Okay, this is long gone, and is now either an investment or another whisky fueling the speculative bubble, but rarity isn’t the reason I’ve chosen it as my top Speyside release. Neither is it because of fealty to the Royal Family. Rather this, for me, was a whisky that countered the sniping which has been targeted at Macallan for a number of years: that it was too expensive, that it was pursuing the luxury market to the detriment of quality, that it wasn’t as good as it used to be.

This bottling showed that Macallan continues to do what it has always done best: use high-quality sherry wood to produce a single malt with resonant depth of flavor — and intent. Great Macallan is one of those drams whose presence forces you to pay attention to the slow unfolding of flavors in its depths. This bottling had that quality, and in doing so it eloquently answered its critics. —Dave Broom

Join us tomorrow for the announcement of Whisky Advocate’s Islay Single Malt of the Year Award.

Macallan Sherry Oak 18 year old, 43%, $118

Macallan’s 18 year old expression is, for me, the highlight of its regular sherried range. Deep amber in color. The nose is rich and heavily fruited: fruit cake, mulberry, a little moist gingerbread, the bloody depths of molasses. On the palate, dried fruits — more figgy than raisined — while the natural oiliness in the spirit balances the boisterous tannins from the European oak. A singed note on the finish (an extension of the molasses?) completes the picture. Balanced and complex. —Dave Broom

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 91

Macallan Royal Wedding, 46.8%, £150

Rising above the tat issued to celebrate the nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton was this extremely limited (1,000 bottles) release from The Macallan. The nose is a mélange of rich fruits, marzipan, and beeswax/resin but it lifts with a drop of water to show apricot and heavy florals. The palate isn’t overly grippy, with more orange peel, almond, and characteristic oiliness. A malty/nutty smooth finish makes this a great one. —Dave Broom

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 92

(Not available in the U.S.)

McClellands? That certainly surprised me! Anything surprise you?

Well, The Macallan has introduced the second installment in this series. This time it’s with a different photographer. I’m not sure if there will be any naked blonds, but they do promise “a dramatic and yet romantic ‘art noir’ voyage; a stylish couple and the key secret behind The Macallan.”

Wow, my imagination is running wild with that description! You’ll find all the details below in the press release I received.

ANNOUNCING MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY II
INTRODUCING ALBERT WATSON

Today, The Macallan single malt whisky announced that the next photography partnership in their Masters of Photography series is going to be with the legendary Albert Watson.

Scots born, Watson is famous worldwide for his celebrity, fashion and art photography. Photo District News named him one of the 20 most influential photographers of all time. He has shot posters for major Hollywood movies such as ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, ‘The Da Vinci Code’, as well as shooting over 200 covers for Vogue and Rolling Stone magazine. In fact, in 2007 one large-format print of his sold for $108,000 at auction. He is also an acclaimed director with over 500 TV commercials to his name.

The Macallan Masters of Photography II will be in an entirely different style to the first edition in the series, shot by Rankin.

The subject of the project must be kept under wraps, for the moment, until shooting is complete but the key ingredients include: a dramatic and yet romantic ‘art noir’ voyage; a stylish couple and the key secret behind The Macallan.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts, The Edrington Group, said: “I am extremely excited about working with the hugely talented and influential Albert Watson. His creativity is fabulous, but not only that, he exudes an aura of charm and quiet confidence that is very much in keeping with The Macallan   

“As part of this unique project, art and whisky lovers alike can follow The Macallan shoot with Albert Watson by following my daily blog.  The blog posts will start from 31st May at www.blog.themacallan.com.

Albert Watson, added: “I am looking forward to working with The Macallan on such a prestigious project. The partnership with a premium, Scottish iconic brand will give me a once in a lifetime photographic opportunity to create a lasting legacy as part of The Macallan Masters of Photography series.”

The final result will be revealed by The Macallan at a series of glittering events later in the year.  Further details will be revealed in the months to come.

-Ends-

Please enjoy our brands responsibly.  www.drinkaware.co.uk

Notes to editors

 

1. The first Macallan Masters of Photography was launched in 2008 with Scots photographer Rankin.  Rankin produced 1,000 individual black and white images captured on Polaroid.  Each limited edition bottle of rare 30 year old Macallan Fine Oak single malt displayed a bespoke label featuring one of Rankin’s images, accompanied by the original Polaroid.

 

The array of images featured artistic nude studies of Tuuli, Rankin’s muse and wife, contrasted by shots of the dedicated craftspeople of the distillery, and still life images of the surrounding flora and fauna at Easter Elchies Estate.

1. The Macallan is ranked number two by value* among the world’s top selling single malts and is recognised as being a leader within the Scotch Whisky industry when it comes to innovation.

*IWSR figures ending December 2006

I know that some of you have complained about old, ultra-expensive bottles being released. Auctioning off the bottle for charity is a noble effort.

The Macallan and Lalique launch THE MACALLAN 64 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY IN LALIQUE : CIRE PERDUE

 Following an Eight Month, Global Fundraising Exhibition, Sotheby’s to Auction this One-of-a-Kind Piece in New York with all Proceeds Benefitting charity: water

Paris, April 6, 2010:  Iconic luxury brands The Macallan and Lalique have come together again on the 150^th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth, building on their highly successful partnership to produce a one-of-a-kind decanter, created by the ancient “cire perdue” or “lost wax” method. This decanter will hold the oldest and rarest Macallan ever bottled by this highly regarded distillery. The Macallan in Lalique Cire Perdue decanter contains a 64 years old Macallan single malt whisky, destined for final auction by Sotheby’s on November 15, 2010 in New York. All of the proceeds of this remarkable piece will be donated to charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.  In an eight month traveling exhibit and fundraising journey, The Macallan in Lalique: Cire Perdue decanter will travel around the world from Paris to New York via Madrid, London, Moscow, Seoul, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. 

The Cire Perdue decanter has been designed by the legendary French crystal house Lalique, exclusively for The Macallan. Painstakingly hand crafted with the skills for which Lalique has achieved world-wide recognition and renowned since the first fabulous glass pieces were designed and made by Rene Lalique in the first half of the twentieth century, the inspiration for the design has come from the beauty of The Macallan’s 150 hectare estate in north-eastern Scotland.

David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies for The Macallan, comments: “We have established a very close working relationship with Lalique over the past six years. We share a heritage based on a commitment to craftsmanship and creativity, underpinned by a genuine passion to strive for the best in all our endeavours. This extraordinary project has raised our partnership to new heights, combining the brilliance of Lalique’s designers and craftsmen and the outstanding quality and character from the masters of spirit and wood at The Macallan to produce a single decanter which will never be replicated, filled with the oldest and rarest Macallan our distillery has ever released. Having decided to donate the proceeds from the auction of this beautiful decanter and its rarest of whiskies to charity, we decided to partner with charity: water. Given the predictions of future water shortages and recent natural catastrophes, we felt we wanted to contribute something really positive to help. We are hoping for some extraordinary generosity at the final auction in New York in November.”

“We are delighted that the proceeds from this historic auction of The Macallan in Lalique: Cire Perdue decanter will benefit charity: water,” said Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water.  “Clean water projects bring communities together and offer improved health, a better quality of life and hope for a better future. I look forward to working closely with The Macallan and Lalique to bring clean water to some of the billion people on the planet without it.”

“Water is fundamental to the craftsmanship behind both The Macallan and Lalique,” continued Cox. “The word “whisky” derives from the Latin, “aqua vitae”, or “water of life”, and is one of the three natural ingredients of The Macallan, together with barley and yeast. Water is also critical for Lalique at the point of detailing, sanding and polishing the crystal pieces.”

The 64 years old Macallan has been vatted together from three casks, all built from sherry seasoned Spanish oak. The first was filled in 1942, the second in 1945 and the third in January 1946, from which the age of this great Macallan has been taken.

This Macallan is so rare for a couple of reasons; firstly The Macallan is widely recognized as one of the few single malts which can mature to a great age without losing its character to the powerful influence of Spanish oak maturation casks, seasoned with sherry, for which The Macallan is particularly well-known. The Macallan’s rich, oily spirit ensures the whisky achieves a balance and depth of aromas and flavours over many years in these casks, a balance often sought, but rarely achieved; secondly, this is the oldest Macallan ever released by the distillery in its 186 year history. Prior to the release of this 64 years old Macallan in the Cire Perdue decanter, the previous oldest Macallan released by the distillery was the 60 years old, distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986, of which only forty bottles were ever produced.

Character of The Macallan 64 years old:

• The 64 years old Macallan has a lovely rich oak colour.
• On the nose, notes of peat smoke, dried orange peel, muscovado sugar and cedar wood, mixed with spicy cinnamon sticks and cloves.
• On the palate, spicy, blood oranges, rosin, treacle, walnuts, cocoa chocolate and peat smoke.
• The finish is soft, smooth and spicy, with lingering peats and dark chocolate

The decanter has been designed at Lalique’s Design Studio in Paris, based upon a ship’s decanter of the 1820’s, the decade in which The Macallan was founded, in 1824. Lalique’s designer felt the shape lent itself perfectly to the beautifully crafted panorama of The Macallan estate by the river Spey, in north east Scotland.

Lalique’s designer and craftsmen then worked to highlight the beauty of The Macallan’s estate, with its fields of barley, its woodlands, the river Spey flowing past its borders to the south and Easter Elchies House, The Macallan’s spiritual home built in 1700, lying at the heart of the estate.

The Macallan’s estate is unique among Scotch whisky distilleries. Spreading over 150 hectares on a plateau above the River Spey, this beautiful place has sustained generations of farmers and landowners over the centuries. Today, many of its fields grow the exclusive barley which lies at the heart of The Macallan spirit, while spring water from the estate boreholes combine with the barley and yeast to create the sublime single malt that is The Macallan. Among the estate woods grow mighty oak trees, which echo the oaks of northern Spain and the United States from which The Macallan’s exceptional casks are made, and which contribute so much of the final character of the whisky.

The decanter itself has been created by the lost wax process, an ancient practice originally developed to cast large pieces in bronze. After first modelling a piece in wax, it is covered with plaster and then sent to the oven to bake the clay while the wax melts. Finally, molten crystal is poured in the emptied shape.  Up until 1930, Rene Lalique himself crafted glass pieces using the Cire Perdue technique, but abandoned it as arthritis increasingly affected his fingers.

Today, investing in the artistic and technical training of its artists to master again this extraordinary know-how, a new workshop has been created on the 150^th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth in 1860, dedicated entirely to the ‘lost wax’ process, to make the first Cire Perdue pieces in eighty years, including The Macallan 64 years old in Lalique. Every piece is unique. Complex, time consuming and costly, the process is reserved for the ultimate pieces. The technique brings to light a fineness of detail never seen before and a unique texture that is likened to a « crystal skin, giving each piece a truly realistic and vivid aspect.

Silvio Denz, President and CEO of Lalique, commented, “We are enormously proud to be collaborating again with The Macallan, and in such a worthwhile cause.  In today’s highly interconnected world, we are all increasingly aware of the needs of those much less fortunate than ourselves. We have been working on a series of decanters with The Macallan since 2004 and, over that time, have come to appreciate our shared values of a passionate commitment to outstanding quality, artistry and integrity. These decanters, each holding Macallan whiskies of 50, 55 and 57 years old respectively, have proved hugely admired and sought after around the world by whisky consumers and connoisseurs, as well as collectors of Lalique crystal and lovers of beautiful objets d’art. This latest decanter, a remarkable, unique work of art, holding such an old and rare Macallan, takes our partnership to a new level. I wish every success to its “tour du monde” and to the final auction by Sotheby’s in New York in November”.

PRESS RELEASE

March 15^th 2010

Raising the Bar – The Macallan Introduces the Ice Ball Serve

The ice or water debate has long remained a fiercely contested subject amongst whisky drinkers and The Macallan has thrown its hat into the ring by creating an innovative serving method expressly for those who like their whisky with ice.

Believing the perfect serve to come down to personal preference, The Macallan has pioneered the Ice Ball Serve.  It is the first real move by any whisky brand in the UK to present whisky in an innovative, contemporary fashion and open the doors to a growing adult population that regards ice as an integral part of the spirit-drinking experience.

The Ice Ball Serve is based on the Japanese tradition of serving hand-carved ice with ultra-premium spirits.  The ice ball press instantly creates a flawlessly formed sphere of ice that adds a touch of theatre and sophistication.

The Macallan’s Marketing Assistant, Pat Lee, explains the science part: “The Ice Ball Press was inspired by Japanese cocktail culture where artisans hand-carve ice balls from massive slabs to create an uninterrupted surface that cools spirits quickly and evenly.  The ice ball melts slowly to preserve the integrity of the spirit.  We have updated this process, by developing a copper press that instantly trims a block of ice into a flawless ice ball.  This, combined with our masterful single malt Scotch whisky, is The Macallan Perfect Serve.

