THE MACALLAN DISTILLERY
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Macallan exemplifies how size impacts whisky character. Although it is a significant producer, its spirit stills are relatively small at 3,900 litres. This contributes greatly to the rich and oily texture of its new make.
About
Even with an extremely tight cut, there is little time for copper to lighten the spirit vapor in tiny stills with acutely angled lyne arms. However, the opposite is true for maturation, where the balance between large and small becomes more apparent.
The heavy new make goes into large, predominantly 500-litre ex-Sherry casks made of both European and American oak. Due to the large surface-to-volume ratio, maturation takes longer—Macallan is widely agreed to reach its peak in its mid-teens. A heavy new make also requires more time in the cask to lose any lingering sulphurous notes. Extractives in the European oak (high tannin levels, powerful clove, and resinous aromas) need a heavy spirit to achieve balance. In contrast, American oak adds and enhances sweetness.
At Macallan, no color adjustment takes place, meaning each vatting must not only replicate the previous one in terms of aroma and taste but also match the same hue, despite each cask having a different tint. This understanding of how color indicates character led whisky-maker Bob Dalgarno to create the ‘1824 Range’ in 2013.
History
One of the original farm distilleries in Speyside, Macallan became legal in 1824 when Alexander Reid obtained one of the new licences issued after the 1823 Excise Act. In 1868, James Stuart took over the lease and rebuilt the plant. He sold Macallan in 1892 to Roderick Kemp, a major figure in Victorian distilling who had previously owned Talisker. Kemp’s descendants, particularly the Shiach family, retained ownership until Highland Distillers (now Edrington) took over in 1996.
The distillery has expanded significantly from its beginnings as a wooden shed with two stills. By 1954, it had five stills (two wash, three spirit), and a new stillhouse with seven stills was built in 1965. Expansion continued through the 1970s, with the total number of stills reaching 21 by 1975.
Though Macallan is now closely associated with single malt whisky, it has always been important for blending. It wasn’t until the early 1980s, faced with a market downturn for fillings, that Macallan decided to focus more on the emerging single malt category.
A management team including Allan Shiach, Frank Newlands, Hugh Mitcalfe, and Willie Phillips led a campaign that positioned Macallan as a ‘first-growth whisky’ and dubbed it ‘the Cognac of whisky,’ while maintaining a somewhat bohemian and irreverent approach to advertising and promotion.
Under Edrington’s governance, Macallan became the first distillery to create ‘bespoke’ casks. They selected specific trees (mainly from northern Spain, but also some American oak), and worked with Jerez-based cooper Tevasa to specify drying length, coopering type, seasoning liquid (oloroso), and seasoning duration. Investment in wood has increased recently, with massive warehouses being built on the estate.
In recent years, Macallan has focused more on the luxury whisky market, with bottlings of 50- and 60-year-old whiskies in Lalique decanters, the Fine & Rare vintage range dating back to 1926, and the Masters of Photography series.
This shift hasn’t been without controversy. As Macallan’s status as a collectible malt grew, it became a target for counterfeiters in the late 1990s. An investigation helped establish methods to verify the authenticity of suspicious bottlings.
In 2004, Macallan introduced Fine Oak, using American oak ex-Sherry casks and some ex-Bourbon casks alongside their classic 100% ex-Sherry range. Though some traditional Macallan fans protested, the lighter, sweeter flavor profile attracted new drinkers in new markets.
The 1824 Range, introduced in 2013, replaced some younger expressions in the portfolio and used whisky color as a branding device.
The second stillhouse was reactivated in 2008, and in 2013 it was announced that a new £100m distillery would be built. This distinctive subterranean distillery was commissioned on November 9, 2017, and officially opened in May 2018 at a final cost of £140m.