An Extraordinary Refinement

The grand dame of whisky, The Macallan, has now surpassed itself and released the Fine & Rare collection. We get David Cox to tell us more.

Since it was legally licensed in 1824, The Macallan has been respected and most importantly, drunk by the world’s most sophisticated and discerning whisky lovers. In fact, The Macallan 18 Years Old was named the Best Malt in the World amongst an impressive 90 of the world’s best malts by Whisky Magazine, the Scotch whisky industry bible, in June 2004.

The liquid ambrosia is distilled in Speyside, Scotland, at The Macallan distillery, in the northeast highlands of Scotland, nestled by the River Spey. Winters there tend to be drier and colder than in other parts of Scotland, and since it has always been considered that the best whisky is made in cold weather, one can surmise that The Macallan’s whiskies are top-notch.

38 Greats

Launched in 2002, The Macallan Fine & Rare is a collection of 38 vintage Macallans from 1926 to 1974. Carefully chosen for supreme quality and rarity, it has been hailed as the greatest collection of vintage single malts ever released direct from a single distillery. Now, collectors and connoisseurs have the opportunity to celebrate or mark a special year with the world’s most precious vintage whisky.

David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies, says, ‘The Fine & Rare collection is truly a journey of discovery through the history of The Macallan. As we release further vintages, so this sensory journey will continue to develop, but for now it tells the story of The Macallan in 38 stunning chapters.’

He lets on that the vintage collection was inspired by a very different tipple of choice – wines, and how the great châteaux released their vintage fine wines. ‘The Macallan had unrivalled stocks of old maturing Macallan going back to 1945 and that stock, coupled with bottles bought back from pre-Second World War distillations and the oldest of all, the 1926 Macallan, gave us the basis for a collection of vintage single malt without equal.’

David explains the stringent selection process: in every year that The Macallan had maturing stock, they asked their whisky maker to select what was, in his opinion, the single best remaining cask. ‘The result is the best of the best from each year – a sensory treasure trove.’

Custodian of The Macallan Fine & Rare

This fifty-something father of two teenaged boys remembers that he was first introduced to scotch whisky (blended) when he lived and worked in Tokyo many years ago. ‘I came to single malt whisky when returning to London in the early 1980’s and on being introduced to The Macallan, realised there really was no other!’ David fondly calls The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old ‘a companion for all times’, which he drinks with a splash of natural, still spring water.

The million-dollar question

How does one go about appreciating and ultimately, collecting whiskies? David responds, ‘As with fine wine, start by trying whiskies from different regions, producers, with different aromas and flavours. Understand their particular characteristics and learn what aromas and flavours appeal to you. The more you try, the more informed you will become. Ultimately you will be your own best judge. But I must stress that I always tell people that we ultimately make The Macallan to be drunk and enjoyed.’

Find out more about The Macallan at
www.themacallan.com

Joanna Tan

From 9 to 28 April, all eyes will be trained on Singapore as master culinarians and winemakers make their way here to present the annual gastronomic affair, the World Gourmet Summit.

Now into its 11th year, the World Gourmet Summit is an annual celebration of the best of the culinary scene. Aptly held in Singapore, which is known for its appreciation of the finer things in life, the Summit has grown from strength to strength, attracting connoisseurs from Singapore, the region and even from further afield such as Europe and North America.

The Macallan will be featured in the Summit, featuring a dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel Singapore on Thursday, 26 April.