Macallan has just unveiled its oldest whiskey called “The Reach”. The Reach is a rare 81-year-old single malt from a single, sherry seasoned oak cask. Its origins date back to the Second World War and ‘The Reach’ was laid to rest in 1940. The dark whisky is encased in a decanter created from mouth-blown, hot glass, cradled on a bronze sculpture of three hands. Each hand represents characters in The Macallan’s history and the story with it.
One commemorates the Distillery workers of 1940 who crafted the spirit into existence during challenging times over eight decades ago. Another is the hand of one-time chairman, Allan Shiach, whose grandfather headed the company when this spirit was first consigned to its cask. The third is that of today’s Master Whisky Maker, Kirsteen Campbell, who selected the 1940 cask used to create The Reach, deciding that now was the time to share this whisky with the world. Sculptor Saskia Robinson created the sculpture featuring three hands, producing countless drawings from every perspective before working in a physical medium. The veins, nails, and skin detail are modeled on an artist’s impression of a hand of one of those original stillmen. The sculpture is cast in bronze and the glimmer of the metal contrasts with the dark amber whisky.
The surface of the glass decanter features indentations that match the fingerprints of the bronze hands which support it, while a cabinet crafted using wood from a fallen elm tree, which is thought to have been on The Macallan Estate in 1940, houses the decanter.
Kirsteen Campbell, The Macallan Master Whisky Maker, said: “It is an honor to introduce The Reach. Created during a turbulent time in the world, this extraordinary expression showcases The Macallan’s history, ingenuity, and unmistakable strength of character. The creation of many hands, The Reach has been a truly collaborative effort. It’s also a tribute to the people who made this precious whisky, and their enduring spirit which never wavered.”
This whiskey has a rich deep auburn color while at the nose you get Dark chocolate, sweet cinnamon, aromatic peat, plums, leather, pink grapefruit, redcurrant jelly, and a rich resinous note. This results in a rich, smoky, and sweet finish.
The Reach will be highly limited to only 288 decanters worldwide for an SRP of $125,000. It will be on display at The Macallan Estate Boutique starting February 9th, 2022, and later in The Macallan domestic and travel retail Boutiques.
