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The Macallan unveils no-age-statement Lalique bottling

The Macallan Scotch whisky has unveiled the next edition to its 1824 series – a no-age-statement single malt bottled in a luxury crystal decanter by Lalique.

Only 1,750 decanters of The Macallan M will be available from specialist whisky retailers at an RRP of £3,000

The Macallan M has been created through a partnership between The Macallan distillers, Lalique, and creative director Fabien Baron.

David Cox, director of fine and rare whiskies at The Macallan, said: “The coming together of three such masters has resulted in a truly beautiful creation, which specifically showcases the vital influence The Macallan’s exceptional Sherry seasoned oak casks and the craft of the whisky-maker.”

Matured in oloroso Sherry oak casks, the new release is said to offer notes of dried fruits, spices and orange citrus.

Just 1,750 of The Macallan M crystal decanters, each engraved with its own individual number, will be available globally from October.

With six sharp angular faces, the decanter was designed to reflect the six-sided ethos of the brand: the “spiritual home”, The Macallan Speyside estate; the distillery’s “small stills”; the “finest cut”; “exceptional oak casks”; “natural colour”; and “peerless spirit”.

Silvio Denz, president and CEO of Lalique, said: “The decanter styling is utterly unique in the world of decanters, and our masters of crystal have relished applying their most complex skills to this project to bring it to life.”

The Macallan M, bottled at 44.7% abv, is now available at specialist whisky retailers in the UK at an RRP of £3,000.

“The natural colouring of M is stunning,” continued Cox. “A single malt of the most exquisite complexity and character, M will set a new standard in the world of decanters to become the iconic representation of The Macallan.”

All Macallan whiskies are naturally coloured by the barrels they age in. At a launch dinner for M in London last night, The Macallan representatives reasserted the importance of using quality barrels in the maturation process, stating that a considerable £16 million would be invested in Spanish oak over the coming year.

Cox also addressed the no-age-statement of The Macallan M, claiming: “It is important for us to be able to sustain the range going forward. Age is important to us. Our whiskies need to be old, but they also need to be sustainable. Ultimately, we need to manage our stock as much as we can.”

Part of the 1824 series, it is hoped that The Macallan M “will sit at the summit of the range” which already consists of Gold, Amber, Sienna, and Ruby expressions.

Also set for release to complete the range is The Macallan 62, which will be unveiled at TFWA in Cannes, and The Macallan 76, which will launch in 2015.

The UK unveiling of The Macallan M is part of a global roll out of the bottle, following a flagship launch of the decanter in Hong Kong in May.

The Macallan 64-year-old, which was also bottled in a crystal decanter by Lalique, broke records last year when it fetched US$460,000 at auction.

The decanter featured in The Spirits Business’ recent list of the World’s Most Expensive Spirits.

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