The Macallan

With a focus on delivering the highest quality, The Macallan has had one goal since its founding by Alexander Reid: to ensure the highest quality. Easter Elchies House and distillery are located in the heart of the 196-acre estate, on the River Spey in North East Scotland.

The Macallan was among the first distilleries to be granted a license to produce legally. This was granted in 1824, and since then The Macallan has built a reputation as one of the world's leading single malt whiskies. The Macallan's reputation has been built over decades on six fundamental principles. These six fundamental principles are also known as The Six Pillars:

  1. Spiritual Home – Built in the 18th century, the iconic house on the logo on all bottles and where the whole story begins is Easter Elchies House.
  2. Curiously Small Stills – Among the smallest stills in Speyside, it is the small iconic copper stills that provide the fruity and full-bodied 'New Make'.
  3. Finest Cut – Only the finest quality of 'New Make' is allowed to become whisky and is the signature behind the oiled whisky
  4. Exceptional Oak Cask – Carefully selected barrels of both American and European oak barrels that are aged with Oloroso sherry for up to 18 months
  5. Natural Color – All the color in The Macallan's whisky comes 100% from the casks
  6. Peerless Spirit – The combination of craftsmanship, history, people and place makes The Macallan a truly unique product in every way.

Looking at the combination and the entirety of 'The Six Pillars', the small iconic copper kettles create the fruity and full-bodied 'New Make', of which only a very small and carefully selected proportion is placed in the sherry casks. The sherry casks are created by the sherry bodegas in close collaboration with The Macallan's Master of Wood Stuart MacPherson, who oversees the entire process, from selecting the right trees to fell to the production of the casks. These casks must then be matured with sherry in southern Spain, closer to Jerez de la Frontera for up to 18 months. At The Macallan, up to 80% of the flavour comes from the selected and carefully processed casks, while the characteristic and natural colour comes 100% from the casks. All this, together with the traditions, knowledge and history that lie at Easter Elchies House, creates the world-renowned 'Peerless Spirit'