The Macallan: Commitment to excellence

Last month, The Macallan launched The Macallan Experience at the Arts Pavilion in West Kowloon Cultural District 

This immersive exhibition takes guests through the brand’s heritage as arguably the world’s most precious whisky. The event continues till January 29, 2023, with rotating series of artistic exhibitions and new product introductions over three stages. 

The Macallan has converted this pop-up space at the Arts Pavilion into a tribute to nature, culture and commitment to excellence, where guests embark on the journey through the River Spey and The Macallan Spiritual Home, then through the vast barley field leading to the visual presentation of the four seasons of the legendary oak forest where The Macallan sources its famous casks. Before guests go up to the next exhibit, they also get the chance to see the full landscape of The Macallan Distillery when approaching the Mobius Tree. To reiterate the prominent significance of The Macallan, a snapshot of a cask wall is installed on the second level of the premise; wood cask is where 80 per cent of The Macallan character comes from.  

The first thing guests will notice when ascending to the second floor is The Macallan M Collection showcase where the decanters M, M Black and M Copper are displayed. The salon that comes after features the cask wall and guests are treated to a cask-toasting ritual before they arrive at The Macallan Fine & Rare Collection. Here it features a natural colour arch and archival expressions of the whisky maker’s world-renowned vintage whiskies. 

Another milestone in The Macallan’s history is its collaboration with French crystal maker Lalique when they created The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection, which is also shown at this immersive exhibition – bringing together the refined craftsmanship of two industry leaders in mastery and craftsmanship. 

Three exciting introductions have been put in place for guests to explore throughout the entire showcase, the notion of sustainability is palpable in the brand’s journey of growth. 

The Macallan Harmony Collection II (December 9 – December 18, 2022) 

This new expression forms the second edition of The Harmony Collection, inspired by Intense Arabica, which is a limited annual release brought forth by The Macallan’s innovative and creative disposition. More prominently, it delves into The Macallan’s future packaging journey that includes a look into incorporating organic by-products and giving them a new lease on life. This hybrid packaging uses recycled materials of coffee bean husks and fits within the theme of the single malt whisky with sustainability in the core of its curation and that is released this year to celebrate a creation that showcases parallels in process between whisky and coffee. 

The Spirit of 1926 (December 19, 2022 – January 10, 2023) 

In this project, The Macallan has created an eight-minute biopic about the real-life story of former managing director, Janet Harbinson. In 1926, Harbinson crafted what is today the most valuable bottle of wine or spirit ever sold at auction: The Macallan Fine & Rare 1926. This release sold for £1.5m at Sotheby’s in 2019 – which achieved legendary status ever since. 

The film is primarily set at The Macallan’s 485-acre estate in Speyside, Scotland. It unravels Janet “Nettie” Harbinson’s role when she took over from her husband Alexander who had been running the distillery until a few months before the end of World War I in 1918.  

The Macallan Horizon (January 11 – 29, 2023) 

A limited-edition single malt whisky development by The Macallan and Bentley Motors is a testament to the prowess of craftmanship and innovation of the two partners in using cutting-edge technology and materials. In homage to The Macallan’s acclaimed Six Pillars, The Macallan Horizon incorporates six unique upcycled, repurposed or ethically sourced materials that are integral to the whisky maker and motoring partner. 

An original idea that sparkled the curation of the special single malt whisky for this expression was developed by The Macallan Master Whisky Maker, Kirsteen Campbell, following her visit to Bentley Motors in Crewe. Campbell observed first-hand the shared passion for creativity, craftsmanship and innovation between Bentley and The Macallan. Combining six key materials of which the majority has been sourced and produced in Scotland and the UK, the end result is a concept that defies the traditional vertical aesthetic of a whisky bottle. Such visionary design, as illustrated vividly by a prototype, shows a glass bottle with a 180-degree twist to contrast the norm of vertical bottles in the industry.   

To end the immersive journey, The Macallan Experience offers an expansive view where guests can appreciate the beauty of the scenic Victoria Harbour standing behind the foreground of the fabulous outdoor setting of The Macallan Experience.

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