The
world’s most prized whisky, The Macallan, provided a rare opportunity to those
who appreciate luxury and exclusivity to view a bottle of 62-year-old whisky in
bespoke Lalique crystal in the Mercedez Benz tent for the duration of the Cape
Town Fashion Week (24 – 26 July 2014).
The
Macallan, which broke its own Guinness World Record at the start of the year
when one of its bottles sold for US$628 000 on auction, creates its whiskies
based on six pillars, their curiously small stills, the finest cut of the
distillation run, exceptional oak casks, natural colour, peerless spirit and
its spiritual home.
In
its collection of the oldest whiskies ever produced as a range, Macallan is
representing these six pillars in the form of six whiskies, each housed in a
unique decanter design, created by the legendary French crystal house Lalique.
The whisky that was on display is the fifth and latest release in this series,
with the decanter crafted to represent the spiritual home pillar. This spiritual
home refers to the Easter Elchies manor house that has stood on the estate
where the Macallan is made since 1700, and also adorns its label. It is the
only manor house of its kind to be part of a distillery estate in Scotland.
The
Macallan Lalique V: The Spiritual Home is the second-oldest whisky ever
released by The Macallan. Few distilleries in the world have the stocks to
match The Macallan for its ability to release whiskies of such extreme age and
quality. Only 400 of these unique whiskies were produced and carefully poured
inside the decanters. It retails upwards of R250 000.
“This
is the ultimate luxury spirit for the select few who are lucky enough to
experience it,” says Nicol Gongota, Brand Ambassador: Macallan. “This is a
whisky that is crafted for the VVIP, the person who does not only values the
nuances that enrich a whisky that spends in excess of half a century in a
sherry barrel, but who also appreciates the fine craftsmanship to create a
decanter of exquisite beauty. These elements combine to redefine the concept of
extreme luxury.
“We
are therefore proud to display this whisky at an event and location that are
synonymous with luxury brands.”
The
rich dark colour of the whisky serves as a hint to the experience of sampling
this unique spirit. The nose brims with treacle, raisins, blood orange,
cinnamon, ginger and chocolate. This translates to a rich and viscuous palate
filled with figs, oak, ginger and cigar leaf that lingers on the tongue.
The
addition of the 62-year-old means that the visual display of The Macallan’s six
pillars is almost complete. The whiskies in the range have been released
periodically since 2005. Previously, the 50-year-old (exceptional oak casks),
55-year-old (natural colour), 57-year-old (the finest cut) and 60-year-old (the
curiously small stills) were all released in their own unique Lalique
decanters. As the collection has grown, each release has become more desired
and anticipated.
“The
six pillars of The Macallan tie in well with the tree-pillar tie-in between
Lalique, the Cape Town Fashion Week and ourselves,” says Mac Mabidilala, Brand
Manager: Macallan. “This is the first time that this decanter will be on
display in South Africa and we believe it is the perfect platform to exhibit a
creation of such class, luxury and exclusivity.”
The
Macallan Lalique V: The Spiritual Home was originally filled to American oak
sherry-seasoned casks in November 1950.
Inspired
by the artistic genius of Rene Lalique’s legacy and Easter Elchies House,
Lalique’s Marc Larminaux interpreted the harled surface applied to the
sandstone walls of Easter Elchies House by creating a textured frosted surface
on three sides of the decanter, an effect created through the use of a digital
stamp of the actual wall. One of the frosted sides features the bold initials,
of the builder, Captain John E. Grant, replicating the initials which are
incorporated in the original date stone, which can be seen high up on the
western elevation of Easter Elchies House.
No comments:
Post a Comment