We’ve always believed at Malt Marketing that a picture tells a thousand words and well video yet more words still. When it comes to providing an insight into the world of the premium single malt, The Macallan never fail to disappoint as they continue to combine effective collaboration and a seemingly endless array of flair and creativity.
The Macallan has unveiled a new and remarkably rare limited edition single malt whisky with only 250 individually numbered bottles available worldwide; The Macallan 52 years old 2018, never to be repeated.
This latest classic-aged statement has been slowly matured for fifty-two years in one exceptional, hand crafted first fill European oak sherry seasoned cask from Spain. It is a whisky defined by an unwavering pledge to create peerless single malts and reflects the unrivalled commitment to the mastery of wood and spirit for which The Macallan has been renowned since its inception.
Laid down to gently and quietly mature in a warehouse overlooked by Easter Elchies House, The Macallan’s spiritual home since 1824,The Macallan 52 years old has acquired a robust elegance from the luxury single malt’s iconic curiously small stills.
The quality of the spirit is a testament to The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks, which are sourced, crafted, toasted and seasoned under the watchful eyes of The Macallan masters of wood and delivered through the years to the exacting specifications of generations of master distillers. These casks provide the greatest contribution to the character, natural colour, distinctive aromas and full flavours at the heart of this single malt.
A complex whisky presenting rich fruit and dark chocolate fondant characters, The Macallan 52 years old is a beautiful deep ruby mahogany natural colour. Rich cherry and dark chocolate open on the nose with a hint of antique oak before wisps of floral orange blossom combine with delicate layers of peat smoke. The palate leads with flavours of rich fruit and dark chocolate fondant soon making way for hints of peat smoke that combine with cinnamon and ginger from the wood spices. The finish is long with notes of sweet oak, cherry and blackcurrant mellowing out to a floral and lightly peated finish.
Whisky Maker for The Macallan Sarah Burgess said: “After being left to mature for fifty-two long years in one exceptional, hand crafted European oak sherry seasoned cask, this wonderfully rare single malt is full of rich spicy flavours and has a beautiful ruby mahogany natural colour. Bottled at an ABV of 48% where all the flavours became perfectly balanced, The Macallan 52 years old is an outstanding addition to our expanding range of unique, classic-aged whiskies and is a testament to the harmony created through the mastery of wood and spirit. With only 250 individually numbered bottles available worldwide, this is a highly limited and expertly crafted release which will be desired the world over by whisky lovers and luxury connoisseurs.”
Bottled at an ABV of 48% The Macallan 52 years old is presented in a luxurious solid oak box featuring an etched face inlaid with a matte gold badged age statement, reflecting the intricate designs for The Macallan 25 years old and The Macallan 50 years old of yesteryear.
The Macallan 52 years old 2018 limited edition release will be available from December 2018 and will be limited to 250 individually numbered bottles worldwide, with an estimated retail price of £38,500 / $50,000 per 70cl bottle.
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
Whisky Makers Notes:
Colour: Ruby mahogany
Nose: Rich cherry and dark chocolate layered with antique oak. Wisps of floral orange blossom combining with delicate layers of peat smoke.
Palate: Rich fruit overlays dark chocolate fondant, wisps of peat smoke meet cinnamon and ginger from the wood spices.
Finish: Long finish with notes of sweet oak, cherry and blackcurrant mellowing out to a floral and lightly peated finish.
Every now and again we like to share with you news about The Macallan Masters of Photography series and tell you a little about what exciting new expressions are coming out. We also from time to time like to even share a few pictures which as they say tell a thousand words. On very special occasions we like to go even further and share a video or two which tell probably over a million words… On this occasion we have decided to do just that and introduce you to the latest in the Macallan Masters of Photography Steven Klein series courtesy of this rather special and intriguing video from Macallan.
Visit: The Macallan
The Macallan has launched Rare Cask Batch No. 1, 2018 Release, the first of three releases during 2018. This first batch introduces new packaging for Rare Cask, designed to provide consumers with even more insight into the whisky making process, with more detail revealed on this complex spirit.
Rare Cask exemplifies the ‘art of the cask’ and The Macallan’s unrivalled dedication to using only the best quality wood – a process carefully managed from acorn to cask. Only the finest sherry seasoned casks are hand selected by The Macallan whisky makers at the perfect point of maturation, to create this remarkably rich and unique expression.
This process of hand-selecting the casks is highly skilled and complex, requiring a balance of cask knowledge and creativity. Less than 1% of the casks maturing in The Macallan reserves meet the strict criteria for this distinctive whisky and 100% are first fill sherry seasoned oak casks, with the perfect balance of European and American oak delivering rich flavours and a natural mahogany red colour.
Batch numbers and the year of release will now feature on the new packaging, adding to the element of collectability. Rare Cask Batch No. 1, 2018 Release is one of three batches to be released this year, with four planned for each subsequent year. Each limited release batch represents the volume of only 50 oak sherry butts.
Nick Savage, The Macallan Master Distiller, said: “The rarity of Rare Cask lies in the limited number of first fill sherry seasoned casks. This whisky truly exhibits the art of cask selection and the role of our Whisky Making Team to hand pick the casks for each batch. The casks give the greatest contribution to the character and are the only source of the rich mahogany colour. It is one of The Macallan’s most complex yet balanced whiskies that we’ve created, with soft notes of rich oak, vanilla and chocolate.
