Spirits · Craigellachie, Speyside
The Macallan
A Speyside single malt shaped for two centuries by sherry-seasoned oak.
- Founded
- 1824
- Founded by
- Alexander Reid
- Based in
- Craigellachie, Speyside
Making it since
1824
Their story
The Macallan sits on the Easter Elchies estate near the village of Craigellachie in Speyside, northeast Scotland. Alexander Reid founded the distillery there in 1824.
Over the following two centuries it grew into one of the most recognized single malts in the world and one of the top sellers in its category. Rare older bottlings are prized at auction, and a 1926 bottle set a record for whisky when it sold in 2023.
The Macallan is owned by Edrington. In 2018 it opened a new distillery and visitor center on the estate.
How it's made
The Macallan built its style on oak casks seasoned with sherry from Jerez, Spain, using both European and American oak. Since 2004 some ranges also use American oak bourbon casks, now sold as Triple Cask Matured. The distillery runs 36 copper stills, smaller spirit stills paired with larger wash stills.
Why we carry them
If you want to understand what sherry casks do for Scotch, The Macallan is a classic place to start. We like comparing a sherry oak bottle next to a Triple Cask one.
More makers like this
All makers-
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co.
Vail, Colorado
Colorado whiskey honoring the WWII ski soldiers who trained near Vail.
-
10th Street Distillery
San Jose, California
American single malt whisky, engineered in San Jose by two Silicon Valley friends.
-
1792 Distillery
Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown bourbon named for the year Kentucky became a state.
Find more makers like this in Provisions Club, our curated subscription.
Explore Provisions Club