In 2021, Macallan 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.

For 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.

For Volume II, it seems like the Macallan will be telling us more about its founder Alexander Reid.

Going back to the 19th century, the monarchy had imposed high taxes on whiskymakers, causing many of them to produce whiskies illicitly. However, the distilleries in Speyside had made outstanding whiskies that attracted even King George IV. Eventually caving into the people's pressure, these draconian taxes were removed, and instead whiskymakers could operate in the open but had to do so in exchange for a per-gallon duty fee.

One of the distilleries that emerged first was The Macallan, under the guidance of its founding father Alexander Reid, he had leased the land on which the Easter Elchies House sits, which remains a symbol of the distillery.

Alexander Reid was known as "The Red One" for his red hair, for which "Reid" stood for, and is the basis for Macallan's strong affinity with the color red. (Image Source: Macallan)

Alexander Reid would set the groundworks for the Macallan today, and helmed the distillery till his death in 1847.

We're told that Volume II will bring us a "single malt [that] is quintessentially complex and nuanced, its taste a feast of black cherries, sweet woodsmoke, plum jam and dark chocolate orange", with "the scent of rich forest fruits, antique oak and treacle toffee surround[ing] us".

While we only have a very sparse back label, going on the back of Volume I, we're guessing that this will also be encased in a Lalique crystal decanter and come in a book packaging, containing very well-aged Scotch.

Stay tuned for more as the story develops!

Image courtesy of The Macallan.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team