Macallan Scotch WhiskeyMacallan Scotch Whiskey Macallan Scotch Whiskey
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The Macallan is a brand of single malt Scotch whisky first distilled in 1824 at The Macallan Distillery near Easter Elchies House, at Craigellachie. The Macallan is currently distilled and bottled by The Macallan Distiller's Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Edrington Group which purchased the brand from Highland Distillers in 1999.[1]
In 2009, The Herald (Glasgow) reported that Macallan "the world's third largest-selling single malt (behind Glenfiddich and Glenlivet) with over 500,000 cases a year, and second largest by value."[2] The Scotsman published a quote from Ken Grier on August 16th, 2009 stating "We have now overcome Glenfiddich to move into the second biggest selling single malt by volume behind Glenlivet" [3]
Since The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 came into force labeling of bottles of Scotch whisky has been regulated, and currently produced bottles of The Macallan indicate it is a Highland Single Malt. However the website for the brand indicates that "The Original and Spirtual Home" of The Macallan is Speyside[4], an area near Strathspey.
Originally, The Macallan was only matured in oak sherry casks brought to the distillery from Jerez, Spain. Beginning in 2004, The Macallan introduced a new main product, the Fine Oak series, with the whisky mellowed in bourbon oak casks as well as sherry ones.[5]
Bottlings
The distillery produces a number of expressions in its core Sherry Oak Series, the most generally available being the 12-year-old, although the 18-year-old is widely distributed, alongside a 10-year-old cask strength expression at 58% ABV. Expensive 25- and 30-year-old versions can also be found.
More recently, starting in 2004 the Macallan for the first time started to offer single malt expressions vatted with whisky matured in used casks other than ex-Sherry casks as part of the "Fine Oak" range. Macallan also markets special scotchs within duty-free shops at airports such as the 1824 Collection.
Numerous rare, special releases and other small production run bottlings also exist. Publicity and Marketing
In 2001, Michael Martin selected The Macallan 10 Years Old as the official Scotch of the Speaker of the House of Commons, even though Mr Martin himself gave up drinking alcohol, however he did smell whisky to make his select of single malt. This selection continued the tradition of the speaker designating a official single malt. [6]
In 2003, The Macallan started laboratory tests to determine if some antique whisky purchased for their collection were in fact forgeries, perhaps generated by dealer with mafia ties.[1].In 2004, it was revealed that laboratory testing had determined at least 11 bottles within its antique whisky collection were fakes.[7] Although The Macallan had tested the paper comprising the labels and were satisfied the whiskies were genuine, additional tests on the contents of some bottles revealed whisky believed to be only 10 years old. David Cox, director of fine and rare whiskies for The Macallan, stated "As a result of these tests from now on no antique bottles from the antique collection held at the distillery will be made available for sale."
In 2007, a bottle of 1926 vintage The Macallan was sold at a Christie's auction for $54,000, making it one of the most expensive bottles of liquor ever sold.[8]
In 2010, a bottle of The Macallan 64-year-old single malt whisky in a one-of-a-kind "Lalique: Cire Perdue" crystal decanter was sold for $460,000 in an auction at Sotheby's in New York City. All proceeds from the sale were donated to "charity: water", an organization that helps to provide access to clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations.[9] See alsoExternal links
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