Douglas Laing launches 26-year-old Macallan

by Owen Bellwood

Independent bottler Douglas Laing & Co has added a 26-year-old Macallan Scotch whisky to its XOP The Black Series.

The Macallan 1993 Vintage was distilled in November 1993 at the Macallan distillery in Speyside. The whisky matured for 26 years in an ex-refill butt and has been bottled at cask strength of 56.4% ABV. Just 244 bottles of the whisky have been released, which is said to have “a remarkably warm, amber colour and a flavour profile encompassing dried fruits, milk chocolate and honeyed barley”. Each bottle has been filled by hand and feature a glass stopper and embossed metal label incorporating the signatures of Douglas Laing & Co chairman Fred Laing and former Bruichladdich distiller Jim McEwan. McEwan said: “Every note detected on the nose can be experienced on the palate and its magical Macallan, warm and generous, the pride of Speyside at its very best. This is one of the most stately and elegant single malts I have experienced in my 56 years of making whisky.” Douglas Laing & Co XOP The Black Series Mcallan Vintage 1993 is available throughout Europe and Asia with an expected retail price of £2,150 (US$2,700) per 700ml bottle. Douglas Laing & Co launched its XOP The Black Series last year with the release of a 1994 Springbank whisky.