The Macallan estate and distillery building features in new whisky – Home Collection The Distillery – launched by Speyside brand
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THE beautiful surroundings of The Macallan Distillery on Speyside have inspired the launch of the new Home Collection – The Distillery.
The bottle is presented in a unique pack featuring a watercolour painting depicting the distillery by local artist Colin Rizza, who is also a long-standing worker at The Macallan.
This is the first in what will be an annual release series of single malt whiskies.
Located on the banks of the River Spey, the 485-acre Macallan Estate has been farmed since 1543.
In 1700, The Macallan pioneer Captain John Grant transformed the land into a community with the construction of Easter Elchies House, with schoolteacher Alexander Reid establishing the distillery in 1824.
The award-winning distillery, designed by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, incorporates a unique undulating roof covered in grass and wildflowers to reflect the surrounding scenic hills.
The new whisky has been matured in specially selected European and American oak casks and refill casks.
Colin’s family have strong ties to The Macallan, having worked there for over three decades, and both he and his son still work at the distillery.
Polly Logan, whisky maker at The Macallan, said: “Being part of the 200-year history and heritage of whisky-making at The Macallan Distillery is a truly unique experience.
"Every day we have the privilege of working in the most remarkable location, knowing that we still use the same time-honoured skills and traditions employed by generations of our predecessors, and at the same time building on their legacy for the future."
She said the staff feel a "passion and pride" at working for The Macallan.
Colin Rizza added: “Our family is one of many that has long been intertwined with The Macallan. We feel a deep sense of belonging to The Macallan Estate and it’s an honour to have my artwork featured on the packaging of the
first edition in the Home Collection.”
Colin, who acquired his first set of oil paints when he was just eight years old, has had a
lifelong interest in art and regularly produces watercolour landscapes, oil portraits and
coloured ink caricatures.
His talent has long been admired by The Macallan community and over the years he has been commissioned to design various artworks, including caricatures of The Macallan partners, the Roca brothers of El Celler de Can Roca.
For his latest collaboration with The Macallan, Colin spent many hours studying the distillery and its beautiful surroundings, taking dozens of photographs then distilling it down to its simplest form and exploring it through the medium of watercolour.
He drew a series of sketches, before creating the final watercolour for the first release of Home Collection.
He added: “Working at The Macallan is a dream come true. No matter the time of year, it’s a magical place with scenic surroundings and amazing wildlife and the distillery building itself is a work of art.
"All the people are terrific, it’s like a family with special bonds.”
Whisky Maker’s Notes
- ABV: 43.5%
- Colour: Deep gold
- Nose: Butterscotch, figs, dates, almond, polished oak, milk chocolate and a gentle floral note
- Palate: Butterscotch, oak spice, then ginger and vanilla
- Finish: Medium finish with ginger and oak
