The Macallan distillery
History
Founded in 1824, the Macallan was one of the first legal distilleries in Scotland. What started as a wooden shed with two stills, increased to five in 1954 and continued to expand to 21 stills by 1975. Macallan established itself as an important malt for blending before becoming renowned for its focus on single malt in the 1980s. The brand demonstrated its creative passion and craft by creating the first bespoke casks, specially made from different woods to produce unique tastes. The brand’s balance of heritage and vision has made it one of the most valued in the world. Indeed, the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold at auction was a Macallan, reaching an astounding $1.9m at Sotheby's in London in 2019. Today, a new distillery made of glass and a rippling oak roof stands among the hills of Speyside. The building echoes the best qualities of Macallan; creative, dramatic and inspiring.
Technology
Macallan’s stills are among the smallest on Speyside, giving their spirits maximum contact with the copper and helping to create their characteristic rich, fruity and full-bodied flavours. Further distinction is achieved by the use of specially crafted oak casks. The importance of the casks in bringing out the best in the spirit is demonstrated by the fact that Macallan spend more on sourcing, crafting and seasoning their wood than any other distillery. All the colour of The Macallan whiskies is natural, and is influenced by the wood of the casks, from light oak to dark mahogany. Unlike artificial colours, which fade in the sunlight and are easy to achieve, these colours are fixed and require the superb attention and skill of the Master Whisky Maker.
