The Macallan Gold 1824 Series Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Macallan Gold 1824 Series Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Situated on a ridge above the banks of the River Spey, the Easter Elchies House has been the spiritual home of The Macallan for over three centuries. In 1820, Alexander Reid began renting the home from Sir Lewis Grant of Grant. Reid was a farmer, and soon after he sowed the fields surrounding the home with barley, Reid established the first licensed distillery on the estate, which he named Macallan after an ancient church that had been destroyed by fire during the 15th century. In the winter when there was little activity on the farm Reid would ferment and distill his excess grains into whisky, which was often drunk straight from the still or sold to travelers passing through the town. Today, the Macallan Estate encompasses 370 acres, 95 of which are devoted to the production of the Macallan Estate's Minstrel barley (a single acre produces about 2.5 tons of barley each year, enough to yield 1,800 bottles of The Macallan). In addition, the distillery contracts with farmers to purchase barley that is low in nitrogen and high in starch, resulting in a rich and oily whisky. After the barley is harvested in late August and early September, it is malted before being mashed in one of The Macallan's two mash tuns, a process that takes between four and eight hours. Then, the barley is fermented with a specially cultured yeast before being distilled twice through The Macallan's copper-pot stills. The copper comprising the stills acts as a catalyst, and enhances the formation of sweet esters while minimizing impurities such as sulphur. In addition, the curiously small stills some of "the smallest stills within the Scotch whisky industry," according to production manager Alexander Tweedie produce a whisky with a heavy, oily flavor. The Macallan M Single Malt Scotch Whisky was crafted from a marriage of seven unique casks of Macallan, each of which was personally selected by Macallan's Master Whisky Maker after more than two years of searching through the Macallan's vast cellars of over 195,000 barrels. Each cask (the oldest whisky was distilled in 1940) was previously used to mature Oloroso sherry. As a result, the whisky as a deep copper color, along with an aroma of dried fruits, vanilla, green apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Rich, viscous wood spices dominate the palate, and are complemented by undertones of leather, cedar and violets.