“The Macallan’s liquid excellence is continuously defined by its unprecedented elegance and versatility. The ice ball balances these qualities. As global cocktail culture has evolved, ice has become central to the modern-day spirits experience.  With an eye on this trend, we created The Macallan Perfect Serve, to modernise the way single malt can be enjoyed and appeal to a wider range of consumers.”

In essence; The Macallan ice ball serve takes this traditional practice to the ultimate level, with a single perfect sphere of ice, a unique beautiful serve with the benefits of maximum chill with minimum dilution.

Enjoy the perfect ice-ball serve at the following bars and restaurants:

London:
Rules                                 
The Ritz Hotel                                 
Claridges                                        
The Connaught Bar, The Connaught Hotel, London
The Dorchester Hotel, London
Hawksmoor
50 St. James
Milk & Honey
Artisian Bar, The Langham Hotel
Quo Vardis
Boisdale Belgravia      
Blue Bar    
The Ivy Club 
The Lanesborough Hotel
The Albannach Bar                

Scotland:
Balmoral Hotel
Tiger Lily, Edinburgh
The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews
29, Glasgow
Blythwood Hotel (Glasgow)           
Dean Bar (Edinburgh)                      
Caledonian Hotel                             

Yorkshire:
Oulton Hall, near Leeds, West Yorkshire                             

John Ramsay

John Ramsay retired in 2009 after 43 years in the whisky industry. He started as a chemist in 1966, and over the years he’s had the combined roles of both master blender and chemist (the last eighteen years being with Edrington).

By the time he retired, he was responsible for both the laboratory and sample rooms (sensory analysis), overseeing employees responsible for the sensory examination of casks, new distillate, and mature whiskies. He’s been on the judging panel for various spirits competitions, and is also a “Keeper of the Quaich.”

John was the master blender for well-known blends like Cutty Sark and The Famous Grouse, and was also one of the “malt masters” of Highland Park and The Macallan. But perhaps his most significant achievement was the selection and creation of The Glenrothes since its release as a single malt in 1994. His signature is proudly stamped on every bottle of it since 2004, when he was involved in the creation of their “vintage” concept, which continues today.

Well done, John.

Robert Hicks

Robert Hicks started his career in whisky back in 1964. Before retiring from Allied Distillers in 2005 as master blender, he was responsible for the quality and flavor of many well-known whisky brands, including Ballantine’s, Teacher’s Highland Cream, and Laphroaig.

Since 2005, he has been a consultant master blender for Beam Global Spirits and Wines, working on Teacher’s Highland Cream, Laphroaig, and Ardmore whiskies.

His expertise covers all parts of the whisky industry, from distilling and maturation to blending, bottling, and marketing. Because of his efforts he has received numerous awards, and so have his whiskies. His most recent effort, and the one he’s most proud of, is the development of Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

As the scotch brand director for Beam Global put it: “To produce this exciting and unique Laphroaig variant is a tribute to the skills of Robert Hicks, who has overseen every step of this unrivaled process.”

We couldn’t agree more.

As I was reading through the article, I kept saying “That’s misleading. That’s not really true. That’s not fair.”

Read the article. Do you see anything misleading? If so, which statement is it? I’m in meetings most of the day, but will chime in later.

During the next two days, I’m having lunch with the distillery manager of Glen Grant, which is finally being imported to the U.S. I’ve already tasted their new whiskies, but it will be nice to meet with him. I am also meeting with the people in charge of Glenrothes, Glen Grant, Suntory Yamazaki, Cutty Sark, Tullamore Dew, Wild Turkey, and more here in the U.S.

I’m also meeting with Dr. Bill Lumsden, the genius behind Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. And I’ll be having lunch with the brand managers for The Macallan and Highland Park.

And in between all that, I am planning on enjoying a cigar with a very well known cigar enthusiast.

Then, on Wednesday, I a plan on tasting more “not yet released, and previously released” Maker’s Mark bourbons with Kevin Smith, Maker’s Mark’s Distillery Manager.

Stay tuned…

ALL EYES ON THE DALMORE OCULUS AT RECORD-BREAKING BONHAMS WHISKY SALE

The exceptional one-of-a–kind Dalmore Oculus sells for a staggering £27,600 at Bonhams best whisky sale in history

Whisky enthusiasts worldwide raised their glasses to an outstanding result at today’s whisky sale at Bonhams Edinburgh. With over 90% of lots sold, the sale raised an impressive total of £211,518, the best on record in terms of value.

