The Macallan Millenium

As one of the original farm distillers of Speyside, initial production came from a wooden shed housing two stills - a world away from the current £100 million award-winning distillery, holding 24 stills with an output of 15 million litres per annum, situated within the shadow of the iconic Easter Elchies house.

THE MACALLAN 1949 50 YEAR OLD DECANTER | matured exclusively in sherry butts, one of 900 bottled at cask strength in 1999,

in Caithness Crystal decanter, with lockable oak presentation case and certificate of authenticity | £15,000-25,000 + fees

We are proud to bring to auction a remarkable 1949 vintage 50 year old Macallan, originally released to celebrate the turning of the new millennium. This malt stands amongst the oldest vintages of The Macallan ever released and was exclusively matured in three sherry butts. Distilled four years after the end of the Second World War, malt whisky output in Scotland was extremely low; traditional methods of production were employed, such as the use of coal-fired stills, which are now heated by steam at the Speyside distillery. As a result, The Macallan’s 50 and 60 year old releases are often considered rare artisanal products.

The Macallan is arguably famed for its approach to the maturation of their oily, heavy new-make spirit, becoming the first distillery to design ‘bespoke’ casks. Specific trees are selected, predominantly in Northern Spain, followed by a decision on the length of drying time, cask seasoning and even the type of coopering involved. From the few who have experienced the 1949 sherried malt, the flavour profile is said to be intensely rich and has a distinctive spicy nose, with hints of cloves, coriander and orange peel, reminiscent of a warm autumnal or winter spice. Unusually for The Macallan, this Speyside malt has a peaty undertone, with further notes of dried fruits and dark chocolate. With a refreshing citrus finish, this whisky, decanted at cask strength, is believed to be one of The Macallan’s best sherried malts.

This iconic bottling from an iconic distillery will be offered as part our December Whisky & Spirits auction. Presented in a hand-blown Caithness Crystal decanter and mounted in copper taken directly from decommissioned still no.9, this whisky is a celebration of the rich and full-bodied sherry flavours unique to vintage Macallan malts.

Dates for Your Diary

AUCTION | Whisky & Spirits | Wednesday 4th December at 18pm | Edinburgh

VIEWING | Sun 1 December 12pm - 4pm | Mon 2 & Tues 3 December 10am - 5pm | Wed 4 December 9am - 6pm

VIEW THE FULL AUCTION CATALOGUE ⇒