Six years on from its grand opening, lush green grass has spread in an even blanket across the distinctive waves and bumps which form the roof of The Macallan Distillery.
With each passing day, the building slowly but surely morphs further into the rolling hills of the Speyside estate it calls home - a testament to how, just like when crafting whisky, great things take time.
But even going back to when the plans for this magnificent manmade structure first began to take shape is just a drop in the barrel of the 200-year history of one of Scotland’s most revered whisky brands.
The early years
Long before a new restaurant partnership with the world-renowned Roca brothers or Cirque Du Soleil performers took over the space for a series of exclusive shows, the story of The Macallan as we know it today started with a schoolteacher and barley farmer named Alexander Reid.
Having leased and nurtured land at Easter Elchies estate since 1819, Reid established the distillery in 1824 distilling his first batch of liquid using ‘curiously small’ stills that continue to be synonymous with the brand today.
Originally known as the Elchies Distillery, it was one of the first in Scotland to be legally licensed, costing Reid the sum of £10.
‘The architect’
In 1892 Roderick Kemp, a wine and spirits merchant brought about an era of modernisation by purchasing The Macallan and establishing an association with sherry-seasoned casks.
He is widely regarded as ‘the architect’ for the decades of success which would follow.
The next leading character in the story was Kemp’s daughter, Janet ‘Nettie’ Harbison.
Her husband, Alexander Harbison, oversaw the business in the years following her father’s death in 1909.
A pioneering spirit
Upon Mr Harbison’s sudden passing, his wife would be faced with the choice of selling the family business or taking matters into her own hands. She chose the latter and sought to support distillery workers in the local community while protecting the legacy her family had created.
Unbeknownst to her, during her tenure she distilled what would become the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction, cementing her legendary status in the Scotch whisky industry.
In 2019, The Macallan Fine & Rare 1926 sold for a record-breaking £1.5 million at Sotheby’s in London.
More recently, a new auction record for a bottle of wine or spirit was set when The Macallan 1926 Adami sold at Sotheby's for £2.1 million in November, 2023.
It was Allan Shiach, great nephew of Mrs Harbinson, who had decided to bottle The Macallan Fine & Rare 1926 during his time as chairman of The Macallan in the 1980s.
Emily Mortimer portrays Janet Harbinson in a short film written by Allan Scott (Image: Macallan)
Star power
For pop culture vultures, it’s interesting to note that Shiach’s contribution to the brand played a major part in establishing The Macallan as a worldwide icon.
A screenwriter and producer by trade, pen name Allan Scott, some of his most notable credits include Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Castaway and hit Netflix Series, The Queen’s Gambit.
Living a ‘double life’ after taking on his role at The Macallan in 1979, he approached his work in whisky as he would a movie, focusing on creating an immersive, stylish world which The Macallan fans were welcome to join.
His vision saw bottles of their whisky reach a whole new audience by featuring in motion pictures including James Bond films as well as a series of marketing campaigns in collaboration with David Holmes.
“He was so clever in the way that he advertised and marketed The Macallan”, Guest experience associate, Erica Morton, explained.
“He understood that human connection is something that everybody craves and tapped into that.
Present day
More than a century under the care of Roderick Kemp’s family successors, in 1996 The Macallan was taken over by Highland Distillers, later acquired by Edrington in 1999.
The next two decades brought with them new releases, world-record-breaking auctions and the opening of the £140 million distillery and visitor centre at the Easter Elchies estate which The Macallan calls home.
Entering the building has previously been compared to ‘taking the back off a Swiss watch’, as the doors lead into a cathedral-like space paying homage to all the whisky has been and hopes to become.
There are nooks and crannies to be explored at every turn, including a cave-like room which houses expressions from the brand’s earliest beginnings to the present day, including stunning collaborations with luxury French glass maker, Lalique, a collector’s favourite bottled to mark the 35th anniversary of Private Eye in 1996 and ‘The Reach’ cradled in a bronze and wood sculpture depicting three hands shaped by Glasgow School of Art graduate, Saskia Robinson.
Elsewhere, Hundreds of bottles filled with golden liquid are proudly displayed in floor-to-ceiling glass casings while a spiral staircase leads the way to the heart of the operation.
There, whisky production takes place around the clock in 12 wash stills and 24 short, squat sprit stills that maximise the contact of spirit with copper, helping to concentrate the New Make spirit.
New culinary horizons
Also located on the second floor of the building which enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding 485-acre estate is a groundbreaking new restaurant experience in collaboration with the team behind three Michelin Star Spanish restaurant: El Celler de Can Roca.
Launched just last month, the TimeSpirit culinary experience builds on a partnership spanning 12 years between the Roca Brothers and The Macallan.
Hoping to create a ‘pinnacle of culinary excellence in Scotland’, the current menu ranges from The Macallan Barley, a dish showcasing whisky ingredients with fermented barley and yeast cream to From the Cask to the Chocolate, a whisky and chocolate indulgence, featuring The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old.
The Roca Brothers said: “Our bond with Scotland is thrilling and TimeSpirit at The Macallan Estate will enable us to envisage what El Celler de Can Roca would be like on the 60th parallel north.
“The many trips we have made to Scotland and the inspiration we have found in its old cookery books have afforded us the chance to pay homage to Scottish cuisine.
“We have immersed ourselves in its gastronomy and produce, nourished by a compendium of history, culture, landscapes and fabulous people from a land that is apparently far away but to us is close and dear.”
'200 years young'
Rounding off a year filled with anniversary celebrations, the latest limited-edition release from The Macallan is A Night on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera, a single malt inspired by Southern Spanish traditions which encourage reflection of time passed and looking towards the future as the year comes to a close.
Steven Bremner, whisky maker, commented: “Jerez plays a crucial role in The Macallan’s past, but also present and future.
“As a whisky maker, having been able to tell part of that story through a whisky has been wonderfully rewarding.
“A combination of European and American sherry seasoned casks has enabled us to capture the flavours, traditions and María’s memories of New Year in Jerez de la Frontera, the home of sherry wine.”
“This is a journey through time. This is The Macallan, 200 years young.
“Crafted without compromise.”
For more information visit www.themacallan.com.
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