“Rare Cask’s flavour has been created to be savoured and shared with those who appreciate a single malt with a rich depth of a complexity and perfect balance. With the release of yearly batches, Rare Cask can also be a memorable way to celebrate or mark a special year or occasion.”
The Macallan Rare Cask Batch No. 1, 2018 Release is presented in a redesigned pack to align it to the new bottles recently unveiled across The Macallan’s range of single malt whiskies. The new design now also features deeper reds and subtly incorporates wood grain to pay tribute to the incredible cask story. A new lighter background inside the pack emphasises the rich mahogany whisky and the pack is encased within a premium gift box, featuring a gold badge highlighting the Rare Cask name, as well as the batch number.
Each batch of The Macallan Rare Cask will be a limited edition release. The Macallan Rare Cask Batch No. 1, 2018 Release has an estimated retail price of £230.
Whisky Makers Notes:
ABV: 43%
Colour: Mahogany red
Aroma: Soft notes of opulent vanilla and raisin pique the nose, giving way to a sweet ensemble of apple, lemon and orange
Palate: Oak resonates, timeless, polished and rich. Vanilla and chocolate lead the finale along with a light citrus zest
Finish: Full and warming
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
The Macallan has unveiled its next Masters of Photography edition in collaboration with the world’s most famous photographic cooperative, Magnum Photos.
Marking the seventh limited edition release, The Macallan Masters of Photography: Magnum Edition celebrates the opening of the new Macallan distillery and visitor experience.
The creation of the new distillery will forever change the landscape of The Macallan Estate and this special release documents this historical moment, telling The Macallan story in a new and compelling way, as some of the world’s leading photographers record the next stage in the journey of the world’s ultimate single malt whisky.
This awe-inspiring collection of images, taken by six world renowned Magnum photographers – Steve McCurry, Martin Parr, Paolo Pellegrin, Mark Power, Gueorgui Pinkhassov and Alec Soth- captures different aspects of the iconic distillery. From the landscape and the materials from which the distillery is born, to the character of the workers and protagonists who have brought it to fruition, artistic portraiture of people and casks complement more abstract representations of the building and its unique structure.
This magnificent and world class collectible set of images comes together as a limited edition objet d’art, presented in a stunning archive style gift box. It comprises a special limited release whisky; a selection of six signed prints, one from each photographer, and an exclusive book of photography. The box that holds the collection was influenced by the classic photographic portfolio boxes on display at the Magnum studio.
By immersing herself in the photography, The Macallan Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess has created a single malt crafted from a combination of eight casks, all differing in character to reflect the photography style of each of the Magnum photographers and to represent Magnum itself.
A spicy gingered cask reflects McCurry’s bold and brave style; a cask of age where oak influence prevails over individual characteristics symbolises Parr’s oblique view of the world; a classic cask with an intense black cherry note complements Pellegrin’s forceful black and white pictures; two casks reflect Power’s photography which captures the familiar, but from an often obscure point of view; an ex-European red wine cask imparting a rich mahogany red colour represents Pinkhassov’s contrasting and brightly coloured work and a first fill American barrel with its delicate citrus notes captures Soth’s heritage and spirit of adventure. The final cask is an intensely sweet yet classic Macallan with edge and depth, bringing the whole creation together and representing the imagination and brilliance of Magnum.
Ken Grier, Creative Director for The Macallan, said: “Magnum are the ultimate masters of their medium, offering incredible diversity and distinction within their ranks and capturing all aspects of human life around the world with an unparalleled sense of vision, imagination and genius. They are the greatest collective of documentary photographers in the world and their partnership with The Macallan reflects our shared values of craftsmanship and commitment to excellence.
“For the first time in The Macallan Masters of Photography series, we are working in partnership with multiple photographers to tell the story of the new Macallan distillery and the people behind it, taking it from genesis to completion. This coveted edition shows history in the making against the backdrop of The Macallan’s ongoing commitment to mastery.”
Tim Paton, Global Head of Commercial Assignments for Magnum Photos, said: “This project has been a wonderful assignment for both the photographers and the Agency. To be given this amount of creative freedom on a commercial project is very rare. The photographers were literally shown the building site and told to shoot whatever they liked.
“Both myself and the six Magnum Photographers have loved visiting The Macallan and witnessing this amazing building grow out of the ground. We first visited the site when it was just a hole in ground so we all feel very connected to this wonderful piece of architecture. All the staff and contractors have been great to work with and very welcoming. This beautiful part of Scotland will forever be a big part of Magnum Photos history.”
The Macallan Masters of Photography: Magnum Edition will be available globally from September 2018, priced at £2,700 and limited to 2,000 editions worldwide.
For further information visit www.themacallan.com
Whisky Makers Notes:
ABV: 43.7%.
Colour: Deep amber with rose gold hues
Nose: Light hints of peat layered into warm spiced ginger with mellow oak notes. Gently coming behind these notes, are an almost tangerine citrus and caramelised apple
Palate: Candied dried fruits and a butterscotch sweetness with a tickling of spice that moves into a honeyed nut note
Finish: Medium to long finish ending in sweet earthy peat notes
For further information, please contact:
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