 One of the highlights of the sale was the rare and unique Dalmore Oculus, assembled from some of the most exceptional whiskies of the past 140 years. This extraordinary whisky sold for a phenomenal £27,600, against a pre-sale estimate of £15,000 – 20,000, as cheers rung around the sale room. This is the highest price ever paid for a Dalmore whisky, far exceeding any previous expectation.

 Other distinguished whiskies on offer included a Black Bowmore-1964 first edition, bottled 1993, beautifully presented in a wooden case, which sold for a sensational £2,100 (estimated £1,500-1,700), whilst the Black Bowmore-1964, final edition, bottled 1995 also reached £2,100 (estimated £1,500-2,000) and the Black Bowmore-1964 first edition, bottled 1993, selling for an equally impressive £2,040 (estimated £1,500-1,700).

 Elsewhere, The Macallan-56 year old-1946, officially bottled by hand at The Macallan Distillery exceeded its pre-sale estimate of £1,500-2,000, selling for £1,980.

 From the first section of the 3,000-strong Willard S Folsom Collection of Old and Rare Single Malt Whiskies, The Dalmore-50 year old-1926 presented in a splendid ceramic decanter sold for an sizeable £1,920 (estimated £1,500-1,700). Also from this collection, a Macallan Speymalt-1938 toppled pre-sale estimates of £800-1,000, reaching £1,920, whilst a Bowmore Oloroso Wood-38 year old-1964 single malt fetched £1,680 (estimated £1,200-1,400).

 Martin Green, Bonhams Whisky Specialist comments: “We are delighted by the results of today’s sale. The atmosphere in the room was electric with much excitement and frenzied bidding for the 583 first-class whiskies of offer. The Dalmore Oculus reached a fantastic sale price, especially in view of the current economic climate.”

 For Bonhams enquiries please call +44 131 225 2266

 For more information please contact Charlotte Hastings or Rosie Kempson at The Communication Group on 0207 630 1411 or email chastings@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk/ rkempson@thecommunicationgroup.co.uk

All our experience, distilled into one collection

The Macallan 1824 Collection is a new family of single malts from The Macallan. Developed exclusively for the brand’s third largest market – Global Travel Retail -where it has been the fastest growing major Single Malt in the last five years and is currently ranked number two by volume.

The Collection is available in all key Travel Retail outlets in the Americas and Europe and has just been launched in Asia at Singapore airport. The Select Oak expression has secured listings onboard a number of airlines including Air Canada, Delta, American Airlines and Continental. 

The 1824 Collection of four expressions – Select Oak, Whisky Maker’s Edition, Estate Reserve and 1824 Limited Release – offers the ultimate flavour journey for whisky lovers. Recommended retail prices range from 46 to 1,450 euros.

The 1824 Collection has been created by John Ramsay, Master Whisky Maker for parent company The Edrington Group, and Bob Dalgarno, The Macallan’s Whisky Maker; who between them have over 50 years of experience of making whisky. They have been inspired by the distillery’s long history and rich traditions to create a very special range of Single Malts, selecting the best casks at the peak of their maturity in order to achieve the fullest and most complex whisky.

Each expression illustrates a particular story about The Macallan’s long and distinguished history and showcases the spectrum of flavours and aromas associated with The Macallan, the world’s most iconic whisky.

William Ovens, The Edrington Group’s Area Director, Global Travel Retail, comments: “The Macallan has enjoyed the most dynamic growth of any Single Malt in Travel Retail in recent years. In this period we have experienced significant success with some very innovative new products.  The 1824 Collection opens a new chapter in the illustrious history of The Macallan and we are confident that consumers will react positively to this exclusive and eye catching new range. 

“The four expressions in the Collection have been positively embraced by whisky experts and connoisseurs. In fact the Collection is the highest scoring new product range ever released by The Macallan. Whisky Expert and author of The Whisky Bible, Jim Murray has given Select Oak a score of 94.5% and the 1824 Limited Release Decanter a score of 97.5%, describing it as ‘a lifetime great whisky’.”

The range is on shelf now with the 1824 Limited Release decanter on sale from October 2009.

I have not tasted them since they first came out, so I can’t comment on recent releases. I assume (and hope) they are the same.

What are your thoughts on the Fine Oak series?

(For those of you who are unfamiliar with the history here, all Macallan bottlings were aged exclusively in sherry casks until a few years back when they came out with a new “Fine Oak” line which includes Macallan whisky aged in boubon casks. It produces a lighter whisky, with less sherry influence.)