the macallan
12 Years Old
Every whisky lovers absolute favourite.
The Curiously Small Stills
Contribute to the distinctively rich, fruity ‘new make’ spirit of The Macallan
The Macallan’s curiously small spirit stills are the smallest on Speyside. Their unique size and shape give the spirit maximum contact with the copper, helping to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirit and provide the viscosity and rich, fruity, full-bodied flavours so characteristic of The Macallan. There are fourteen of these curiously small stills, crafted from copper, each holding an initial ‘charge’ of 3,900 litres. These stills are so famous that they have appeared on the back of a Bank of Scotland £10 banknote!
The Finest Cut
We take only 16% of the final distillation from the spirit stills to fill into our oak casks. This is the best of the best.
This small portion, or ‘cut’, is extraordinarily selective and one of the smallest in the industry. It is a prime reason for the full-bodied richness of The Macallan ‘new make’ spirit. The clear, colourless spirit is collected from the stills at an average 69.8% alcohol by volume. This distinctly robust and characterful ‘new make’ spirit is the starting point for all Macallan.
The Exceptional Oak Casks
The Macallan spends more on sourcing, building, seasoning and caring for its casks than any other single malt whisky
The Macallan’s oak casks are the single greatest contributor to the outstanding quality, natural colours and distinctive aromas and flavours of The Macallan. In fact 60% of the flavour of a whisky is derived from the cask it is matured in. Because of this, The Macallan spends more per cask than any other distillery in sourcing, crafting, seasoning and caring for its casks. Spanish sherry seasoned oak casks deliver flavours and aromas of chocolate orange, dried fruits and spices; American sherry seasoned oak casks primarily provide sweet citrus, light spice, vanilla and light oak flavours and aromas; American bourbon seasoned oak barrels give flavours and aromas of sweet citrus, coconut and oak.
The Natural Colour
The rich range of colours in The Macallan whiskies is drawn only from the wood of our exceptional oak casks
All colour in The Macallan whiskies, bottled by the distillery, is natural. Only the interaction of the ‘new make’ spirit with the oak of the maturation casks delivers the rich and natural diversity of colour throughout the range, from light oak through to darkest mahogany. These natural colours remain ‘fixed’, as opposed to artificial colour which fades relatively quickly in bright sunlight. Great skill is required by the Whisky Maker to achieve consistency of natural colour from bottling to bottling.
Peerless Spirit
The peerless spirit - one of the world’s greatest whiskies
From humble beginnings in 1824, The Macallan has grown from a small local enterprise to global recognition, based on a constant and determined attention to quality. The Whisky Maker and his team nose thousands of samples every year to create The Macallan expressions recognised around the world. This exacting task, together with the ‘marrying’ of different casks for many of the expressions, is the last step in creating this, one of the world’s truly great whiskies.
The Macallan
12 Year old
Fine Oak
Colour
Rich straw
ABV
40%
Nose
Complex with a hint of fruit and heather honey
Palate
Medium, balanced with fruit, oak and spice
Finish
Lingering with dried fruits, oak and spice
The Curiously Small Stills
Contribute to the distinctively rich, fruity ‘new make’ spirit of The Macallan
The Macallan’s curiously small spirit stills are the smallest on Speyside. Their unique size and shape give the spirit maximum contact with the copper, helping to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirit and provide the viscosity and rich, fruity, full-bodied flavours so characteristic of The Macallan. There are fourteen of these curiously small stills, crafted from copper, each holding an initial ‘charge’ of 3,900 litres. These stills are so famous that they have appeared on the back of a Bank of Scotland £10 banknote!
The Finest Cut
We take only 16% of the final distillation from the spirit stills to fill into our oak casks. This is the best of the best.
This small portion, or ‘cut’, is extraordinarily selective and one of the smallest in the industry. It is a prime reason for the full-bodied richness of The Macallan ‘new make’ spirit. The clear, colourless spirit is collected from the stills at an average 69.8% alcohol by volume. This distinctly robust and characterful ‘new make’ spirit is the starting point for all Macallan.
The Exceptional Oak Casks
The Macallan spends more on sourcing, building, seasoning and caring for its casks than any other single malt whisky
The Macallan’s oak casks are the single greatest contributor to the outstanding quality, natural colours and distinctive aromas and flavours of The Macallan. In fact 60% of the flavour of a whisky is derived from the cask it is matured in. Because of this, The Macallan spends more per cask than any other distillery in sourcing, crafting, seasoning and caring for its casks. Spanish sherry seasoned oak casks deliver flavours and aromas of chocolate orange, dried fruits and spices; American sherry seasoned oak casks primarily provide sweet citrus, light spice, vanilla and light oak flavours and aromas; American bourbon seasoned oak barrels give flavours and aromas of sweet citrus, coconut and oak.
The Natural Colour
The rich range of colours in The Macallan whiskies is drawn only from the wood of our exceptional oak casks
All colour in The Macallan whiskies, bottled by the distillery, is natural. Only the interaction of the ‘new make’ spirit with the oak of the maturation casks delivers the rich and natural diversity of colour throughout the range, from light oak through to darkest mahogany. These natural colours remain ‘fixed’, as opposed to artificial colour which fades relatively quickly in bright sunlight. Great skill is required by the Whisky Maker to achieve consistency of natural colour from bottling to bottling.
Peerless Spirit
The peerless spirit - one of the world’s greatest whiskies
From humble beginnings in 1824, The Macallan has grown from a small local enterprise to global recognition, based on a constant and determined attention to quality. The Whisky Maker and his team nose thousands of samples every year to create The Macallan expressions recognised around the world. This exacting task, together with the ‘marrying’ of different casks for many of the expressions, is the last step in creating this, one of the world’s truly great whiskies.
The Macallan
12 Year old
Fine Oak
Colour
Rich straw
ABV
40%
Nose
Complex with a hint of fruit and heather honey
Palate
Medium, balanced with fruit, oak and spice
Finish
Lingering with dried fruits, oak and spice