Anecdotes of Ages Collection
A New Era of Advertising
In the 1920’s, a small stamp began appearing at the bottom of letters, bearing the slogan: “Whisky! Open a bottle of MACALLAN to-night”.
The Macallan. The Malt
This original label collage artwork designed by Sir Peter Blake is one of the 13 Anecdotes of Ages Collection labels, which share special stories relating to our community, history and The Macallan Estate’s beautiful natural landscape.
Sir Peter Blake’s label reflects a point in the company’s history when the first, proper advertising campaign appeared during the 1970s.
Eccentric and charming, a series of small press ‘ads’ lauded The Macallan with mentions of ‘curiously small stills’ and the insistence upon using sherry oak casks.
In March 2021 this unique bottle will be auctioned to raise funds in support of the Guggenheim’s new Diversity, Equity, Access & Inclusion initiative.

The Story Behind the Label
Together with writer Nick Salaman and, later, artists such as Peter Till, Peter Brooks and Axel Scheffler, Holmes orchestrated a cannon of work at first welcomed and later, amongst aficionados, eagerly anticipated.








The extraordinary 1967 single malt it holds is no less a work of art, juxtaposing familiar flavours of oak and strawberry with exotic, almost Gauguin-esque notes of mango, ginger and nutmeg. Lead Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess has nosed a single malt of definitive expression that commands attention.
Stories to Share
The Experience
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Colour
Caramelised peach
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Nose
Classic antique oak, dried fruit and fig combined with hints of pineapple and mango layered with a decadent chocolate strawberry note
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Palate
Warm chocolate with light nutmeg and ginger, oak spices and sweet oak opening into pineapple and coconut with an unexpected strawberry and hazelnut burst
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Finish
Complex with a medium to long finish of chocolate, sweet oak and lightly spiced peach
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ABV
46.7%






Sotheby’s Auction
The Macallan holds a deep appreciation for the time it takes to establish, nurture, and protect heritage as well as a desire to produce iconic creations and legendary pieces.
On Saturday 13th March, “A New Era of Advertising,” one of the 13 original, one-of-a-kind bottles from The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection was auctioned at Sotheby’s New York.
The proceeds from the auction will support the Guggenheim Museum's diversity, equity, access and inclusion initiatives with the objective to increase both free access and outreach to a variety of diverse audiences.