The Macallan

The Scots had been distilling whisky for centuries, but until the early 19th century, its production was controlled by England. Due to high taxes, the Scots produced whisky illegally. All stills were hidden underground, among rocks, or in the forest. Many of these secret hideouts are now home to some of Scotland's most famous whisky distilleries. An area along the Spey River valley (Speyside), known as Glenlivet, was famous for its excellent quality and was among King George IV's favorites. In 1823, the "Excise Act" was passed. It introduced a distilling license, and the tax became 10 pounds per year plus a minimal rate per gallon of whisky. The tax was bearable, and after more than 150 years of contraband production, distilleries came out into the open.

One of the first producers to receive a distilling license was Alexander Reid. Alexander was a farmer and a teacher. In 1824, he leased eight acres of land from the Earl of Seafield, above the Spey River, right next to the village of Craigellachie, and registered his company Alexander Reid & Co. The place was known in the area as Macallan. The name "Macallan" most likely derives from two Gaelic words: "Magh," meaning a fertile piece of land, and "Ellan" from the name of the Irish monk St. Fillan, who preached Christianity throughout Scotland in the 8th century. Reid managed the farm and distillery until his death in 1847, after which he was succeeded by his son, also named Alexander. The son almost immediately entered into a partnership with grain merchant James Davidson and James Shearer Priest. After Alexander's death in 1858, James Davidson became the sole owner of the distillery. During his tenure, Davidson became known for purchasing only the highest quality barley in the area for his whisky.

After Davidson's death in 1868, the distillery was leased by James Stuart, who at the time managed several distilleries in the vicinity. In 1886, he purchased the distillery and its surrounding land from the Earl of Seafield. The subsequent prolonged recession and the construction of a new distillery in Glen Rothes caused Stuart to fall into serious financial difficulties. In 1879, French vineyards were struck by phylloxera. For more than ten years, the popular French brandy in England completely disappeared, and interest in Scotch whisky began to noticeably increase.

The history of the Macallan distillery turned a new page in 1892. In that year, it was purchased by Roderick Kemp. To emphasize its famous location in Glenlivet, he renamed the company R. Kemp Macallan — Glenlivet. The new owner immediately embarked on large-scale construction and improvement of the existing facilities. New aging warehouses were built. By the end of the century, production significantly increased. During his tenure, Kemp introduced most of Macallan distillery's fundamental quality standards. One of these was the aging of whisky only in Spanish oak casks that had previously held sherry. Although Kemp died in 1909, the distillery remained under his family's control until the 1990s.

After their boom at the end of the 19th century, blended Scotches dominated the whisky market for a long period. Macallan's production was highly valued and much sought after by blended whisky producers for their luxury brands. Like other distilleries, Macallan also produced a limited amount of malt whisky, which at that time was almost entirely consumed by the local Scottish population. In 1970, the company began building a new generation of stills, and in 1974, its capacity was increased with six more distillers.

To fully capitalize on its deservedly growing popularity, the company decided to launch its first official single malt, named The Macallan, on the international market. The Macallan was an immediate success and became one of the great ambassadors of the single malt category worldwide. In the mid-1980s, malt whisky also began to attract the interest of collectors. The whisky quickly became one of the most sought-after labels, especially after the release of the first bottles of their priceless 60-year-old whisky.

The Macallan in the 60s

In 1963, Glenfiddich 12 YO was released to the market. Scotch whisky lovers around the world began to discover that single malt whisky had more distinct characteristics than blends. The sharp increase in interest encouraged producers to set aside an increasing portion of their production for longer aging. At The Macallan distillery, they sensed the winds of change much earlier and began to set aside a significant portion of their whisky as early as the 1950s. The constantly growing interest in their whisky did not blind the company. The distillery strictly adhered to its production method and made no compromises on quality. Instead of installing new, larger stills, the company began to increase their number. They were convinced that their small brass stills were fundamental to their identity. In 1965, their number was doubled, reaching 12.

The Macallan in the 70s

The following year, Macallan added three more, bringing their total number to 21. By the end of 1975, the company's sales reached 1 million. The increased capacity allowed the company to set aside ever-larger quantities of distillate, which at some point would be released to the market as single malt whisky. In 1977, the company's sales already exceeded 2 million pounds. Interest in Scottish single malt began to grow. Consumers wanted more information and wished to experience the magic of authentic Scotch whisky. In response to this interest, in 1977 the company restored the old manor house, Easter Elchies House, located on the distillery's estate, and transformed it into a tourist attraction. Simultaneously, it also began to serve as the office for the international distribution department.

The Macallan in the 90s

In the early 90s, a handful of large companies began to dominate the market. Initially, Macallan — Glenlivet managed to stay clear of acquisitions and clashes between the major players. In the mid-90s, Highland Distillers, which distributed the brand's products, began making moves for a larger share in Macallan — Glenlivet. In January 1996, Highland Distillers exercised their 26% stake in the company, which they had transferred to Remy Cointreau in 1990 due to a cross-shareholding agreement between the two groups. In July 1996, Highland Distillers entered into an agreement with the Japanese company Suntory. The two companies combined their stakes in Macallan — Glenlivet (Highland Distillers 26% and Suntory 25%) into a new joint venture: HS Distillers. Highland Distillers held the controlling stake in HS Distillers, and Suntory agreed to act as a silent partner and provide distribution of the whisky in Japan.

At the end of 2013, The Edrington Group announced plans to relocate Macallan's production facilities to a new distillery. Construction of the new distillery was planned to begin in October 2014 and be completed in 2017. The new distillery is expected to be built near the current one. The project also includes a new visitor center.

The new £100 million distillery is intended to meet the continuously growing demand for The Macallan. Currently, the distillery produces 9.5 million liters of distillate annually. The capacity of the new distillery is 15 million liters.