An alternative path: Setting the flavor standard

In whisky-making, everything is connected.

There are currently over one hundred active whisky distilleries across Scotland engaged in making whisky– all of them milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling twice (sometimes three times) and filling into casks; in essence the same process. Why then do they all taste so different, and how has The Macallan claimed distinction?

At one point, our fresh spring water was thought to be the key factor: it’s now known that this is not the case. We were led to believe it was the distillery’s surroundings that provided the magic edge, but however romantic this may be, the evidence shows us that “terroir” (the environmental factors) don’t actually have a significant bearing on the flavor of a malt whisky.

So this leaves us with a paradox of sorts, as malts are essentially made up of the same ingredients: spring water, yeast and barley. Yet they are all different.

Appearances can be deceiving; to gain something worth having you need to dig below the surface, for it’s a subtlety in our whisky’s distinct ‘DNA’ that creates The Macallan. It is the alchemy of distillation and the magic of maturation, alongside the quirks and idiosyncrasies inherent in the process– all are intentional building blocks in helping create our whisky’s distinct flavor. As we like to say, there is ‘purpose in the process’.

It’s here that the barley plays its part as well, adding an oiliness and richness to the texture. Distilling is a chain reaction, everything impacts on everything else.

The final element in The Macallan DNA are the casks. Ultimately our unique character is shaped by the choice of wood species and its condition, combined with the particular quality of the new-make spirit.