More or less every time I write a blog post, I ask management for permission to use the phrase “hells-a-poppin'”…
I get shot down mercilessly every time.
Well, the renowned whiskym’n at The Macallan have only gone and released part five in their legendary Lalique Six Pillars Collection. Each single malt in the ultra-super-deluxe-premium range is made from exceedingly rare old stock, and bottled in decanters designed and created by the famous French crystal house, Lalique. If ever there was a time for the term hells-a-poppin’, surely now is it.
There have been a couple of occasions when we’ve been lucky enough to try spirit from the range, and have been consistently bowled over. Part five, named The Spiritual Home, is especially promising; the latest and penultimate expression in the range was aged for an impressive 62 years before bottling, making it the second oldest Macallan ever released since the distillery’s founding date of 1824 (the oldest being 2010’s 64 year old Cire Perdue). The new make spirit was filled into American oak sherry-seasoned casks in November 1950, and whilst we’ve not had the pleasure of trying it yet, the official tasting notes are mouth-watering:
The Macallan 62 years old in Lalique “Spiritual Home”
Tasting Notes from The Macallan
Colour – Rich cherry
Aroma – Rich and aromatic. A strong opening of treacle toffee leads into raisin and blood orange. Later aromas of apple pie, sprinkled with ginger, cinnamon and chocolate, with layers of darker vanilla, embellished by soft burnished oak.
Taste – Rich dried fruits open up, with strong raisin flavours. Layers of sweet ginger figs and cigar leaf in viscous suspension are followed by woody oak flavours, polished yet showing complexity of age.
Finish – Long and embracing
The other facet to The Spiritual Home is its fabulous glassware created by the French crystal house, Lalique, and taking inspiration from René Lalique, the eponymous Parisian glass artist. Lalique’s designer, Marc Larminaux, cleverly mimicked aspects of the distillery’s Jacobean Easter Elchies House – Macallan’s ‘spiritual home’ – when creating the bottle. You’ll notice the frosted finish on the glass, made using a digital stamp of the actual harled surface of the house’s walls. The front features the bold initials, JEG – those on the original date stone high up on the western elevation of Easter Elchies House. These are the initials of Captain John Elizabeth Grant (it probably wasn’t actually Elizabeth, more like Edward or something), who oversaw the building of the manor house in 1700. The distinctive neck detailing is Larminaux’s interpretation of the house’s gable ends, and the stopper is vaguely reminiscent of a chimney. All in all, it’s an interesting concept.
I’m not usually one for dramatic decanters, but I genuinely really like this. There is something very elegant about the design and it harks back to some of René Lalique’s stylish Jazz-age perfume bottles.
Only 400 decanters will be released worldwide, with an RRP of £16,000. I can announce that Master of Malt have a single bottle up for grabs (grabs and £16,000 cold hard cash), so if you’ve watched our Twitter feed and New Arrivals like a hawk you’ll know it’s available to purchase right now…
David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies for The Macallan, described the Macallan in Lalique range as being “widely regarded as one of the ultimate luxury partnerships”.
Bargoer Cliff Davis claimed the partnership was “up there with those Twinings ads with Stephen Fry”, yesterday. “Those were class,” he added.
Mike
