Inside The Macallan

The Six Pillars

Discover the foundation stones for the character of The Macallan and the creation of our rich spirit. They encompass the strong sense of place at the heart of The Macallan distillery and our estate, together with our long experience of distilling and maturing a single malt whisky.

Spiritual Home

Built in 1700 from locally quarried sandstone for Captain John Grant, our Spiritual Home, Easter Elchies House, is a fine example of a Highland manor house. The 485-acre Macallan Estate lies in an area of natural beauty and is farmed sensitively, in harmony with the environment.

Curiously Small Stills

The Macallan’s Curiously Small Stills are amongst the smallest on Speyside. Their unique size and shape give the spirit maximum contact with the copper, helping to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirit and provide the rich, fruity, full-bodied flavours characteristic of The Macallan. There are 24 of these spirit stills, crafted from copper, each holding an initial ‘charge’ of 3,900 litres.

The-Macallan-Distillery-Number-one-spirit-copper-stills

Finest Cut

We carefully select the finest quality spirit from our stills to ensure we create the best single malt whisky. This finest cut ensures we produce our signature viscous mouth-feel and fruity aroma and flavour. This small portion, or ‘cut’ is incredibly selective and one of the finest in the industry. It is primarily responsible for the full-bodied richness of The Macallan new make spirit. This clear colourless spirit is selected at just under 70% alcohol by volume. This distinctly robust and characterful ‘new make’ spirit is the starting point for all Macallan.

Exceptional Oak Casks

Our exceptional oak casks are the single greatest contributor to the outstanding quality, natural colours and distinctive aromas and flavours of The Macallan. These oak casks are crafted to our own specifications and account for up to 80% of the final aromas and flavours of The Macallan. Because of this, we spend more per cask than any other distillery in sourcing, crafting, seasoning and caring for its casks.

Natural Colour

All colour in The Macallan whiskies, bottled by the distillery, is natural. Only the interaction of the ‘new make’ spirit with the oak of the maturation casks delivers the rich and natural diversity of colour throughout the range, from light oak through to darkest mahogany. These natural colours remain ‘fixed’, as opposed to artificial colour which fades relatively quickly in bright sunlight. Great skill is required by the Master Whisky Maker to achieve consistency of natural colour from bottling to bottling.

Peerless Spirit

From place and production, to people and passion. The Macallan is the result of such defining mastery and intricacy, it is unmatched; peerless in each and every way.

The Macallan Trilogy

Born From Extraordinary Oak Casks

Explore

Fine and Rare

Journey Through Eras Past