Macallan releases 81-year-old single-malt worth USD 125,000

Schenelle Dsouza

Among the finest luxuries in life lies a quality-aged whisky, the older the better. The Macallan’s The Reach is one fine example of quality whisky.

Aged for 81 years from 1940, The Reach beat its own The Red Collection (aged 78-years) and the Gordon & MacPhail Generations (aged 80-years), becoming the oldest whisky in the world.

Crafted during WWII, The Reach was created from a single, sherry-seasoned oak cask and is the oldest single malt released by The Macallan to date.

Slowly maturing over eight decades, the single malt has a deep auburn hue with The Macallan’s signature smooth flavour. The aroma then transcends into a complex burst of flavours – a rich, sweet smokiness from the peat and ginger. The smoky note is subtle but unmistakable, complemented with antique oak.

Speaking about the flavours of The Reach, The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker, Kirsteen Campbell stated that the single malt offers “notes of dark chocolate, sweet cinnamon and aromatic peat, leading on to treacle toffee, crystallized ginger and charred pineapple, before giving way to an intensely rich, sweet and smoky finish”.

Aside from the flavour and texture, it is The Reach’s unique packaging is hard to miss. The single malt is housed in a specially-designed cabinet; a fitting tribute to a very special whisky.

Scottish sculptor Saskia Robinson designed the three bronze hands that hold the mouth-blown glass decanter housing the whisky. It also features three individual fingerprint impressions of the hands that hold it high.

Each of the three hands is symbolic in the creation of The Reach. One hand commemorates the distillery workers of 1940, the second is the hand of once chairman of The Macallan, Allan Shiach, whose grandfather headed the company when this spirit was first consigned to its cask. And finally, the third is that of Master Whisky Maker, Kirsteen Campbell, who carefully selected the special cask used to create The Reach, and who decided that now was the time to release this exquisite whisky.

“It’s hard to put into words how truly special this whisky is,” Campbell told Forbes earlier this week. “The expression encapsulates the spirit of The Macallan and the timeless nature of our mastery and craftsmanship.”

The Reach has been put on display at The Macallan Estate and will be available for sale later on, at The Macallan retail boutiques around the world.  With only 288 bottles available worldwide, The Reach will be priced at a hefty USD 125,000 per bottle.

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