The Macallan Diamond Jubilee is one of The Macallan’s most prized royal releases, created in celebration of Elizabeth II’s 60 years on the throne in 2012. Since its release the bottle has been popular on the secondary market amongst both whisky collectors and Royal Family fans.
If you are looking for a bottle of your own, we have one for sale on The Whiskey Wash Shop for $9,596. But before you do, there are a few things about this iconic bottle that you may be interested to know.
Check out my previous article on all of The Macallan Royal bottlings here.
1. There is a dating discrepancy in the Macallan Diamond Jubilee
Well, not a discrepancy, per se, but a deliberate choice regarding when the whisky was bottled.
The Macallan Diamond Jubilee was drawn from the cask on February 8th, to commemorate the date of Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. However, Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, died on February 6th, 1952, not the 8th. So, why was the whisky bottled on the 8th of February?
Well, whilst February 6th, 1952 was the date of Elizabeth’s accession, her position as the new Queen was not made official until February 8th, 1952. On this day in history, Elizabeth made a personal declaration as Queen in the presence of her husband, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, and representatives from the Commonwealth.
So, there you have it. The Macallan Diamond Jubilee was bottled not on the date of her father’s death, but on the day that Elizabeth II declared herself to her nation and the Commonwealth.
2. The Macallan Diamond Jubilee features a number of tributes to Elizabeth II
Macallan paid close attention to detail when creating the Macallan Diamond Jubilee. As a result, there are a number of tributes to the late monarch on the bottle.
Trending Stories
The whisky was bottled at 52% ABV, paying homage to the fact that 1952 was the year of Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. Only 2,012 bottles were produced, reflecting the year in which the Diamond Jubilee was celebrated.
The bottle also features a ceramic cameo of Her Majesty from her early days as Queen. The cameo is flanked by four ribbons, two of which display Union Flags.
3. Only two English monarchs have ever celebrated a Diamond Jubilee
Queen Elizabeth II is the UK’s longest-reigning monarch, with a reign spanning a very impressive 70 years, 214 days.
She is also the second longest-reigning monarch in the world, being beaten to the post by Louis XIV of France who reigned for 72 years, 100 days.
The second longest-reigning monarch in British history is Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. As such, Victoria is the only other monarch in British history to have celebrated a Diamond Jubilee.
Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 1897 when she was 78 years old. Elizabeth II’s was celebrated in 2012, at the age of 86.
Queen Elizabeth II died on 8th September 2022 at the age of 96 and was succeeded by her son, Charles III.
4. In 2013, The Macallan released another celebratory bottling, The Macallan Coronation
As mentioned above, The Macallan Diamond Jubilee was released in 2012 to mark 60 years since Her Majesty’s accession. However, keen fans of the Royal Family will know that Elizabeth II was not officially coronated until June 2nd, 1953.
As such, it was in 2013 that Macallan released The Macallan Coronation. The release comprises two 35cl bottles of whisky. The first bottle contains American oak seasoned sherry cask matured whisky and is adorned with the official coronation portrait taken by Cecil Beaton in 1953.
The second bottle contains Macallan whisky matured in Spanish seasoned sherry casks. The label features a second image of Her Majesty 60 years on from her coronation.
The two whiskies differ in color, with the younger, lighter whisky representing the young monarch and the renewed hope that swept Great Britain upon the beginning of a new Elizabethan era. By contrast, the older, darker whisky represents the mature and steadfast monarch who ruled over the United Kingdom (by the time of her death) for over 70 years.
5. Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in the UK with a bank holiday weekend and many special events
In June 2012, Queen Elizabeth II’s subjects came together to celebrate “60 Glorious Years” of her reign with a Jubilee weekend. The celebrations were numerous and were not limited to the UK.
As the monarch of the Commonwealth nations, Elizabeth II was honored in other countries such as Canada, Australia, Barbados, and New Zealand.
At home, London was the host city for a wide variety of events. These include the Diamond Jubilee Concert performed by artists such as Elton John, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. The concert was attended by an estimated 260,000 to 510,000 people (ticketed and non-ticketed).
In addition to the official events (Church services, luncheons, and parades), people across the UK held street parties, complete with Union Jack bunting, sandwiches, cakes, tea, and some celebratory drams of whisky.
BONUS: The Macallan Diamond Jubilee and The Macallan Coronation are both available on The Whiskey Wash Shop
If you would like to own a piece of The Macallan and Royal Family history, look no further than the Macallan Diamond Jubilee and The Macallan Coronation. Both whiskies were bottled in extremely limited quantities, meaning that they are incredibly rare on the secondary market. As such, these would make a fantastic addition to any Macallan whisky collection.
Latest News