabled them to distil the essence of London into a remarkable whisky.
Steven Bremner, Whisky Maker at The Macallan, said: “London is an international city, a melting pot of culture, cuisine, architecture, and art and its rich heritage and myriad of cultures, combined with a timeless spirit and an innovative nature, made it the ideal playing field for this journey of mastery. It is not just about being there, but about immersing yourself and dedicating time to understand what’s underneath everything you see, and we are proud to have collaborated with the Roca brothers on this exploration.
“Like the London soul, our single malt whisky, matured in its unique sherry seasoned oak casks, delivers rich complexities, harmonious flavours, and vibrant aromas. This whisky is something new – with London notes like curry or the sweetness of Earl Grey tea – but it keeps The Macallan’s signature taste, and that’s the difficult part.”
Josep Roca, said: “The places we visited, the people we met, all that now takes shape in this whisky – our own distillation of the London essence. There is part of umami, the subtle touch of curry, orange, vanilla and raisin. There are some special notes that are really rare to find.”
Distil Your World: The London Edition is housed in a striking presentation box featuring a triangular engraving design to represent the map of London and red detailing inspired by the city’s red bricks. As well as the limited edition whisky, the box contains a luxurious book capturing the different inspirations behind this single malt, alongside rich London photography, which combined, form a picture of London as created by Steven Bremner and the Roca brothers.
The Macallan Distil Your World series is the next step in the brand’s long-standing partnership with the Roca brothers. They have previously worked together on a range of ventures, including The Macallan Edition No.2 which was inspired by the brothers’ distinctive and dynamic characters and Distil Your World Scotland, a culinary journey through Scotland to explore the country’s rich cuisine tapestry which resulted in an innovative publication and documentary.
Limited to 2,000 bottles worldwide, Distil Your World: The London Edition has an RRSP of £2,630 and will be available globally from November 2020, including in Harrods, The Macallan Boutique in London Heathrow and The Macallan Estate Boutique.
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
Whisky Hammer Auction and World First for The Macallan
Whisky Hammer Auctions Oldest Whisky Ever Bottled by The Macallan In a World First
Scottish Auction Site Offers Rare Bottle of 78 Year Old Macallan From the Newly Launched “Red Collection”
A rare bottle of the world’s oldest whisky ever released by The Macallan – also believed to be the oldest whisky ever launched by a distillery – from the distillery’s “Red Collection”, is being auctioned by online whisky auction platform, Whisky Hammer. Whisky Hammer is the first dedicated online auction house in the world to offer a bottle of the 78-year old whisky, giving its members the unique opportunity to bid on this super rare single malt Scotch whisky.
Whisky Hammer, a family-owned business in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has launched the online auction (https://www.whiskyhammer.com/auction/current) that will run until 7pm (BST) on Sunday 25 October with a starting price of £10,000 for The Macallan 78-year old. The auction features over 3,000 lots, from everyday drams to investment-grade iconic bottles, and represents Whisky Hammer’s largest online auction to-date. New members can join to participate in the auction by following Whisky Hammer’s quick and straightforward registration process at whiskyhammer.com.
Given its age, exclusivity and the level of global demand for The Macallan, the new release is expected to prove popular with whisky lovers and investors around the world.
The Macallan Red Collection launched this week comprises 40, 50, 60, 71, 74 and 78-year olds. The producer describes the new collection as “an exquisite range of distinguished and rare single malt Scotch whiskies, shaped by the actions of our founder Alexander Reid and key characters in our history, who have laid the foundations for our single malt today”. It adds: “This collection celebrates the rich range of reds present naturally in every step of our process”.
The 78-year old is described as reflecting “deep respect for time, tradition and craftsmanship”. It is being presented by The Macallan lead whisky maker Sarah Burgess and was laid down decades ago in The Macallan’s “hand-picked oak casks”. Tasting notes describe its colour as “Sunset on the Spey”.
Its oak presentation box is crafted by hand in the UK, using the same sustainable European oak used to make The Macallan casks. The box is upholstered with sustainably sourced, soft Scottish leather from Bridge of Weir Leather.
Whisky Hammer hosts auctions once a month, dedicated to whisky and other fine spirits, allowing buyers and sellers from every corner of the globe to participate at www.whiskyhammer.com. It has auctioned several rare and collectible whiskies – both bottles and casks – since its launch in 2016. The business has recently re-located to a new, purpose built, facility in Aberdeenshire which is also home to a sister business, Still Spirit – a whisky shop and exquisite tasting room.
Daniel Milne, Managing Director of Whisky Hammer, said: “We’re really excited to be able to offer something as rare as this 78 year old expression from The Macallan Red Collection for auction and we expect a very high level of interest in this lot. The Macallan is one of the most well-known and loved Scotch whisky brands and is regarded globally as the epitome of quality and taste – add to this the thrill of the oldest single malt ever released by Macallan, the end result is a true icon in whisky history.
“As a Scottish family-run business we have seen rapid growth since our inaugural auction in 2016 – today we are one of the largest online dedicated whisky auction platforms globally. We’re delighted to have been able to host such an exclusive whisky which builds on our growing reputation as a place for whisky lovers and investors to buy and sell these iconic whiskies.”
