It’s been quite the year for The Macallan, as the Scotch brand celebrated its 200th anniversary. We journeyed up to Speyside to see how it has marked the occasion.
This year, The Macallan became one of six Scotch brands to reach its bicentennial milestone. Being the global megastar of the whisky world that it is, it wasn’t going to sit back and let the event pass it by. Instead, it went the biggest of the lot.
As well as a series of high-profile product launches, including the unveiling of the world’s oldest whisky, the Edrington-owned Scotch also created a number of activations at its brand home, located on the banks of the River Spey.
The Heart of the Spirit experience
Time travel has played a big part in The Macallan’s bicentennial celebrations this year, something that can be experienced upon arrival at the distillery with The Heart of the Spirit experience – a tribute to the brand’s pioneers, and a celebration of all the people and stories that have ‘made The Macallan what it is today’.
Visitors are welcomed into an immersive experience that presents The Macallan’s 200-year history through animation, sound design and specialist projection techniques paired with a unique drinking experience.
Here, its history is depicted through illustrations that are projected across three walls of the room by Spanish artist and illustrator Javi Aznarez. These illustrations have have been animated to tell this tale, and are joined by narration in the form of poetry by Scottish poet Jenni Fagan.
This impressive and visually stunning presentation is a testament to the level of detail this brand goes into for its storytelling, and whether by design or not, allows it to generate advocacy from its visitors as they’re brought into the fold of its history, allowing them to grasp the magnitude of what The Macallan has achieved over the last two centuries.
TimeSpirit – the dining experience
Once you’ve immersed yourself in the history of the brand, it’s time to further immerse yourself into its culinary present: The Macallan’s collaboration with three-time Michelin star and twice awarded best restaurant in the world, El Celler de Can Roca.
Together, the brands have created a new permanent dining concept, TimeSpirit, which opened to diners on 31 October and builds on a partnership spanning 12 years, in which the Roca Brothers and The Macallan have celebrated a shared commitment to innovation combining the gastronomic brilliance with rich heritage.
TimeSpirit sits on the first floor of the distillery, located at the heart of The Macallan’s iconic 485-acre estate, with 24 seats available as well as a private dining room, where diners can enjoy the ultimate gastronomic experience while overlooking sweeping views onto the rolling hills of Speyside, while also catching some glimpses of the warehouses. However, for those without a window view, it’s a different treat, as at the centre of the room sits the open kitchen, which offers a real-time show of the chefs at work.
Utilising fresh produce, the nine-course tasting menu is paired with The Macallan’s whiskies and the finest Sherry wines from Valdespino in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
Visitors to this experience can expect dishes such as vegetarian haggis with whisky-spiced mayonnaise, inspired by Scotland; cured mackerel al amontillado inspired by Jerez; pastrami, steamed brioche, sauerkraut inspired by New York; taco with radish and mango salad inspired by Mexico City and a chicken pate with raisins and apricot inspired by London – all a nod to The Macallan’s Distil Your World series.
Other dishes include The Macallan Barley, a dish showcasing whisky ingredients with fermented barley and yeast cream and From the Cask to the Chocolate, a whisky and chocolate indulgence, featuring The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old. This menu will change seasonally.
Distillery tour
Something always available to experience at The Macallan distillery, whether an anniversary year or not, is a tour around the production area. This is a time to ditch your coats as a walk among the ‘curiously small stills’ can be a little on the warm side.
As one of the extremely knowledgeable guides takes you past the vast collection of 36 copper stills, which produce 15 million litres of spirit a year, The Macallan’s full whisky making process is explained in detail. This includes a full explanation of how the whisky makers create the brand’s new make spirit, something we were given the very special opportunity to try. Warm both to the touch and the palate on account of just coming off the stills, it offers a sweet oiliness that coats the mouth and gently grows to reveal notes of fresh fruit – the perfect peek behind the curtain of The Macallan’s whiskies.
For those unfamiliar with the whisky making process, the brand has also installed some clever visual guides that help to explain how The Macallan’s processes differ from other Scotch producers.
Tasting is, of course, a big part of any distillery visit, and one particular experience on offer at the moment includes a trip into the Cave Privée, a unique atmospheric cellar, where guests are given a curated experience of some of the brand’s single malts.
For our visit, we were given the chance to sample one of the brand’s latest releases: A Night in Jerez de la Fontera – the conclusion of The Macallan’s 200th anniversary celebrations.
This new single malt is inspired by southern Spanish traditions which are said to ‘encourage reflection of time passed and celebration of the future’ as the year comes to a close.
This whisky was matured in a combination of European and American Sherry-seasoned oak casks, produced to The Macallan’s ‘exacting’ specifications, and offers a richness and sweetness on the palate, with notes of pastry, grapes and anise.
Our tasting was guided by the man behind this particular single malt, Steven Bremner, who explained the role that Jerez has played in the brand’s past, present and future. “As a whisky maker, having been able to tell part of that story through a whisky has been wonderfully rewarding,” he said.
The final tasting of the visit can be spent at the bar, which sits directly above the Cave Privée.
It is in here, where the oldest whisky in the world, Time:Space, currently sits on display. While samples of this particular bottle are not available, it remains a must-visit for anyone travelling to this iconic distillery any time soon.
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Author: Georgie Collins
