For more than three centuries, The Macallan has called the Easter Elchies House, perched on a ridge above the banks of the River Spey, their spiritual home. Sir Lewis Grant of Grant rented the house to Alexander Reid in 1820. As a farmer, Reid quickly planted barley in the fields around the house. He then built the first authorized distillery on the property, which he called Macallan after an old church that had burned down in the fifteenth century. Reid would ferment and distill his excess grains into whisky during the winter, when the farm was not as busy. This whisky was frequently consumed straight from the still or sold to tourists who were traveling through the town.

Currently, 95 of the 370 acres of the Macallan Estate are used for the production of Minstrel barley (an acre yields around 2.5 tons of barley year, which is sufficient to make 1,800 bottles of The Macallan). To produce a rich and fatty whisky, the distillery also enters into agreements with farmers to buy barley that is high in starch and low in nitrogen.

In late August and early September, the barley is harvested, malted, and then mashed in one of The Macallan’s two mash tuns, a process that takes four to eight hours. Following fermentation with a specially cultivated yeast, the barley is twice distilled using copper-pot stills at The Macallan. As a catalyst, the copper that makes up the stills promotes the production of delicious esters while reducing contaminants like sulfur. Furthermore, production manager Alexander Tweedie claims that the oddly tiny stills, which are among “the smallest stills within the Scotch whisky industry,” yield a whisky with a rich, greasy flavor.

After more than two years of searching among the extensive cellars of more than 195,000 barrels, Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker personally selected each of the seven distinct casks of Macallan that were married to create the Macallan M Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Oloroso sherry was aged in each cask (the oldest whisky was produced in 1940).

As a result, the whisky has a deep crimson color and smells of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, green apples, vanilla, and dried fruits. The palate is dominated by rich, thick wood flavors, with overtones of violet, leather, and cedar. There is a hint of fresh tobacco in the lovely, rich finish.

For the US market, just 355 bottles of Macallan Gold 1824 series were made. Get one now!

Notes on Tasting

rich copper hue. scent of green apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and dried fruits. The palate is dominated by rich, thick wood flavors, with overtones of violet, leather, and cedar. The finish has a hint of fresh tobacco and is lovely and rich.