In 2015, Macallan announced Archival Series which would be 24 “Folios” inspired by their advertisements from the 1970s until the 1990s. Macallan describes the Archival Series as one that “celebrates and revisits The Macallan’s original print, press, and film advertising campaign; mapping the story of The Macallan from a remote farmstead on the River Spey to a whisky that is enjoyed around the world”.
The eighth edition of the Archival series is being released in 2025. Folio 8 “The Colossus of Nose” is the latest release in this series that was designed to celebrate the adverts that first brought the Macallan name into the public consciousness and help transform Macallan into a household name.
If you have a bottle of Macallan from the Archival Series that you would like to sell or have valued, then you can use the form below. You will receive a valuation and information on selling from a specialist auctioneer.
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Including 2025’s release there are currently 8 Folio releases. The first 6 to be released all commemorated the black and white print Macallan adverts that were featured in the Times newspaper. These adverts were designed by Creative Director David Holmes and advert copywriter Nick Salaman and 250 were produced over the 3 decades. Initially featured on the back page next to the crossword, the print adverts got bigger and more creative over time.
Folio 8 takes a step away from the designs seen for the first seven releases and is based on a full colour advert. Each folio release comes with a hardback, illustrated book that contains a history of the Macallan and its advertisements. Each release comes in a book shaped presentation tin (a folio) and come with a USB stick with distillery photos.
All of the releases to 2025 have been official bottlings and do not feature an age statement or a vintage.
Macallan Archival Series Folio 1
“The Name Macallan Derives from the Celtic Ma Colum”
The first in the archival series, Folio 1, was released in 2015. This bottle was inspired by the first Macallan advert, featured on the back page of the Times newspaper on the 27th March 1980. The advert was a small black and white advert that explains the history behind the Macallan name.
Only 2000 Folio 1 bottles were released and purchase was only available from the distillery. This whisky has been matured in an ex-sherry cask and its tasting notes include vanilla, toffee, and dried fruits.
The Folio 1 retail price was £199 and its highest auction price to date is £9100, achieved in March 2021.
Macallan Archival Series Folio 2
“A Place Called Macallan”
2017 saw the release of the next in the archival series, Folio 2. Moving on from the name, tThe Folio 2 packaging features the home of Macallan, the Easter Elchies House. The label features a watercolour of the house created by artist Sara Midda. The advert featuring the Macallan estate proudly states that “it is a matter of fact that The Macallan is the best selling malt at home on Speyside”.
Like its predecessor, the Folio 2 was a limited bottling of 2000 and could only be purchased from the distillery. Its tasting notes include ginger, cinnamon, and orange.
The Folio 2 retail price was also £199 and its highest price at auction to date is £5500, achieved in February 2021.
Macallan Archival Series Folio 3
“The Snow Can Linger on Ben Rinnes”
The 3rd release in the archival series, Folio 3, was launched in 2018. This advert featured an illustration taken from a Victorian era Punch magazine and features two characters in the snow. This advert was to promote the idea that whisky is best made when it’s cold, a remark that Macallan claims was first said at the Easter Elchies House.
The Folio 3 release was the last to be distillery only purchase and coincided with the opening of the new distillery on site next to the Easter Elchies estate. Its tasting notes include vanilla, citrus, and some spice.
The retail price of Folio 3 was £199 and its highest recorded auction price to date is £4200, achieved in February 2021.
Macallan Archival Series Folio 4
“Music for the Mouth”
In 2019, Folio 4 joined the archival series. This newspaper advert featured a strathspey composed by James Scott Skinner. A strathspey is a dance tune written in 4/4 with an emphasis on certain beats, such as ‘Auld Lang Syne’ or ‘The Bonnie Banks O’ Loch Lomond’. This strathspey was written for Macallan and the advert claims that Skinner wrote it after being “moved to music by the lilting flavour and melting resonances of a tumbler of his favourite malt whisky”. This advert was the first instance of musical notation being displayed in a British newspaper.
The Macallan Folio 4 was the first edition in the archival series to be sold through ballot. The Folio 4 tasting notes include apple, sugared almonds, and spices.
The Folio 4 had a retail price of £250 and its highest price at auction to date is £3450, achieved in March 2021.
Macallan Archival Series Folio 5
“A Tale of A Luggy Bonnet”
The penultimate Folio to have been released so far is the Folio 5. The Folio 5 was released in 2020 and was inspired by the advert that featured a luggy bonnet, or deerstalker, with its ear covers tied together. The comic cartoon advert has a character lamenting that he missed an opportunity for a dram of Macallan because his ears were covered by his bonnet.
The Folio 5 was also sold through ballot and was extremely limited in keeping with the series so far. The Folio 5 tasting notes include dates, ginger, and raisin.
The retail price for Folio 5 was £250 and its highest recorded auction price to date is £1300, achieved in March 2021.
Macallan Archival Series Folio 6
“The Chairman”
The final Folio in the archival series to have been released so far is the Folio 6. This release features an advert that was inspired by Macallan’s former chairman, Allan Shiach, who would often give advert writers Holmes and Salaman somewhat unwelcome suggestions that were a point of contention. The Chairman on the Folio 6 can be seen dancing above a paintbrush and pen, the symbols of Holmes and Salaman.
Folio 6 was also sold through a ballot, suggesting that this may be the method Macallan are keeping for the archival series. Tasting notes for the Folio 6 include pear, chocolate, and orange.
The retail price of the Folio 6 was £250 and its highest recorded auction price to date is £1350, achieved in March 2021.
Macallan’s Folio 7 was released in 2023 and celebrates “The Boffins Baffled.”
Macallan Archival Series Folio 7
“The Boffins Baffled”
The 7th release in Macallan’s Archival series was released in 2023. It celebrates the advert known as “The Boffins Baffled,” where two scientists are carrying away a sleeping cask to “investigate” how Macallan’s special whisky is created.
This was a series of adverts created by Art Director David Holmes and Copy Writer Nick Salaman alongside illustrator Mary Hogan (Nee Roberts) based on a real event where a group of scientists visited The Macallan distillery. Its RRP on ballot was £350 plus shipping.
The Folio 8 was released in March 2025 and celebrates “The Colossus of Nose.” Photo: The Macallan
Macallan Archival Series Folio 8
“The Colossus Of Nose”
The latest addition to The Macallan’s Archival series was announced in March 2025 and has a slightly different look to its predecessors. This is the first in the series to feature a colour advert on the label and tin.
Folio 7 was once again released by ballot in the UK, although for the first time 250 bottles were available exclusively in the US. The RRP remained at £350 plus shipping, however in February 2025 bottles were already selling at auction for £1,200 before the UK ballot had even opened. Prices stabilized around £700, however in the context of a generally flat market, this latest released from Macallan shows its brand strength and the continuing demand for this iconic series.
What Is Your Whisky Worth
Do you want to know what your whisky is worth but don’t know where to start?
Use these guides to help you.
What Is Your Whisky Worth? – An in-depth look at the factors affecting your bottle’s value.
A Beginner’s Guide To Selling Whisky – Everything you need to get started selling your whisky including all the online selling options.
How To Sell Whisky Online – A guide to getting a valuations and selling your whisky.
Sell Your Whisky Today – A simple way to sell your whisky fast.
Macallan Specific Guides
The Complete Guide To Valuing Macallan Whisky – Selling Macallan? This is your starting point.
What Is Macallan Whisky Worth? – Unsure of your Macallan’s value? Begin here
