What you need to know:

• Macallan’s new collection, Tales of The Macallan, pays tribute to the pioneers who helped establish The Macallan to the distinguished distillery that it is today.
• Volume I, The Laird of Easter Elchies, is dedicated to the life and times of Captain John Grant, who helped transform a plot of land he inherited into what is the Easter Elchies, where The Macallan sits upon today.
• The whisky itself is 71 years old, distilled in 1950 and bottled in 2021, tasting notes below.
• It comes in a Lalique crystal decanter that is housed in a traditionally bound almanac that is illustrated by artist Andrew Davidson, who also illustrated the covers of the Harry Potter book series, and details the contributions of Captain John Grant to The Macallan.
• The RRP is said to be just under $100k.

The new collection, Tales of The Macallan, pays tribute to the pioneers of The Macallan Distillery. (Image Source: TripAdvisor, Macallan)

Macallan has announced the new Tales of The Macallan collection, which pays tribute to the pioneers who helped establish The Macallan as the distinguished distillery that it is today. Volume I, The Laird of Easter Elchies (1659 – 1715), is dedicated to telling the story of Captain John Grant who helped builed the Easter Elchies Estate, which has housed The Macallan Distillery since 1824 and up till today.

A rendering of the Easter Elchies manor is spun into the crystal decanter. (Image Source: Macallan)

Captain John Grant had inherited the land upon his return from war and decided to transform it into his vision of a “garden of the Elchies”. Through his farming efforts, he established a small farming community that provided the barley that went into The Macallan’s whiskies. The Easter Elchies house in specific which sits on the land is a classic English-styled manor that sits on a hillside overlooking the River Spey (which is why the area is named Speyside, literally the side of Spey).

An illustration by Andrew Davidson, who also famously illustrated the covers of the Harry Potter books. (Image Source: Macallan)

The bottle itself contains Macallan whisky distilled in 1950 and bottled in 2021, making it a whopping 71 years old.

“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,”

- Macallan Lead Whisky Maker, Sarah Burgess.

(Image Source: Macallan)

The whisky is encased in a Lalique crystal decanter, which will be housed within an 800-page almanac detailing the life and times of Captain John Grant. The almanac features illustrations by renowned illustrator, Andrew Davidson, and bounded using traditional bookmaking techniques by Shepherds Bookbinders.

(Image Source: Macallan)

Andrew Davidson’s work includes postage stamps for the UK’s Royal Mail as well as the glass doors of the Wimbledon’s Centre Court, and perhaps most famously, the cover of the Harry Potter books series.

The RRP is said to be just under a cool $100k.

Our take

First off, before everyone becomes a self-proclaimed Macallan expert and gives their hot take on this, tell me what is an “aiguillette”?

If you can’t answer this, then no comments from you. We’re kidding.

For everyone’s benefit, an aiguillette is an “ornament on some military uniforms, consisting of braided loops hanging from the shoulder and on dress uniforms ending in points that resemble pencils”.

That golden braid on Prince William’s uniform is what you call an aiguillette. (Image Source: Popsugar)

Well, it seems Macallan has done it again, thrusting themselves into the pantheons of collectibles; they always take collectibles to the next level, with their permutations and combinations of long-time collaborator Lalique and a famous illustrator and or artist.

This is going to be a heavy book. (Image Source: Macallan)

For what it’s worth, which is a cool $100k, I’m sure this will be highly sought after, and case in point, this is arguably one of their most gorgeous bottles yet. No artistic label, this time, the bottle is itself a work of art. It’s also a nifty nod to old traditions by concealing it in a book, which was something that Scotch drinkers used to do. That said, I wonder how heavy is that absolute unit going to be. 

Truly a work of art. (Image Source: Macallan)

As for the whisky itself, I dare say we will simply have to take Macallan’s word for it because I seriously doubt anyone is going to actually uncork this and chug it. 

Once again, Macallan shows us how it’s done and why it is after all the granddaddy of Scotch. It looks absolutely stunning.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot