The Macallan Scotch single malt whisky brand is already well known for offering a number of ranges of Scotch single malt whisky that are rare and old. Bottlings of theirs often command top dollar at auction, going well above the projected bidding price. It is now into this pool they’ve added yet another line up, The Red Collection.
The new The Macallan The Red Collection, according to those behind it, is “a carefully curated selection of ongoing aged expressions and high aged guest releases.” At the heart of it are The Macallan 40 Years Old, The Macallan 50 Years Old and The Macallan 60 Years Old, all of which “are the oldest ongoing expressions ever offered by The Macallan and will be available in limited quantities globally.”
Joining these first in the previously mentioned “guest releases” will be “The Macallan 71 Years Old, The Macallan 74 Years Old and The Macallan 78 Years Old. These incredibly rare single malts are among the world’s oldest Scotch whiskies, with The Macallan 74 Years Old and The Macallan 78 Years Old being the oldest bottlings ever released in the history of the brand.”
It is noted about all of these, by the brand, that “distilled decades ago, in The Macallan’s signature curiously small copper stills, each peerless expression in The Red Collection has been matured in The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks under the watchful eye of several generations of whisky makers. Over time, these astonishing single malt whiskies have slowly been shaped and influenced by the carefully selected casks to deliver extraordinarily elegant aged whiskies.”
“Created from some of the world’s oldest and rarest casks it is an incredible privilege to have crafted The Red Collection, the pinnacle of The Macallan’s portfolio,” said Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan, in a prepared statement. “It’s thanks to the foresight of previous custodians of The Macallan, who laid down and aged these extraordinary casks, that we have been able to curate such a remarkable selection of whiskies.
“Each precious drop offers a unique opportunity to explore The Macallan’s whisky making legacy. The incredible elegance and rich flavours of the expressions that form The Red Collection are a direct result of the craftsmanship, knowledge and skills nurtured by our master whisky makers, past and present.”
With regards to the use of “red’ in the title of this collection, it ties to the significance of the color throughout the history of the brand. It is said that “the red thread begins with Alexander Reid, the farmer and teacher who founded The Macallan in 1824. His surname means ‘the red one’ in Scots and was originally associated with red hair.
“In 1903, owner Roderick Kemp launched The Macallan Choice Old range. It was reportedly shipped in cases labelled with distinctive red print to distinguish it from The Macallan’s existing whiskies, which featured black labelling.
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“And almost eight decades later, in 1980, red was to feature strongly in the release of The Macallan’s then oldest vintages, dated 1938, 1940 and 1950. Allan Shiach, chairman of The Macallan at that time, tied a red ribbon around the sought-after bottlings to denote their age and value.”
Each bottle comes in an oak presentation box created from the same European oak used to craft The Macallan’s oak casks. The boxes are upholstered with soft red leather from Scottish supplier Bridge of Weir Leather.
The Macallan Red Collection is available now initially at select speciality retailers in the United Kingdom. The pricing for each is listed below.
- The Macallan 40 Years Old – £11,300 (about $14,600 USD)
- The Macallan 50 Years Old – £37,500 (about $48,500 USD)
- The Macallan 60 Years Old – £49,000 (about $63,400 USD)
- The Macallan 71 Years Old – £58,500 (about $75,700 USD)
- The Macallan 74 Years Old – £61,500 (about $79,500 USD)
- The Macallan 78 Years Old – £65,500 (about $84,700 USD)
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