It’s a Red October As Macallan Release Latest Collection
INTRODUCING THE RED COLLECTION – REFLECTING THE MACALLAN’S EXCEPTIONAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE
The Macallan has unveiled The Red Collection, an exquisite range of distinguished and rare single malt Scotch whiskies which captures The Macallan’s deep respect for tradition and craftsmanship.
Inspired by the significance of the colour red throughout the history of the brand, The Red Collection features a carefully curated selection of ongoing aged expressions and high aged guest releases.
At the heart of The Red Collection is The Macallan 40 Years Old, The Macallan 50 Years Old and The Macallan 60 Years Old. These remarkable single malts, which will anchor the range, are the oldest ongoing expressions ever offered by The Macallan and will be available in limited quantities globally.
From time to time they will be joined by special high aged guest releases, commencing with The Macallan 71 Years Old, The Macallan 74 Years Old and The Macallan 78 Years Old. These incredibly rare single malts are among the world’s oldest Scotch whiskies, with The Macallan 74 Years Old and The Macallan 78 Years Old being the oldest bottlings ever released in the history of the brand.
Together they showcase the pursuit of uncompromised excellence for which The Macallan is renowned and reveal the legacy of craftsmanship, innovation and knowledge that sustains The Macallan to this day.
An extremely rare, complete set of The Red Collection is set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s after being gifted by The Macallan to raise funds for food charity, City Harvest, which redistributes surplus from the food industry to vulnerable people across London. The Sotheby’s auction runs from 22 October to 31 October 2020.
Distilled decades ago, in The Macallan’s signature curiously small copper stills, each peerless expression in The Red Collection has been matured in The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks under the watchful eye of several generations of whisky makers. Over time, these astonishing single malt whiskies have slowly been shaped and influenced by the carefully selected casks to deliver extraordinarily elegant aged whiskies.
The colour red has deep and long-standing significance for The Macallan. The red thread begins with Alexander Reid, the farmer and teacher who founded The Macallan in 1824. His surname means ‘the red one’ in Scots and was originally associated with red hair.
In 1903, owner Roderick Kemp launched The Macallan Choice Old range. It was reportedly shipped in cases labelled with distinctive red print to distinguish it from The Macallan’s existing whiskies, which featured black labelling.
And almost eight decades later, in 1980, red was to feature strongly in the release of The Macallan’s then oldest vintages, dated 1938, 1940 and 1950. Allan Shiach, chairman of The Macallan at that time, tied a red ribbon around the sought-after bottlings to denote their age and value.
The three characters now feature in a remarkable animated film created to introduce The Red Collection in collaboration with celebrated Spanish painter and illustrator Javi Aznarez. The Spanish creator is acclaimed for his striking graphic art which has featured in several Hollywood films, including respected director Wes Anderson’s upcoming feature, The French Dispatch, and was also instrumental in the storyboard development for ‘Greta’ by director Neil Jordan in 2018.
The animation is set to music recorded by Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, one of the world’s most influential classical artists of today.
Javi Aznarez said: “When a brand like The Macallan, which has been making whisky for nearly 200 years, asks you to draw red for them, to explain what red means to them, it’s quite a challenge. Alexander Reid – The Red, Allan Shiach, and Roderick Kemp are some of the people that have led The Macallan to excellence.
“What I like about The Macallan is that the colour of their whisky is natural. It’s the cask that, little by little, over time, paints this whisky.
“I think that The Macallan and I value time very much. I need plenty of time to do my drawings and they need years to achieve the excellence of this whisky.”
Each expression in The Red Collection is encased in an exquisite oak presentation box created from the same sustainable European oak used to craft The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks. The boxes are beautifully upholstered with sustainably sourced soft red leather from Scottish supplier Bridge of Weir Leather, which creates upholstery for leading luxury car brands across the globe.
A bespoke handcrafted case that can house the trio of ongoing or guest releases has also been developed by Scottish artisan furniture and objet d’art manufacturer, Method Design Studio. Based in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh, Method utilises traditional craftsmanship and skills to create one-off commissions for some of the world’s top luxury brands.
Each of the ongoing releases in The Red Collection has been hand finished and signed by Kirsteen Campbell, who was appointed Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan in 2019 and is the first woman to occupy the role in the history of the brand which spans almost 200 years. Sarah Burgess, Lead Whisky Maker for The Macallan, has signed the initial guest releases.
Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan, said: “Created from some of the world’s oldest and rarest casks it is an incredible privilege to have crafted The Red Collection, the pinnacle of The Macallan’s portfolio.
“It’s thanks to the foresight of previous custodians of The Macallan, who laid down and aged these extraordinary casks, that we have been able to curate such a remarkable selection of whiskies.
“Each precious drop offers a unique opportunity to explore The Macallan’s whisky making legacy. The incredible elegance and rich flavours of the expressions that form The Red Collection are a direct result of the craftsmanship, knowledge and skills nurtured by our master whisky makers, past and present.”
The Macallan Red Collection will be available from Harrods, The Whisky Exchange, The Whisky Shop and other selected specialist retailers from 15 October 2020.
The Red Collection will have an RRSP as follows:
The Macallan 40 Years Old – £11,300
The Macallan 50 Years Old – £37,500
The Macallan 60 Years Old – £49,000
The Macallan 71 Years Old – £58,500
The Macallan 74 Years Old – £61,500
The Macallan 78 Years Old – £65,500
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
