For
300 years the Easter Elchies House, spiritual home of The Macallan,
has stood on the banks of the Spey as a symbol of Scottish fortitude,
a monument against the ravages of time. Dating from 1700, the
Jacobean Manor is the same house that is depicted on The Macallan's
packaging. Outside Easter Elchies House, a holly tree flourishes.
Amazingly this tree dates back to the earliest days of the house.
"Elchies" sounds as if it should derive from
the same Gaelic root as the dividing, flinty or windy bit of
Craigellachie, and there are historians who say that is the
case. However, Mr Matheson has a different idea, which really
appeals to us. He maintained that "it is one of the few
words of Basque origin left in this country" and translated
it as "el" - a town or residence and "che"
- a hill. Thus, the residence on the hill.
Not far from the house lies a small, walled graveyard. This
graveyard remains from the days when there was a church on the
site - the church was destroyed by fire during the 15th Century
and was never rebuilt. In addition to the church, we know that
there was a farm and a mill on the Easter Elchies Estate and
it would have been on the farm that whisky making first started
on this site.
Farming
still continues on the estate, indeed, in late summer the fields
around Easter Elchies grow rich and golden with their own harvest.
Golden Promise Barley, one of the vital ingredients in the creation
of our spirit, continues to be grown on Macallan land to this
day. |
|
Colour: Pale Straw.
Nose: Complex, with
hints of fruit and heather honey.
Palate: Soft, with
a maltiness, balanced with oak and fruit.
Finish: Lingering
with hints of oak and fruit. |
Colour: Amber.
Nose: Sherry, honey,
flowery notes.
Body: Full, smooth.
Palate: First hints
of flowering currant.
Altogether more expressive.
Finish: Slightly more
rounded. |
|
Color:
Rich Straw.
Nose: Full aroma
with hints of rose and cinnamon.
Palate: Intense rich
chocolate, with hints of orange and raisins.
Finish: Lingering
with chocolate, hints of orange and dried fruit. |
Colour: Light Amber.
Nose: Heady, exotic
and floral, with a hint of jasmine, tropical fruit
and peat.
Palate: Soft and
rich, with a hint of citrus, spice and wood smoke.
Finish: Lingering,
with a hint of orange zest. |
|
Colour:
Light Mahogany
Nose: Dried fruits
and ginger, with a hint of citrus, vanilla and cinnamon.
Palate: Rich dried
fruits, with spice, clove, orange and wood smoke.
Finish: Full and
lingering, with dried fruits and sweet toffee, ginger
and a hint of wood smoke. |
Colour: Amber-red
color.
Nose: Full. Some peat
comes through and some oak, along with the sherry.
Body: Full and round.
Palate: The smokiness
reveals itself, even through the obvious oakiness.
It can be very complex and drinks like a fine brandy.
Finish: Very long
finish. |
|
THE MACALLAN CASK STRENGTH
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Colour: Red Mahogany.
Nose: Dried fruits,
with chocolate, orange, vanilla and wood spice.
Palate: Rich and
smooth, with fruit cake, vanilla and a hint of wood
smoke.
Finish: Full and
lingering, with dried fruit and spice.
|
|
THE MACALLAN 55 Year Old
in Lalique (Rare)
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
A celebration of two great national traditions, The
Macallan 55 Years Old in Lalique is one of the finest
ever creative collaborations between Scotland and
France. This limited edition release, offered on Whisky.com,
represents an historic alliance of artistry and craftmanship,
spirit and style. $14,000
THE MACALLAN 55 Year Old in Lalique Picture Gallery
- CLICK HERE
Inquire
Here
|
|
|
|
The
Macallan Distillery
Established 1824
High on a hill overlooking the River Spey, with magnificent
views across to Ben Rinnes, the Macallan Visitor Centre nestles
within the glorious Easter Elchies Estate at Craigellachie.
Here you can discover the extraordinary lengths we go to, to
create our single malt Scotch whisky. TOURS
Regular Tour
Our Regular Tour takes in the full production process followed
by the Warehouse 7 visit, where we tell ‘The Story of
Oak’, bringing to life the vital role played by our
exceptional oak casks in developing the distinctive character
of The Macallan. Then it's back to the Visitor Centre for
a dram! Pre-booking required.
Precious Tour
Our Precious Tour is an extended visit of the full production
process, Warehouse 7 and ‘The Story of Oak’, ending
with a tutored nosing and tasting presentation in the Visitor
Centre across a range of Macallan whiskies! Pre-booking required.
Admission
Charges apply to both tour options. For details, times and
charges please contact the Visitor Centre. Tel:- +44 (0)1340
872280. Only children older than 8 years old are allowed on
the tours and each tour is limited to a maximum of ten people.
The Visitors Centre is open to visitors all year, although
opening days and hours do vary and is dependant on the distillery
production schedule.
Opening Times:
Easter - September
Monday to Saturday, 9.30am till 4.30pm. The last regular tour
is usually at 3.30pm.
October
Monday to Friday, 9.30am till 4.30pm. The last regular
tour is usually at 3.30pm.
November - Easter
Monday to Friday, 11.00am till 3.00pm. Tour times on application.
During the summer every year, The Macallan stops production
and enters the "Silent Season" when maintenance
is carried out in the Distillery. This happens from the end
of June until the beginning of August. Unfortunately we cannot
take visitors on a Distillery Tour, but we have a limited
tour and a visit to warehouse 7, a traditional warehouse followed
by a tour of the warehouse upper floor exhibition ‘The
story of Oak’ ending with a dram in the Visitor Centre.
Silent season dates for 2008: From the 4th to the
30th of July inclusive.
Christmas / New Year 2008 - 2009 Closure
Distillery closed from Friday 19th December 2008 to Monday
5th January 2009. No tours will be permitted during this time.
Visitors Centre Shop - closed from Tuesday 23rd December 2008
to Monday 5th January 2009.
Getting There: From the A941, Elgin to Dufftown
Road, take the B9102 to Archiestown just north of Craigellachie.
The distillery is on your left after a mile.
Parking / Reception: Follow the signs past
the farm and through the distillery. Turn left at roundabout
into car park beside the Gardener's Cottage. Margaret Gray
and her colleagues will greet you like old friends and lead
you into a setting of great charm. The Macallan confidence
is evident as you tour the distillation of the "Rolls
Royce" of malts.
Maximum Group Size: 10
Group Bookings: Small and by appointment
only.
Enquiries: Tel: 01340 871471
Photography in Distillery: Yes
Disabled Access: Tour is not easy with quite
a few stairs to negotiate. The new Visitors' Center includes
a nosing room, allowing disabled vistors to reach the very
heart of The Macallan.
Foreign Visitors: Leaflets in French, German,
Spanish, Italian, Greek and Japanese.
Contact The Macallan Distillery
Easter Elchies, Craigellachie
AB38 9RX Scotland
Tel: +44(0)1340 872 280 |
|