Dining

The Macallan celebrates 200th anniversary with rare and unique single malt whisky

The Macallan Tales of The Macallan II book

2024 sees The Macallan celebrate its 200th anniversary, and to mark the milestone the brand has launched Tales of the Macallan Volume II,  the second edition in a series of rare single malt Scotch whiskies that pay homage to its pioneering spirit.

Each Tales of the Macallan release is a culmination of creative collaborations, reflected in each detail of the collection, and clearly no expense has been spared here.

Crafted by The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker Euan Kennedy, Tales II is a 1949 vintage whisky, bottled in 2022, encased in a bespoke handcrafted crystal decanter, created by master French crystal maker Lalique, itself concealed within a celebratory tome.

This novel book has been hand-crafted by traditional London-based bookbinders, Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe and Zaehnsdorf; the decanter is cleverly concealed within its 800 pages.

What’s more, each chapter tells the story of Alexander Reid, and features illustrations by British illustrator, Andrew Davidson, known for his traditional print techniques using wood engravings.

Tales II is a 1949 vintage whisky, bottled in 2022, encased in a bespoke handcrafted crystal decanter…

Bottled at 44.8 per cent, and bronzed oak in colour, Tales of the Macallan Volume II is said to offer notes of antique oak, treacle toffee and aromatic woodsmoke on the nose, and black cherries, plum jam and dark chocolate orange on the palate.  

The rarefied liquid will have a limited release of just 344 decanters, priced at £77,391 ($89,000 / €89,000) apiece, and will be available at The Macallan Estate, The Macallan Boutiques as well as premium retailers, including Harrods, Selfridges and The Whisky Shop.

History of The Macallan

Alexander Reid, fascinated with the alchemy of distillation that transformed barley into whisky, established the distillery on Easter Elchies Estate, Speyside, Scotland, in 1824.

Driven by curiosity, he strived for perfection by establishing core production principles. Holding firm that small stills produce better flavour and character, he resisted the adoption of large, higher volume stills, instead preferring the value of patience in his pursuit of excellence.

The curiously small stills favoured by Reid continue to be a fundamental guiding principle for The Macallan, and continue to feature in its distillery.

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK