About The Macallan Whisky Distillery
Distillery Owner
Edrington Group
Distillery Founded
1824
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Capacity
8 000 000 litres
Distillery Address
Easter Elchies, Craigellachie, Morayshire AB38 9RX
Distillery Number
01340 871471
Distillery Website
www.themacallan.com
1824
The distillery is licensed to Alexander Reid under the name Elchies Distillery.
1847
Alexander Reid passes away and James Shearer Priest and James Davidson take over.
1868
James Stuart takes over the licence. He founds Glen Spey distillery a decade later.
1892
Stuart sells the distillery to Roderick Kemp from Elgin who has previously worked at and been part-owner of Talisker. Kemp expands the distillery and names it Macallan-Glenlivet.
1896
James Stuart buys the distillery.
1909
Roderick Kemp passes away and the Roderick Kemp Trust is established to secure the family’s future ownership.
1965
The number of stills is increased from six to twelve.
1966
The trust is reformed as a private limited company.
1968
The company is introduced on the London Stock Exchange.
1974
The number of stills is increased to 18.
1975
Another three stills are added, now making the total 21.
1979
Allan Schiach, descendant of Roderick Kemp, becomes the new chairman of the board after Peter Schiach.
1980
The name changes to Macallan and a large launch campaign takes place in the UK.
1984
The first official 18 year old single malt is launched.
1986
Japanese Suntory buys 25% of Macallan-Glenlivet plc stocks.
1996
Highland Distilleries buys the remaining stocks and terminate the Kemp family’s influence on Macallan. 11,000 bottles of 1874 Replica are launched.
1999
Edrington and William Grant & Sons buys Highland Distilleries (where Edrington, Suntory and Remy-Cointreau already are shareholders) for £601 million. They form the 1887 Company which owns Highland Distilleries with 70% held by Edrington and 30% by William Grant & Sons (excepting the 25% share held by Suntory).
2000
The first single cask from Macallan (1981) is named Exceptional 1.
2001
A new visitor centre is opened and 1861 Replica (17,400 bottles) are introduced.
2002
Macallan Elegancia replaces Macallan 12 years in the duty-free assortment. 1841 Replica, Exceptional II and Exceptional III, from 1980, are also launched during the year.
2003
1876 Replica (19,800 bottles) and Exceptional IV, single cask from 1990 (864 bottles) are launched.
2004
Exceptional V, single cask from 1989 (858 bottles) is launched as well as Exceptional VI, single cask from 1990 (816 bottles). The Fine Oak series is launched and Macallan 18 years old takes first place in Whisky Magazine’s ‘Best Malts of the World’.
2005
New expressions are Macallan Woodland Estate, Winter Edition and the 50 year old.
2006
Fine Oak 17 years old and Vintage 1975 are launched.
2007
1851 Inspiration and Whisky Maker´s Selection are released as a part of the Travel Retail range. 12 year old Gran Reserva is launched in Taiwan and Japan.
2008
Estate Oak and 55 year old Lalique are released.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of Mr Ingvar Ronde