🥃 The Macallan
The Macallan is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from a distillery near Craigellachie, licensed in 1824 and owned by Edrington. The ranges are named for their casks: Sherry Oak, Double Cask, Triple Cask. The 12-year-olds are 40-43% ABV.
The Macallan is a single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside, famous for its sherry-cask style. It is made at a distillery near Craigellachie in the Moray area of north-east Scotland. The licence of 1824 was granted to Alexander Reid, and the estate is called Easter Elchies. The distillery now belongs to Edrington, which bought the brand from Highland Distillers in 1999.
Highland Distillers owned the brand from 1996, and Edrington from 1999. Single malt means the whisky was distilled at one distillery from malted barley alone. The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 also require it to spend at least three years in oak casks in Scotland.
The casks are what set Macallan apart. European oak from the north of Spain and American oak are used; according to reviews, coopers in Jerez make them and season them with oloroso sherry for about 18 months. The ranges are named for the type of cask: Sherry Oak, Double Cask, Triple Cask (since 2018, formerly Fine Oak, introduced in 2004), Rare Cask and Estate. The 12-year-old whiskies are 40-43% ABV.
In 2018 a new distillery costing £140 million, designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, opened at Craigellachie. It has 36 copper stills, 12 for the first distillation and 24 for the second, made by Forsyths.
Why this matters to you. The number on the bottle is the age of the youngest whisky in it, while the name of the range tells you about the casks, not the age. "Single Malt" means one distillery, not one cask. Auction-house headlines belong to a separate collectors' market and are no measure of taste. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | 1824, Easter Elchies near Craigellachie (Alexander Reid's licence) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | malted barley |
| Distillation method | copper stills; the new 2018 distillery has 36 stills (12 + 24) |
| Cask type | European oak from Spain and American oak; casks that held oloroso sherry |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in Scotland (by law); the ranges are 12, 18 years and others |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40–43% ABV (12-year-old) |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (Single Malt Scotch Whisky) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 The Macallan → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Edrington
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Images and sayings
- 🥃 Master blender
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Glenmorangie, 🥃 Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, 🥃 Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera, 🥃 Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Small Batch Reserve, 🥃 Caol Ila, 🥃 Caol Ila, 🥃 The Balvenie
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Macallan and where is it made?
Edrington, since 1999. It is made near Craigellachie in Moray, in Speyside, in a new distillery that opened in 2018.
Does “single malt” on a UK label mean the whisky comes from one cask?
No. It means one distillery and malted barley alone, matured in oak in Scotland for at least three years under the 2009 regulations. Different casks are still blended.
How is the strength shown on a bottle in the UK and in the US?
British labels give ABV; American labels usually add proof as well. Read the figure on your own bottle, because it varies by range and market.
Why do auction headlines not help me choose a bottle for the shelf at home?
They belong to a separate collectors' market and say nothing about taste. Compare the range name, the age statement and the strength instead.
How do people pour it at home?
Neat or with a few drops of water, in a tulip-shaped nosing glass or a short tumbler.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol. 'Single malt' means malted barley and one distillery.
- 🥃 Scotch Whisky — Scotch whisky is whisky distilled and matured in Scotland from water and malted barley (plus whole grains of other cereals), at least 3 years in oak, bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) or more. EU-protected since 1989.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 The Glenrothes · 🥃 Dufftown Distillery · 🥃 The Famous Grouse · 🥃 Mortlach · 🥃 Glen Elgin · 🥃 Longmorn
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), regs. 3, 8, 12 (Single Malt, Blended Scotch Whisky, age statements)
- The Macallan — official site
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)