WHISKY MAKER SETS £92,000 PRICE FOR RARE RELEASE

The Macallan has announced the release of a batch of whisky dating back to World War Two.

The whisky maker has set a price tag of £92,000 per decanter of its single malt The Reach.

The whisky, from a single, sherry-seasoned oak cask, was laid to rest in 1940 before The Macallan was forced to close its doors for the first time in its history.

The company said it was the oldest whisky it had ever released.

The release has been limited to 288 decanters worldwide.

The retail sales price values the overall release at almost £26.5m.

Each bottle is cradled on a bronze sculpture of three hands, each representing characters in The Macallan’s history.

One commemorates the distillery workers of 1940 who crafted the spirit, while another features the hand of former chairman Allan Shiach, whose grandfather headed the company when the spirit was first consigned to its cask.

The third is that of the company’s current master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell.

She said: “The creation of many hands, The Reach has been a truly collaborative effort. It’s also a tribute to the people who made this precious whisky, and their enduring spirit which never wavered.”