The Macallan has unveiled Edition No.6. The new limited edition single malt Scotch Whisky honors the water that gives life to the distillery and surrounding land, as well as marks the end of a chapter, as it will be the final addition to the Speyside distillery’s celebrated Edition Series.
The Macallan Edition No.6 celebrates the natural wonders of The Macallan Estate, and the vibrant life force that sustains it – the River Spey. The Whisky brings together The Macallan’s Ghillie, Robert Mitchell, who is the guardian of The Macallan’s stretch of the River Spey; Hardy, the world’s most renowned fly fishing brand; and The Atlantic Salmon Trust, which has over 50 years’ experience in salmon conservation.
The Macallan Estate lies on the banks of the River Spey, which is globally renowned as a home to Atlantic salmon. A day on the river, with its pure water, wild landscape and calmness is a once in a lifetime experience, and The Macallan Whisky Maker, Steven Bremner took his inspiration for Edition No.6 by choosing five cask styles that embody unique stories related to the river and its unparalleled natural landscape.
Crafted from a combination of American and European oak Sherry seasoned casks, Edition No.6 delivers aromas of fresh fruits, nutmeg and toffee merged with oak and flavors of ripe plum, vibrant sweet oranges and cinnamon, developing into spicy fresh fruits and creamy chocolate and toasted oats at the finish.
“From its early days of whisky making almost 200 years ago, The Macallan has been strongly inspired by and intrinsically connected to nature. Edition No.6 is inspired by the natural world surrounding our Distillery, in particular the vibrant and energetic River Spey”, said Bremner. “This complex single malt provides the perfect conclusion to the Edition Series as there is so much to discover in this whisky. The natural color of antique brass derived from The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks indicates the richness of flavor that awaits and there is a structure and depth that is uncovered more and more over time.”
To protect the magical sense of the Spey that lies at the heart of Edition No.6, The Macallan has launched a new charitable partnership with The Atlantic Salmon Trust to help conserve the at-risk fish, whose numbers have declined so rapidly in recent years. The Atlantic Salmon Trust is protecting wild salmon and sea trout wherever they roam, especially in places like the River Spey, by tracking their migration across thousands of km from their dominion to the open oceans.
As a guardian of one of the last sanctuaries of Scottish salmon, The Macallan is supporting The Trust’s vital conservation work on the River Spey and beyond. The Macallan is a proud custodian of its stretch of the River Spey and advocates for sustainability of the wildlife in and around it and so all fishing at The Macallan is, and always will be, catch and release.
“There has been a relentless and long-term decline in wild Atlantic salmon returning to rivers from right across the Atlantic. This sends a clear message that all is not well with the health of our rivers and oceans and collectively, we need to do all that we can to protect and nurture this iconic species for future generations”, said Mark Bilsby, CEO at The Atlantic Salmon Trust. The Macallan is committed to safeguarding the wild salmon swimming through its Estate along the River Spey and with their support, we will be able to strengthen and expand vital projects that aim to bring more salmon back to our waters and give Atlantic salmon the future they deserve.”
The Edition Series explores the unique and defining elements which make The Macallan one of the world’s most revered single malts. First released in 2015, The Macallan Edition No. 1 celebrates The Macallan’s unparalleled oak cask management from wood sourcing to finished, seasoned, cask. Edition No. 2 unites four masters in one spirit with a creative collaboration between our Master Whisky Maker and the three Roca brothers – co-founders of world-renowned restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca. To create the third unique expression in the series, Edition No. 3 brings to life the flavor experience of The Macallan through aroma, calling on Master Perfumer Roja Doves. The fourth release, Edition No.4, embodies the craftsmanship and pioneering design of the new Macallan Distillery and demonstrates the mastery of whisky making since 1824. The Macallan Edition No. 5 celebrates The Macallan’s extensive natural color spectrum in partnership with masters at the Pantone Color Institute™ to create a unique shade of purple that features on the packaging. Each release reveals the detail and skill of the whisky making process while sharing the story of The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks and mastery behind the perfect cask selection since 1824.
Coming in at 48.6% ABV, The Macallan Edition No.6 will be on sale for $150 and will be available globally starting September 2020.
Subtle flavors enjoyed over Christmas
A great conclusion to a great sequence of drinks!