The Macallan's New Home Collection Scotch Whisky Celebrates the River Spey
The Macallan announces the newest addition to The Macallan Home Collection, The River Spey. Launched back in June 2022, the collection celebrates the natural beauty of The Macallan Estate.
On a recent trip to Athens, I found myself sipping cocktails at Alexander’s Bar inside Hotel Grande Bretagne—one of the Greek capital’s more expensive bars—while gazing at three bottles of The Macallan Fine & Rare. Each bottle cost north of $50,000. Such an exorbitant display of luxury spirits is something rarely accomplished by any whisky maker except The Macallan (though The Dalmore has done so a few times).
The Macallan's Scotch whiskies auction for millions of dollars. Some hit shelves with price tags close to $100,000 or at least over $10,000. But often overshadowed by news of staggering sticker prices is the Speyside distillery’s contribution to the arts and celebration of nature's beauty. The Home Collection does just that, as its first expression, The Distillery from 2022, featured packaging created by watercolor painter Colin Rizza.
The new River Spey edition follows that lead with beautiful results. Inspired by the 1.5-mile stretch of waterway that winds through the Estate [LOWER CASE?], the distillery collaborated with artist Michelle Lucking to produce awe-inspiring packaging that rivals the whisky. Lucking used naturally pigmented pastels to create six paintings of the River Spey, capturing the movement of the river and how light reflects off its surface.
Courtesy of The Macallan
"Water for me is a constant source of inspiration,” said Lucking. “I love exploring it, painting it. When The Macallan asked me to capture the majestic River Spey—and its importance to them, their whisky and The Estate—as part of The Home Collection, it just felt to me like a really brilliant fit.”
Matured in a combination of sherry seasoned European oak casks, sherry seasoned American oak casks, and refill casks, The Macallan Home Collection River Spey offers rich raisin, cinnamon, and pear aromas, alongside notes of apple, oak, and vanilla. The palate delivers velvety butterscotch, toasted oak, chocolate and nutmeg with a hint of anise. The medium finish is filled with toasted oak and spice.
Bottled at 44.8 percent, The Macallan Home Collection, River Spey is exclusively available on The Macallan e-Boutique for pre-sale in the U.S. at $487.
