This week The Macallan has officially announced the latest edition to the 200th year celebrations with the TIME:SPACE Collection; this is a two part release containing three whiskies.
As Creative Director of The Macallan I will take you behind the scenes in the new TIME:SPACE Collection. From selecting the first whisky from the new distillery to how on earth you pour the 84-year-old whisky from its dual decanter.
Protecting The Oldest Scotch Whisky
At 84 Years Old, TIME:SPACE contains the oldest single malt whisky that The Macallan has ever released.
The approach we have taken at The Macallan, since our origin in 1824, is to always ensure that we only use the finest raw materials. The unique size and shape of our stills give the spirit maximum contact, helping to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirits and provide the rich, fruity, full bodied flavors synonyms with The Macallan.
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To this day, the single greatest influence on our single malt is our sherry seasoned oak casks from which its whiskies derive their distinctive flavors, aromas, and natural color. Our investment and understanding in sherry seasoned oak casks have shaped our signature style and the quality and consistency synonymous with our brand. Our commitment to understanding how the wood influences our whiskies is instrumental in the creation of The Macallan and will remain so into our future.
We are very hands on in understanding the development of our maturing whiskies and have a significant process of assessing our maturing stocks. For example, on average every dram of The Macallan will have received an average of 630 nosing checks.
When it is felt that certain casks can keep maturing for longer and achieve great age, they are nurtured even more to ensure the cask, and the exceptional single malt it contains, are both working together harmoniously, until we feel it is the right time to release that whisky and share it with the world to enjoy.
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Introducing The Whisky From The New Distillery
At The Macallan, we saw the opportunity of releasing a whisky from our new Distillery as a significant new chapter—we are fortunate to have 200 years of exceptional whisky making, distilling heritage and knowledge to draw from.
Significant time and effort were put into the design of the new Distillery to ensure that we delivered an exceptional new make spirit produced in the same way we always have; drawing on the same water and raw materials, while our curiously small stills and processes that define our unique spirit. During the transition in 2018, our teams went to exacting standards to secure the continuity of the single malt quality and signature taste.
The maturing stocks from the new distillery have been closely monitored to ensure we have a complete understanding of how they develop. As the idea of showcasing the first ever whisky from the new Distillery as part of our 200-year anniversary celebration began to take shape, we looked at the variety of whiskies we could select from—we wanted an incredible whisky to enjoy, but one that was also classically The Macallan.
We focused on a selection of whiskies which had been maturing in exceptional Sherry seasoned hogshead casks. As these are a smaller cask than a sherry butt, there is more contact between the whisky and the high-quality wood, this has allowed a depth of character to develop which feels beyond its years.
Creating Standout Packaging For A Historic Scotch Whisky
At The Macallan we are very fortunate to have a Creative Team who envisage bold ideas and bring them to life, and it was important for us to lead the creative direction for the TIME:SPACE COLLECTION in our anniversary year.
We also work very closely with our trusted, long-term partners. It’s these partnerships and collaborations that helped us to deliver our vision for the TIME:SPACE COLLECTION both creatively and technically.
We believe whisky making is like time travel. Each bottle we release today encapsulates the past, while the spirit we lay down in cask in the present day holds the promise of a future yet to unfold.
To capture the essence of time travel, TIME:SPACE features two significant whiskies presented in a ground-breaking dual chamber concept vessel—our time machine.
The single malt Scotch whisky presented in the outer, halo-shaped chamber, represents the past. It is the oldest release to date by The Macallan, a 1940 vintage bottled in 2024, matured to a remarkable 84 Years Old.
As a counterpoint to the 1940s vintage, the single malt nestled within the inner chamber is a taste of the future. Bottled in 2024, this 2018 vintage is 5 Years Old and is the first release from our new distillery.
How To Pour The TIME:SPACE Whisky?
The TIME:SPACE vessel itself is circular, fusing both craftsmanship and contemporary engineering together. The circular design of the vessel does mean that it cannot be put down carelessly. This is to create a connection between the whisky and the owner, as they have to look after it and take care when handling. To protect the whiskies, the TIME:SPACE vessel can be displayed in a bespoke sculpture as well as Serving Cradle to create an experience for consumption. The Serving Cradle should be used when pouring from either vessel, as well as allowing for TIME:SPACE to be taken to different locations to be enjoyed.
Once the vessel is placed in the serving cradle, the 1940 vintage in the outer chamber is accessed via an over cap at the top of the vessel. We have designed pourers which are housed in a hidden drawer in the Serving Cradle, and they should be used to ensure every last drop can be poured with precision.
Access to the inner chamber is via a removable decorative cover. When this is taken off, the inner chamber can be removed as an independent vessel for ease of serving with a pourer.
A Sculpture Based On Nature
Every part of the design of TIME:SPACE has a purpose, and a story to tell. For example, the display sculpture is made from layers of European and American oak, in honor of the wood we use for our casks.
There are 200 spikes on the display sculpture, one for each year in our history, and these spikes are inspired by the 485 acres of nature that surround our Distillery on The Macallan Estate in Speyside. This land is home to over 400 species of tree, extensive wildlife, and nearly two miles of the iconic River Spey, one of the greatest Atlantic Salmon rivers in the world.
Nature actively safeguards its future by developing a variety of defense mechanisms such as thorns, barbs and spikes. This resilience is evident throughout The Macallan Estate in the protective burr of chestnuts, the thorny stems of roses and the formidable spikes that cover thistles, the national flower of Scotland.
The color red has been selected due to its deep and longstanding significance for The Macallan.
Elsewhere, the presentation box for TIME:SPACE Mastery has been inspired by the world of origami, as we sought to create 200 spikes using paper art. This remarkable presentation box bursts to life visually when it is opened, and at the heart of the presentation is the circular vessel for TIME:SPACE Mastery, adorned in red.
What To Expect From TIME:SPACE Mastery
The whiskies of the TIME:SPACE COLLECTION all tell different stories. The two whiskies in TIME:SPACE tell a story of time travel, moving between the past and the future.
For TIME:SPACE Mastery, we wanted to reflect on the legacy of Whisky Mastery at The Macallan throughout the last 200 years and create something which was without question classically identifiable as The Macallan.
Embracing 200 years of history, we took inspiration from past Whisky Masters and the sheer variety of casks available to create layers of complexity with incredible depth of aroma, texture and flavor. These layers were captured by carefully selecting contributions from a diverse array of casks across a variety of cooperages, bodegas, oak origins, seasoning styles and cask sizes. This process is an art form and saw our Whisky Masters strive to find a balance in all the elements, for them to work harmoniously together.
It is a highly complex whisky, but unmistakably The Macallan. A fitting tribute to mark our 200-year anniversary.
The Macallan’s TIME:SPACE Mastery will be available to purchase directly from The Macallan, subject to availability and location, as well as via The Macallan Society Ballot in the UK and Europe that will open 10 September at 12:00 BST. You must be part of The Macallan Society to enter the ballot. The price will be RRSP $1,500 (£1,100).
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