Macallan Unveils New Whisky Series

The Macallan distillery in Craigellachie, Moray, Scotland is known for their extremely fine single malt Scotch whisky with their bottles ranging from a $90 bottle of 12 year to a stately $6,000 bottle of their signature ‘M’ Single Malt. Founded in 1824 they are doubtlessly one of the most luxurious brands of whisky available. And now they’re turning a whole new page. No that’s literal, they’re selling their latest ultra-high-end whisky in leather-bound books with the bottle in a cut out of the pages.

Each of the new series from Macallan will be offered in “volumes” the first being Tales of “The Macallan Volume I, The Laird of Easter Elchies” which is said to the in homage of Captain John Grant, who resided at the Speyside Easter Elchies Estate in the 1700s where the distillery has stood since 1824 and how he transformed the wildlands into what they are today.

Is The Tales of The Macallan A Book Worth A Drink, Or A Bottle Worth A Read?

We’re not sure actually. We can only hope that this isn’t one of those cases of putting bad art in a good frame. According to EliteTraveler, “The Macallan’s lead whisky maker Sarah Burgess said:

“Tales of The Macallan tells of remarkable individuals and an exceptional spirit, a story of The Macallan’s incredible pioneers. Each of these people left their mark on The Macallan with their unique contribution and legacy alive in our brand’s DNA and in every drop of our whisky to this day.”

“Tales of The Macallan Volume I is a tribute to Captain John Grant, whose contribution paved the way for The Macallan and brought the influence of nature and community spirit,” she continued. “As custodians of the Estate, we are continuously inspired by our environment, upholding our responsibility to nurture and protect the wonderful natural habitat that is home to our distillery.”

Make no mistake this was bound (sorry couldn’t help it) to be a very expensive bottle, we knew that from the start, but the price tag still makes the heart pause: $82,700 or for our British brethren £60,000. And to boot, that’s just the STARTING tag, given that there are only and can only ever be 350 decanters of the first edition and rarity will certainly drive the price tag up for the 71-year bottle of single malt whisky, distilled in 1950.

According to Maxim, this whisky is classified as an “Ultra-Rare” vintage and has the following flavor profile from The Macallan:

• Nose: Grapefruit zest, antique oak, vanilla, melon, wood smoke, nutmeg, ripe plum and almond.
• Palate: Peach and apple, wood spice with ginger and hints of clove, sweet wood smoke and Yuzu.
• Finish: A medium finish with citrus and sweet oak.

The sight of a beautifully bound book cut into to make room for a decanter definitely makes this writer cringe, but hopefully, the golden liquid inside tells a story far more eloquently than mere words could. One can hope.

But remember, the price tag doesn’t make the whisky! Be sure to check out our Introductory Guide to Damn Good Whiskey if this seems a bit beyond your experience or means. It’ll certainly make your bank account feel better knowing that you can still get a great dram from a bottle of Makers Mark or Tullamore D.E.W.