Limited Edition scotch
To celebrate the opening of its new USD$225 million-dollar (RM932 million) distillery and visitor center, Macallan is unveiling the Macallan 72 Years Old in Lalique – the Genesis Decanter. While not the most expensive bottle of Macallan (that honour belongs to a 60-year-old 1926 Macallan auctioned by Bonhams Hong Kong for US$1.1 million/RM4.5 million on May 18, 2018), the whisky in the Genesis Decanter is the oldest that the distillery has ever sold. Only 600 decanters will be available worldwide.
Scheduled to be released in September, each Lalique Genesis Decanter is handblown and designed to reflect the distillery’s unique, smooth-flowing rooflines — which, in turn, were inspired by the surrounding gentle Speyside hills.
But it is the equally smooth-flowing whisky inside each crystal decanter that is the real focal point of this limited-edition presentation. Distilled during the early years of World War II, the deceptively light golden amber colour has been muted by time from its original deep brownish-red sherry barrel hue.
And that suggests this is not an ordinary single malt. Its refreshing aroma is filled with citrus and green apples, with a very faint undercurrent of raisins. Reminiscent of a time when the Macallan dried its malted barley over peat fires, there is a touch of smoke that intermingles with the flavors of sweet oak and rich fruit.
“The Macallan 72 Years Old is an incredibly rare single malt, defined by years of dedication and craftsmanship,” said Nick Savage, the Macallan’s master distiller. “As the oldest whisky we have ever bottled, this is a truly momentous occasion to commemorate our remarkable new distillery. Although delicate throughout all aspects, it provides an intense experience which acknowledges the distinguished history of the Macallan.”
The new distillery has a total of 36 stills, which will greatly increase Macallan’s productivity. However, they are exact replicas of the 21 stills in the old distillery (which has been mothballed), raising the possibility that 72 years from now, another equally rare Macallan single malt may await a future generation of connoisseurs and collectors.
