Macallan and Bentley unveil collaborative whisky
The Macallan has revealed the prototype bottle design of Horizon, the first whisky to be produced in collaboration with its luxury automotive partner, Bentley Motors.
The Macallan Horizon will be a limited edition single malt whisky, and is currently in development by the two brands. The prototype of The Macallan Horizon, which will be available as a whisky product from summer 2023, will fuse both traditional craftsmanship and innovative materials with cutting edge technology to create an 'exclusive' design. Jaume Ferras, global creative director for The Macallan, commented: “Taking inspiration from the automotive industry, we are showcasing our creative vision and concept development of The Macallan Horizon, which is among the most unique projects we have embarked on in our almost 200-year history. “Our collaboration with Bentley Motors and the knowledge exchange we have undertaken as a result has inspired us to see things very differently. In the spirits world, everything is upright, such as our stills and our bottles. "When we looked at the horizontal direction pursued by Bentley Motors as part of the automotive industry, it made us consider if and how we could adapt this format for whisky, which ultimately requires to be poured. “I am incredibly proud of the beautiful design we have created together for The Macallan Horizon and the unique materials we are incorporating. It simply would not be possible without the incomparable craftsmanship and creativity for which The Macallan and Bentley Motors are renowned, and is the embodiment of the uncompromised excellence pursued by The Macallan since 1824.” The 'first-of-its-kind' design, which sees the bottle presented horizontally in a case, has been created using six up-cycled, repurposed or ethically sourced materials that are integral to both brands. The materials include recycled copper from the disused ‘curiously small’ spirit stills that were located within The Macallan’s former distillery; aluminium recovered from the Bentley Motors manufacturing process; recycled wood; recyclable glass; and locally sourced carbon-neutral leather. The glass bottle found within the spiral casing features a 180° twist, representing ‘the mastery of space and time’ achieved by The Macallan and Bentley Motors in creating the prototype, which has no standing base. These components have been brought together to form a unique concept that breaks away from the traditional vertical aesthetic of a whisky bottle to reflect the horizontal trajectory of the automotive world. Bentley’s product and lifestyle design manager Chris Cooke said: “Our prototype for The Macallan Horizon is truly pioneering in both its design and use of materials. It’s a fusion of the sharply defined yet curvaceous Bentley design DNA and The Macallan’s innovation, using recycled materials from both iconic British brands. "The form of the design has allowed us to almost treat light as another material in itself, and the interplay between light and the wood, aluminium and copper materials is extraordinary. In being both an object of beauty in itself and demonstrating such innovation, it’s a representation of what’s coming next from our partnership.” Whisky details to come The final element of the upcoming release is the ‘very special’ single malt whisky being created for The Macallan Horizon. The Macallan’s master whisky maker, Kirsteen Campbell, has developed the flavour profile for the whisky following a visit to Bentley Motors in Crewe, where she observed first hand the brand's shared passion for creativity, craftsmanship and innovation. Details of the liquid, including the age statement, tasting notes and pricing, will be revealed closer to its release date next year. This move away from Macallan’s customary product release format, which would typically see the product available for immediate purchase, is a conscious decision made by the brand to mimic the way Bentley releases its cars. The Macallan and Bentley Motors launched their global brand partnership in July 2021.
