Duncan Taylor releases two rare Macallans

Independent bottler Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has introduced the Rarest Reserve series, featuring exclusive whiskies from its most revered casks.

The first two inaugural editions of the collection are a 52-year-old and 33-year-old Macallan, each bottled at 100ml and presented in a gold bar design, limited to 500 per edition. The series launch was timed to celebrate The Macallan’s 'illustrious' 200th anniversary. “We continue to launch whiskies from our vaults that go as far back as the 1960s,” said Shawn Smith, CEO of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky. “We are very proud of the unique packaging that was created for these rare drams and know that fans of The Macallan may want the opportunity to taste these incredible malts or treasure them and keep them as collector pieces.” As Duncan Taylor's first 33-year-old Macallan release, the rare single malt was distilled in 1991 and aged in oloroso Sherry casks. The expression is offered at 50.2% ABV and retails for £630 (US$810) for a 100ml bottle. The 33-year-old offers aromas of 'over-ripe tropical fruits, dark chocolate and a rich spiciness' on the nose, joined on the palate by 'creamy toffee'. The oldest single malt release of Macallan by Duncan Taylor, the 52-year-old, was distilled in 1969 and initially matured in traditional American oak ex-Bourbon barrels. After decades of ageing, the whisky was transferred into first-fill ex-oloroso Sherry casks. The nose offers aromas of 'dark chocolate, overripe orange peel, cinnamon and creamy vanilla', with notes of 'caramel wafers, overripe fruits and subtle spices' on the palate. The 52-year-old Macallan is offered at 41.4% ABV and retails for £7,850 (US$10,100). Both expressions are available from The Spirits Embassy online or BlockBar, a global marketplace that sells wines and spirits authenticated via blockchain directly from producer to consumer. Earlier this month, Duncan Taylor presented King Charles III and Queen Camilla with a dram of the 52-year-old Macallan at a 900th-anniversary event for the Scottish capital at Edinburgh Castle. Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky also released a 41-year-old Miltonduff single malt and a 60-year-old blended whisky from Lochside Distillery earlier this month.