Livingstone is set to release the second act of its innovative Macbeth Collection on March 13, 2025, introducing eight new limited-edition scotch whiskies inspired by Shakespeare’s iconic characters. The collection debuted to rave reviews in 2023 and will continue until 42 characters from Macbeth are represented in whisky form.
The centerpiece of Act II is Lord Macduff, the heroic protagonist in Macbeth, represented by a 45 Year Old Bunnahabhain single malt scotch whisky limited to 100 bottles. The release also includes three noble Thanes, featuring single malts ranging from 18 to 28 years old.
Character-Driven Cask Selection
The collection continues its creative approach to whisky selection, with The Second Witch and The Second Murderer characterized by heavily sherried and peated expressions. Rounding out the lineup are The Household Servant and Soldier, distilled at Clynelish and Benrinnes respectively.
“This project can only ever be done once, so we had to get it right,” said Lexi Livingstone Burgess, founder of Livingstone. “The Macbeth Collection is becoming its own entity, and having tasted and talked about the whiskies from France and Germany to Japan and Singapore, everyone has appreciated the sincerity of our ambition to present the incredible breadth and depth of scotch through this lens.”
Artistic Collaboration
Sir Quentin Blake, renowned for his distinctive style and his famous Roald Dahl illustrations, continues his contribution to the project with anthropomorphic bird interpretations of each character. “The idea of drawing the characters of Macbeth as birds appealed to me immediately. I’ve always thought of illustration as a kind of acting. I don’t observe the gestures so much as feel them,” Blake said.
The project represents a collaboration between Livingstone, Elixir Distillers’ owner Sukhinder Singh, head blender Oliver Chilton, and whisky writer Dave Broom, who provides character notes for each expression.
“It is the perfect combination of concept, outstanding scotch whiskies, and beautiful presentation,” said Singh. “I am particularly enjoying how rigorous we are in ensuring the collection is character-led; it has brought an interesting dimension to selecting the whiskies and a new experience at tastings.”
The release follows the successful launch of Act I in 2023, which included a 56-year-old Glen Grant representing King Duncan. The complete Macbeth Collection will ultimately feature 42 different whiskies across five acts, divided into six series: The Leads, The Thanes, The Ghosts, The Witches, The Murderers, and The Household. The Leads will eventually feature Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and finally Macbeth himself.
The Macbeth Act II collection will be available through select whisky retailers in the UK, Europe, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Canada.
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Macbeth Act II
Livingstone has cleverly announced the new single malts in the style of a call sheet:
|
CHARACTER |
SERIES | WHISKY | ABV | AGE | BOTTLES | RRSP |
| Lord Macduff | The Leads | Bunnahabhain | 40.8% | 45 | 100 | £2,000 |
| Lennox | The Thanes | Glentauchers | 48% | 27 | 300 | £375 |
| Ross | The Thanes | Ben Nevis | 50.4% | 28 | 850 | £495 |
| Young Siward | The Thanes | Highland Park | 50.8% | 18 | 650 | £225 |
| Second Witch | The Witches | Islay Single Malt | 49.5% | 26 | 750 | £695 |
| Second Murderer | The Murderers | Isle of Jura | 48.5% | 17 | 1200 | £125 |
| Servant | The Household | Clynelish | 55.1% | 14 | 1600 | £135 |
| Soldier | The Household | Benrinnes | 53.5% | 12 | 2400 | £84.95 |
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