Tales of The Macallan series launches

The Macallan has launched the first whisky in its limited-edition Tales of The Macallan series, which brings its whisky-making legacy to life in liquid form.

Tales of The Macallan Volume I, The Laird of Easter Elchies (1659-1715), is an homage to Captain John Grant. He laid the foundations for whisky production at the Easter Elchies Estate, where The Macallan has been based since 1824.

The Grant family had owned the land since the 16th century, but it was John who saw the estate's potential and transformed it into the 'garden of Elchies', a landscape designed for the cultivation of barley.

Tales of The Macallan Volume I was crafted by the distillery's lead whisky maker Sarah Burgess, using liquid distilled in 1950 and bottled in 2021.

Burgess said: "Tales of The Macallan tells of remarkable individuals and an exceptional spirit. 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.

"Volume I is a tribute to Captain John Grant, who paved the way for The Macallan and brought the influence of nature and community spirit. 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.

"Just like The Macallan Estate and Easter Elchies House, this precious whisky echoes a very old tale. Wood spices, sweet wood smoke and antique oak are omnipresent and make a perfect liaison with the delicate symphony of ripe fruits and spices."

Tales of The Macallan Volume I comes housed in a handcrafted Lalique crystal decanter, which is presented within an illustrated almanac book (created by London-based book binders Shepherds, Sangorski and Sutcliffe) that tells the story of John Grant.

Just 350 decanters will be available worldwide through The Macallan Estate, The Macallan Boutiques and premium off-trade retailers from August 2021 (RRP £60,000 / US$80,000).

Its release coincides with that of The Macallan Concepts No. 3, the final release in the brand's travel retail-exclusive Concepts series. The launch has been supported by a digital activation from The Macallan owner Edrington's global travel retail arm.

25 August 2021 - Bethany Whymark