Macallan debuts 77-year-old for $87,000

The Macallan has extended its Red Collection with the release of a 77-year-old bottling, priced at US$87,000.

Launched in 2020, The Red Collection is a range of single malt Scotch whiskies inspired by the significance of the colour red throughout the history of the brand.

It features a selection of ongoing aged expressions and occasional higher-aged guest releases.

The Macallan 77 Years Old is the first guest release to be inaugurated into the collection since the launch of the range. It was bottled at 43.2% ABV.

The whisky dates back to 1945 and is among is one of the oldest bottlings released by the brand.

The single malt offers a nose of citrus fruits with hints of woodsmoke and antique oak, and sweet notes of raisin and plump, chewy dates. The palate brings flavours of baked custard, crystallised ginger, marmalade, sticky treacle and sweet smoke, before moving into a medley of dried fruit.

The finish is long with sweet woodsmoke, cherry bakewell and the linger of tropical fruits.

Kirsteen Campbell, The Macallan’s whisky maker, said: “The Macallan 77 Years Old is an incredible new high-aged guest expression for The Red Collection, which has been crafted from some of the world’s oldest and rarest casks.

“It is a peerless single malt whisky that has slowly matured over seven extraordinary decades until it reached peak perfection.

“This exquisite release reveals The Macallan’s legacy of incomparable craftsmanship, knowledge and skills nurtured by The Macallan’s master whisky makers, past and present.”

Like the rest of the Macallan Red range, the new expression is encased in an oak presentation box, created in the UK with the same European oak used to craft The Macallan’s casks.

The box has been upholstered with red Scottish leather from Bridge of Weir Leather.

The 77-year-old whisky has an RRP of US$87,000 per 700ml bottle and will be available from The Macallan Estate Boutique, and domestic and travel retail outlets globally from November 2022.

The Red Collection includes 40-, 50- and 60-year-old whiskies, which are the oldest ongoing expressions to be offered by The Macallan.

Higher-aged guest releases join the range from time to time, starting with The Macallan 71 Year Old, The Macallan 74 Year Old and The Macallan 78 Year Old in 2020.

The brand’s history with the colour red began with Alexander Reid, the farmer and teacher who founded The Macallan in 1824. His surname means ‘the red one’ and he was originally associated with red hair.

The Macallan’s recent short biopic was the brand’s biggest investment behind a film in its history.