THE RED COLLECTION
- The extremely rare collection.
The Red Collection from The Macallan Distillery is a future-classic collection of aged single malts from The Macallan Distillery. The complete set of six whiskies is anchored by The Macallan 40 Years Old, The Macallan 50 Years Old and The Macallan 60 Years Old, which are joined by two further highly aged bottles at 71 Years Old and 74 Years Old. The 6th and final bottle in this collection has been matured for 78 Years, making it not only the oldest bottle released from The Macallan Distillery, but the oldest age statement whisky ever released.
Only two sets contain these labels: Set #1 will remain in The Macallan’s archives and #2, which is on offer in this, the inaugural Sotheby’s Halloween Spirits Sale. This collection will be auctioned to benefit City Harvest London, a charity who redistributes surplus from the food industry to vulnerable people across London.
These three characters are featured in an animated film created to introduce The Red Collection in collaboration with Javi Aznarez, acclaimed for his striking graphic art which has featured in several films. Therefore, it will be very difficult for collectors, investors or consumers to own their own.
- Red – the source of inspiration throughout the history of the brand.
Throughout the brand’s history, The Red Collection represents Macallan’s deep respect for tradition and craftsmanship. Distilled decades ago, housed in the cellar of The Macallan, each version of the collection has been matured in the distillery’s oak barrels under supervision over generations. Over time, they evolved into extremely elegant old whiskeys.
The colour red has deep and long-standing significance for The Macallan, beginning with Alexander Reid, the farmer and teacher who founded The Macallan in 1824, whose surname means ‘the red one’ in Scots and was originally associated with red hair. In 1903, owner Roderick Kemp launched The Macallan Choice Old range, which was reportedly shipped in cases labelled with distinctive red print to distinguish it from The Macallan’s existing whiskies, which featured black labelling. Almost eight decades later, in 1980, red was to feature strongly in the release of The Macallan’s then oldest vintages, dated 1938, 1940 and 1950. Allan Shiach, chairman of The Macallan at that time, tied a red ribbon around the sought-after bottlings to denote their age and value.
- Luxurious handmade design.
Each bottle in The Red Collection is encased in a hand-crafted oak presentation box created from the same sustainable European oak used to craft The Macallan’s oak casks. These boxes are beautifully upholstered with sustainably sourced soft red leather from Scottish supplier Bridge of Weir Leather, which creates upholstery for leading luxury car brands across the globe.
Three of the bottles in the collection are also hand-signed by Kirsteen Campbell, who was appointed Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan in 2019 – the first woman to occupy the role in the history of the brand. The remaining three bottles – The Macallan 71 Years Old, The Macallan 74 Years Old and The Macallan 78 Years Old – are hand-signed by Sarah Burgess, Lead Whisky Maker for The Macallan.
