【One of the most famous breweries in Scotland, Macallan】
The Macallan is one of Scotland's most famous distilleries, producing one of the world's best-selling single malt whiskies. The distillery is located on the banks of the River Spey in the heart of Speyside, on the Easter Elchies estate set in 158 hectares (390 acres) of farmland. The estate includes 37 hectares (90 acres) of barley grown for whisky production.
In June 2018, a new brewery building with a visitor center opened on the property. The ultra-modern facility has been cut into the hillside and features a spectacular undulating, grass-covered timber roof. There are now 12 wash stills, plus 24 stills. Production will increase by one third. There are now 14 stills in total, said to be the smallest on Speyside, despite each still having a capacity of 3900 litres.
The Macallan family style traditionally leans towards rich, fruity whiskies, which the late whisky writer Michael Jackson described as “Christmas cake in a glass”. This is a result of using sherry casks exclusively for aging the spirit, but since 2004, bourbon casks have also been used. The Macallan produces a wide range of whiskies across four main series. The Sherry Oak range includes four expressions ranging in age from 12 to 30 years old. The “Fine Oak” series — aged primarily in bourbon barrels — offers eight different agings ranging from 10 to 30 years. These tend to be lighter than traditional Macallan offerings.
The distillery also has a variety of premium series, examples of which are among the most expensive whiskies ever produced. A 1926 Macallan sold for $54,000 at auction in 2007, while a 64-year-old one-off bottle of Lalique sold for $460,000 at a 2010 New York auction. The most expensive whisky ever sold was a bottle of Macallan M at an auction in Hong Kong in 2014 for $628,000.