A bottle of this ultra-luxe, lavishly-packaged Scotch whisky will set you back $89,000.
The pursuit of excellence, especially in the world of luxury Scotch, tends to take some time: When it comes to The Macallan, that pursuit has been ongoing for two centuries, a noble cause worthy of a toast. And it’s a noble cause worthy of the exquisite new Tales Of The Macallan, Volume 2, which elegantly presents that heritage in striking fashion.
The Macallan has hit quite the balance between modern Scotch excellence and innovation (as with its partnership with Bentley) and old-world appeal, and this latest release harkens back to the Speyside founding of the distillery in 1824 by Alexander Reid.
Delivered in a handsome bespoke Lalique decanter, Tales Of The Macallan Volume 2 also serves as an almanac celebrating Reid’s varied pursuits as a farmer, distiller and teacher, telling a sweeping story that comes with a hefty price tag: The latest Macallan release retails for a princely sum of $89,000.
The handcrafted, 800-page volume (hand-fashioned by traditional London-based bookbinders Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe and Zaehnsdorf) also uses artisan paper, ink and printing processes on each carefully crafted page, and the effort “demanded extraordinary technical expertise to conceal the decanter.”
The volume notably features illustrations by British illustrator Andrew Davidson to tell Reid’s story, another ode to a steadfast display of collaboration and creative teamwork, as The Macallan noted, calling it the “culmination of creative collaborations of the greatest craftspeople, reflected in each detail of the collection.”
Consider it a successful, history-making achievement destined to grace just a privileged few whisky collections (only 344 decanters are available worldwide).
The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker Euan Kennedy said the release is a celebration of Reid’s passion and prowess, and his “commitment to quality and craftsmanship,” one that “established the pursuit of uncompromised excellence that has continued to guide successive generations of The Macallan’s whisky makers, like myself, to this day.”
The spirit within is remarkable in its own right, a vintage 1949 offering bottled in 2022 and boasting red hues that call to mind the original meaning of Reid’s surname in Scotland (“The Red One.”).
Of the exceptional whisky, Kennedy said it “possesses an incredible complexity achieved through age and patient maturation, and the whisky maker noted it also offers a “lingering smokiness redolent of whiskies of Alexander’s time,” in another fitting nod to the legendary whisky maker.
Rare though it might be to find or try this particular whisky, there’s no denying the impressive feat of bringing 200 years of Scotch heritage to life in a memorable volume.
But if this particular release does strike your fancy, U.S.-based purchasers interested in securing a stunning piece of whisky history are encouraged to E-mail ClientServices@TheMacallan.com.
