The Macallan presents two new expressions to the SA market, Fine Oak 12 and 18, and brings back a favourite; Fine Oak 15

The Macallan, one of the world’s greatest single malt whiskies, will be launching the triple cask matured Fine Oak Range in SA. A firm favourite: Fine Oak 15 will be re-introduced, and two new expressions will also be rolled out over the coming months, Fine Oak 12 and the 18. The Fine Oak range is triple cask matured in a combination of European oak sherry casks, American oak sherry seasoned casks and American bourbon casks, delivering a more diverse yet subtle style of whisky, whilst maintaining The Macallan’s core DNA which is a focus on sherry seasoned oak casks, natural colour, and rich, fruity full bodied flavours and mouth feel.

To craft Fine Oak, we bring new oak from America across thousands of miles to Spain, where oak casks are crafted and sherry seasoned before traveling to our distillery on Speyside to mature for twelve years. These whiskies are then combined with those aged in the very best sherry seasoned European oak casks and American Bourbon casks. This approach reveals an unmatched investment in time and extraordinary commitment to mastery for which The Macallan has been known since 1824

Bob Dalgarno, Master Whisky Maker explains, “The Macallan Fine Oak requires a distinctive approach to whisky making. Being created from a triple cask combination, both sherry and bourbon seasoned, we are working with a broader spectrum of character. The resulting versatile single malt which offers up great flavour diversity.” The Fine Oak range will sit alongside The Macallan 1824 Masters Series which is available in SA, including Rare Cask, Reflexion, No.6 and M, – which now offers The Macallan fan a wider choice of whiskies from the portfolio. “The Macallan Fine Oak Range is an extraordinary range of whiskies which bare testament to the incredible wood story of The Macallan, reintroducing this range into the South African market at a time where malt whisky demand and interest is at its highest is an exciting transition for The Macallan brand. This represents our ambition to translate our ultimate luxury spirit positioning and obsession with craft and quality to produce a peerless spirit, in one of the world’s most exciting malt whisky markets” commented Mac Mabidilala, Africa Marketing Manager

The Macallan Fine Oak Range is available from selected liquor stores and online retailers (RRP for 12 is R599 (Limited stock), 15 is R999 and 18 is R2500) What makes the Fine Oak Range exceptional? The American oak casks are crafted from timber sourced in the woodlands of Ohio, Tennessee and Missouri and are logged by third generation woodsmen, who are personally selected by The Macallan’s own Master of Wood. Some of these casks will mature bourbon in humid Kentucky warehouses for three years before the long journey to Scotland whilst others will be transported to Jerez, in Spain, to be filled with sherry. The addition of American oak bourbon seasoned barrels imparts aromas and flavours slightly drier and more oaky than the American oak sherry casks, with more pronounced aromas and flavours of coconut, but still with the lighter colour and sweetness associated with American oak. The European oak sherry casks begin life in the dense, sustainable forests of Northern Spain and each cask is handcrafted in the cooperages of Jerez where they are fired to ensure the spirit penetrates deep into the wood. These casks will then be seasoned with sherry for a minimum of two years before being transported to The Macallan Distillery in Speyside for filling with new make spirit.

The Story of The Macallan The Six Pillars are the foundation stones for the fame and character of The Macallan. They encompass the strong sense of place at the heart of the distillery and the estate, together with their long experience of distilling and maturing a single malt whisky with a reputation for product excellence and distinctive character. These, in combination, contribute to the essential character of The Macallan.

• Spiritual Home; Easter Elchies House, built in 1700, lies at the heart of The Macallan estate in an area of great natural beauty and is farmed sensitively, in harmony with the environment. The estate covers 390 acres (158 hectares), of which some 90 acres are sown in the spring with our own exclusive barley variety (Minstrel) to make The Macallan. A single acre will produce nearly two and a half tons of barley, which will yield around 1,800 bottles of The Macallan.

• Curiously Small Stills; The Macallan’s curiously small spirit stills are the smallest on Speyside. Their unique size and shape give the spirit maximum contact with the copper, helping to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirit and provide those rich, fruity, full-bodied flavours so characteristic of The Macallan. There are fourteen of these curiously small stills, crafted from copper, each holding an initial ‘charge’ of 3,900 litres.

• Finest Cut; The Macallan takes only 16% of the final distillation from the spirit stills to fill into their oak casks. This is the best of the best and one of the smallest in the industry.

• Exceptional Oak Casks; The Macallan spends more on sourcing, building, seasoning and caring for its casks than any other single malt whisky.

Natural Colour; the rich range of colours in The Macallan whiskies is drawn only from the wood of their exceptional oak casks The Macallan itself; From humble beginnings in 1824, The Macallan has grown from a small local enterprise to global recognition, based on a constant and determined attention to quality – one of the world’s greatest whiskies. For further information regarding The Macallan, please contact: Candice Mullins or Catherine Jordan on candice@bonfiremedia.co.za / +27 82 763 0349 or catherine@bonfiremedia.co.za / +27 82 062 9872