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The Macallan launches oldest whisky to date
By Shivani Dubey | 17 September 2024 | Food & Drink
To mark its 200 year anniversary, The Macallan is launching its oldest whisky to date at 84 years old, as well as a single malt distilled in 2018
Scotch whisky brand The Macallan has unveiled their oldest whisky to date to mark its 200 year anniversary. The whisky, a 1940 vintage bottled at 84 years old, will be part of the brand’s Time: Space collection. The collection will also feature a single malt distilled in 2018, which will mark the first release from the new The Macallan Distillery.
The Macallan has designed both creations to depict nature’s protection of its future, while also representing time travel with the past and future combined. With only 200 bottles created to mark the anniversary, the collection is meant to capture the essence of time travel.
The vessel has been designed with two chambers to hold each of the whiskies — housed in the outer chamber is the 1940 vintage, representing the past. Two casks — first fill American oak butt and second one being a European oak butt — have been hand selected and seasoned with sherry in Jerez de la Frontera and matured, surrounded by nature in Speyside, Scotland.
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The single malt housed in the second chamber is a 2018 vintage from the new distillery, a nod to the future of the brand.
Kirsteen Campbell, master whisky maker at The Macallan, remarked at the “absolute privilege” of being able to go back in time to celebrate the brand’s 200 year anniversary.
“As a whisky mastery team, our roles are unique in the sense that we get to time travel – selecting whisky from the past crafted by our predecessors, whilst simultaneously laying down casks for future generations of whisky makers and consumers,” said Kristen. “To nose, taste and select whisky created over eight decades ago is an exceptionally rare occasion in the life of a whisky maker and one which I will treasure.”
The single malt scotch whisky brand will also launch Time: Space Mastery, which pays tribute to past whisky masters through a diverse inventory of exceptional oak casks — 14 in total.
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“Inspired by past masters, we have explored the full extent of our warehouses to capture the complex influences of cask seasoning, oak origin, cask size and distillery character in one incredibly special bottle of whisky — with the elegance provided by European Oak sitting at its heart,” said Euan Kennedy, lead whisky maker, for Time: Space Master.
The release of the Time: Space collection is a tribute to The Macallan’s long standing legacy, says creative director Jaume Ferras.
“[It] is an incredible way to pay respect to our 200th anniversary by celebrating the significance of those who have come before us, yet it is also a symbol of anticipation of what is to come, as we build upon our heritage and look to times ahead,” he added.