Of the essence: Capturing time with The Roca Brothers and The Macallan

Time is a crucial factor in the making of our whisky. At The Macallan nothing is rushed; everything is given its due time, which means that each each and every glass is a singular experience. Making an extraordinary whisky takes discernment and focus to reach that pinnacle moment.

It’s rare to come across people who share this appreciation of time with the same degree of respect that we believe it deserves. This meeting of minds is what makes our partnership with the world-renowned chefs, the Roca Brothers of El Celler de Can Roca, so exceptional. Carrying a parallel respect for this unique element, for brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi time is a key ingredient in the creation of their dishes and should not be constrained.

We have been partnering with the Roca Brothers for five years. The philosophy of El Celler de Can Roca reflects The Macallan’s core values of creativity, innovation and craftsmanship – the grounds for a strong partnership. Together we have come up with new visions combining the worlds of whisky making and the craftsmanship of cooking to create unique experiences that push the boundaries of the worlds of whisky and cuisine.

• Their restaurant is the most lauded restaurant open today, holding 3 Michelin stars (in 1995, 2002 & 2009) and is one of the most successful restaurants ever on the World’s Best Restaurants list
• The Roca brothers are revolutionary, taking their creations beyond the limits of avant-garde cuisine, always adding a unique concept to their dishes that often touches on the artistic, the metaphysical and the intangible
• El Celler de Can Roca is highly committed to cuisine and its link to academia, as well as global humanitarian advocacy through dialogue between the countryside and science, seeking innovative solutions for food security

Building on this experience, The Macallan and El Celler de Can Roca pushed their collaboration to create universes beyond the ordinary through creativity and innovation. This idea was brought to life with a once-in-a-lifetime immersive, artistic and metaphysical experience, in which we showcased an avant-garde and unique interpretation of time. Within whisky making and culinary creating, time must freely interact with the elements, making it a key ingredient in the creative processes.

The three Roca brothers devised a haute cuisine menu that allowed their diners to taste the volatility of time, observe and savor the past, present and future, and enjoy the moment, freeze it and try it.

Through this event we explored and celebrated our intimate relationship with time, and how it can interact with various ingredients in different ways to achieve unimaginable outcomes. In the search for perfection, whether making an extraordinary whisky or a dish at one of the best restaurants in the world, we believe time should be valued for the limited resource it is. Through our rich history and collaborations, we have learned that making space for time in the process gleans a wisdom worth having.