Whisky tourism: An exclusive look at Macallan's new S$250m distillery
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Whisky tourism: An exclusive look at Macallan'due south new S$250m distillery
CNA Lifestyle toured the brand new facility on the single malt whisky characterization'due south famed Easter Elchies estate, fulfilling the dream of whisky fans everywhere.
Night autumn at the new distillery. (Photograph: Magnum Photos/Mark Power)
01 Jun 2022 11:13AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 12:06PM)
First appear in 2012, The Macallan finally unveiled its spanking new distillery, which is open up to the public this calendar month. This infinite was non simply built to quench the global thirst for unmarried malt whiskies, only also create a unique distillery experience for its growing fandom.
Even though I have had the chance to taste numerous single malt and blended whiskies over the years in a professional (and occasionally, unprofessional) capacity, I was truly excited to run into what The Macallan had up its sleeve.
While some whisky geeks might turn their noses upward at the make and consider it "mainstream", that wouldn't exist fair to the people who are arguably ane of the main reasons why single malt whisky is every bit prized as it is today.
This striking new facility is cut into the slope of the state, taking its cues from the aboriginal Scottish hills that environment Macallan's famed ane.5 sq km Easter Elchies estate.
The fourteen,800 sqm distillery and visitor centre cost a whopping £140 one thousand thousand (over S$250 million) to complete, and was designed by Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) – the London-based architectural firm behind projects like Heathrow Final v in London and Beijing New International Drome in People's republic of china (besides as a private residence on Nassim Route in Singapore).
Unlike most whisky distilleries in Scotland, where you'll run into charming brick buildings that seem to be dripping in distilling history right from their front end gate, the outside of Macallan'due south new distillery, at the outset glance, doesn't seem like very much. Merely five undulating mounds by the side of the road that look like function of the Scottish highlands in the distance.
Pleasant, but not really anything to shout near.
Information technology is just when you turn the corner and take hold of a glimpse of the main archway of the distillery that you showtime to realise how there might be more going on under the surface.
EIGHT HUNDRED VINTAGE BOTTLES AND Burn-PROOF GLASS
The new experience at The Macallan begins in a similar way as the old distillery bout: Guests arrive at the heart of the estate, where Easter Elchies House stands. The rustic manor, congenital in the 1700s, is a focal indicate of the natural beauty that surrounds it. The firm is just a stone'south throw from the new distillery and is considered the spiritual domicile of The Macallan.
In fact, an image of the firm is seen on the label of every bottle of unmarried malt whisky produced at Macallan – a subtle reminder of the brand's longstanding heritage.
As you eventually enter the new distillery, the lush natural landscape of the estate gives way to a seductively modern interior of matte, charcoal walls with slivers of illuminated amber accents. The shine transition between the different environments and gradual realisation of the area of this subterranean development is actually quite humbling.
You'll be forgiven if you find yourself spending more than time than usual gawking at the space around you lot. During the walk-through, I believe I heard some muffled squeals of excitement in my group. I tin't be 100 per cent sure they didn't come from me.
Graham Stirk, 1 of the projection partners from RSHP, explained that because the environmental status of the site was of an "area of great landscape value", the distillery was constructed by digging into the natural contours of the site to minimise any agin effects to the landscape's character.
Aye, the new distillery quite literally uses nature around it as a blanket (or invisibility cloak, depending on your pop culture inclinations).
Two alpine glass walls flank the welcome area. 10-metre-tall, thick fireproof glass (equipped with its own sprinkler systems) on the correct safely split the chief "manufacturing plant" floor from the visitor centre. Stirk told us how the conclusion to visually link the visitor centre feel to the distillery was an of import one but proved to be quite challenging.
Essentially, his team had to spend about £300,000 to build a like glass wall, but to prepare information technology on fire to evidence to the authorities how fire resistant it was. Considering the rather combustible nature of a distillery's output, we're quite happy that we needn't worry about lost opportunities at the gift shop.
The drinking glass wall on the left is dramatic fifty-fifty on its own, housing over 800 vintage bottles of The Macallan that are dated upward to ii centuries back.
It is a jaw-dropping sight that deserves an extra moment of awe (and because you'll need to tilt your head all the manner back to really take information technology all in). Visitors can also utilise the interactive consoles at the base of the wall to discover a piffling more about each and every bottle on display.
If, like me, you enjoy the occasional deep dive into the history and lineage of whisky, there'll be quite a chip of archived information that will take more than a solar day to get through.
A THOROUGHLY Mod OPEN CONCEPT
The tour begins upward a circular flight of stairs, where you're greeted by a thousand, open-concept way distillery. Almost all the mechanism that makes Macallan whisky possible is in full view. Information technology is a spectacular sight to behold.
Considering the new distillery was built from scratch instead of being an extension of an existing production infinite (as is the case of many Scottish distilleries in the concluding decade), RSHP and The Macallan had the rare opportunity to rethink how a modern distillery could look and operate.
This led to a circular design theme inspired past brochs – prehistoric circular stone towers establish uniquely in Scotland. The impressive 36 wash and spirit stills were constructed in series of three circular arrangements, with each "product cell" consisting of four wash stills and eight spirit stills.
This layout is non only visually stunning, but its modular nature besides easily allows for additional product cells to be added, should there be a need to increase production down the road. The empty round lot at the far end of the distillery ways The Macallan knows information technology's bound to happen sooner or later. Nosotros get it, guys. Don't take to rub it in everyone's faces.
A SINGLE MALT Teaching
For those who aren't familiar with the different steps involved in whisky distillation, fret not. An initial stop in the tour is at an interactive display table that takes you through the process, while Broadway-worthy spotlights higher up indicate exactly which function of the distillery is responsible for what. Information technology is an impressive manner to go schooled.
In fact, in that location are several interactive stops along the tour that provide an even more immersive experience to guests who aren't whisky geeks. A visual demonstration of the difference in using "curiously small stills" for distillation, compared to taller ones, is quite enlightening, and at that place's also the "within" look at the creation of a cask and the importance of woods selection.
In the latter terminate, you actually step into a human-sized cask with calorie-free projections on the staves before a fume machine adds theatrics to the toasting of a cask. It's all quite dramatic. And pretty fun.
Each of the stops highlights one of half-dozen unlike pillars that Macallan feels upholds and defines the unique character of its whisky. The concluding cease, in particular, is rather special. We won't spoil information technology for you but but know that sonic waves are involved. You have to see it for yourself.
The tour concludes at the circular bar located within the distillery – the access fee of £fifteen also entitles you to 4 drams of whisky. We're quite sure these will gustatory modality simply that much more exceptional, subsequently you've seen what went into making them.
In instance you're wondering, yeah, y'all tin society yourself another glass or two or iii before you head back to reality.
If you're planning to take a visit to The Macallan'south new distillery on your next trip to the region, we advise touring at to the lowest degree one of the many other Scottish distilleries offset, earlier making your fashion over to Easter Elchies manor.
The way this modern distillery seamlessly integrates a visitor'southward experience with bodily operations in whisky making, while looking over the beauty of the Scottish Highlands, is dissimilar any other scotch distillery experience that exists today, and so some context is necessary to truly appreciate its thoughtfulness and breath-taking moments.
The Macallan might be known for single malt whiskies, only this new distillery sure is a magnificent blend.
The Macallan Distillery officially opens to the public on Jun two. There are over 12 flights daily from Singapore to Aberdeen via Amsterdam, London and Paris.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/lifestyle/new-macallan-distillery-scotland-preview-single-malt-whisky-232756
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