Macallan and Bentley launch Horizon whisky

Edrington-owned The Macallan has created a single malt with Bentley Motors as part of its 200th-anniversary celebrations.

The Macallan Horizon comes in a horizontal bottle with a twisted shape to represent the ‘horizontal trajectory of the automotive world’. Six materials are used in the release, reflecting The Macallan’s 'six pillars', which are the brand’s ‘foundation stones’. The bottle is made of glass, with an aluminium ribbon wrapped around it. It is encased in a low-carbon leather sculpture and placed inside a recycled copper frame, made using former Macallan stills. The fifth element is wood, with the closure featuring an inlay of oak wood and the sculpture finished with Bentley’s Crown Cut Walnut veneer, which was developed for its vehicles. The sixth component is the single malt Scotch, which is a new expression from the distillery created by master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell. The liquid has been taken from six first-fill Sherry-seasoned oak casks, with the aim to ‘capture the essence of a Bentley’. On the nose, it offers ‘resinous polished oak with plums and dark cherries’, followed by ‘dark treacle notes with cinder toffee, crystallised ginger and charred pineapple’ on the palate. The finish is ‘rich oak, long and complex’. Jaume Ferras, creative director at The Macallan, said: “The Macallan Horizon is the most complex and visionary whisky project that The Macallan has embarked upon, and has required a profound and ongoing exchange of expertise with the team at Bentley Motors. “Our collaboration with Bentley and the knowledge exchange we have undertaken has inspired us to see things very differently. “In the spirits world, everything is vertical, such as our stills and our bottles. When we looked at the horizontal plane that Bentley’s grand tourers occupy, it made us consider if and how we could adapt this format for whisky, which ultimately requires to be poured and enjoyed. “The beautiful design we have created together for The Macallan Horizon and the unique materials that have been incorporated are testament to the incomparable craftsmanship, innovation and creativity for which The Macallan and Bentley are renowned.” The limited edition release is available from selected retailers for £43,000 (US$55,091). Adrian Hallmark, Bentley’s chairman and CEO, said: “We’ve spent years working with The Macallan through our partnership, taking time to craft this incredible first joint product that represents the best of both brands. “Centred on innovative materials throughout that reflect our focus on the future, the end result – both the whisky and the vessel that contains it – are stunning, and represent a new benchmark for design, materials and quality in this space.” The Macallan recently partnered with Cirque du Soleil as part of its anniversary celebrations.