In 2012, the company Edrington announced the development of a new distillery for The Macallan. The announcement explained the investment of £140 million in a programme focused on the new distillery, whisky, warehousing and The Macallan’s signature sherry-seasoned oak casks.
The new distillery is located in the beautiful Easter Elchies estate, where it has been the home to the leading single malt since 1824. The brand has had an increasing success throughout the years becoming a leading international single malt. In Scotch whisky markets such as the USA, Taiwan and Japan, the Macallan had been in leading positions and has been recognized for its value and quality.
Architecture landscape distillery
Developed by the internationally acclaimed architect firm, Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, this project was inspired by the landscaped and its surroundings. The ancient Scottish hills take on the main inspiration however, its aesthetics and structure minimise the visual impact on the Speyside landscape. This area is classified as an “Area of Great Landscape Value”.
Once you have a look at the building, it feels like it is part of the landscape due to its undulating roof. This timber roof is considered one of the most complicated timber roof structures in the world. It is comprised of 1800 single beams, 2500 different roof elements and 380,000 individual components. To make this even more incredible, almost all of the components are different, requiring an extreme expertise and talent for its development.
It took three years and six months to complete this project, with its construction beginning in December 2014. In December 2017 the first whisky ran through the stills while the visitor experience opened its doors to the public in June 2018.
The company responsible for the delivery of this architectural design piece was Elgin-based Rovertson Construction. It took 25 contractors and up to 400 people specialized in more than 20 different trades to bring this incredible project to life. If you get the chance to visit the Macallan’s new distillery you will be mesmerized by its art, beauty, craft and skills required.
The Macallan Whisky
According to Ian Curle, chief executive of Edrington, “This is an exciting occasion for Edrington and The Macallan. The unsurpassed quality of The Macallan is in high demand and we face the future confidently with this new distillery. It’s an authentic, abiding, ambitious investment that will match consumer expectations for generations to come.”
This new distillery will allow an increase by a third of production of The Macallan and according to Ken Grier, creative director of The Macallan, “This is the beginning of a really exciting new chapter in the evolution of this wonderful brand that is The Macallan”. Ken also added that “As The Macallan has grown globally it has been very important that we make sure we can sustain demand for this wonderful amber liquid. We’ve taken exceptional care in making sure that the spirit that is produced in the new distillery is identical to the spirit that we produced in our previous distillery.”
An exciting project that transformed into a masterpiece of architecture and design. If you ever have a chance, while visiting Scotland, we recommend you to take a visit to see the new Macallan Distillery.