The Macallan distillery on Speyside is famous for its curiously small stills. But there’s method to the madness – the size of the stills ensure that the spirit within comes into as much contact with the copper as possible, which creates a richer, full-bodied flavour that has become the signature of Macallan whisky. There are fourteen of these small stills, which are so famous they’ve appeared on Scottish banknotes over the years! The Macallan distillery is also incredibly selective with its ‘cut’, with just 16% of the final distillation making the grade.
Founded in 1824, Macallan was among the first of Scotland’s legally licensed distilleries. As it closes in on 200 years of high-quality production, the Speyside distillery has carved out a legacy that makes it as synonymous with the country of Scotland as the famous Lochs themselves.
Macallan was founded by a barley farmer and school teacher by the name of Alexander Reid in the area of Maghellan, a Gallic word derived from “magh”, meaning ‘fertile ground’, and “Ellan” from the Monk St. Fillan, a holy man who had an affiliation with the church that stood on the grounds of The Macallan Estate. It was in this estate that Speyside farmers first began using surplus barley to create their own whisky during the long winter months.
Macallan is lauded for its quality and character, a character and flavour which is determined by the exceptional quality of their oak casks; sourced, crafted and seasoned under the supervision of Macallan’s ‘Master of Wood’. These casks give Macallan whisky its rich colouration, signature full-bodied character and a stunning profile of flavours.
