Macallan has released yet another super-high-age single malt as a 77 year old whisky joins the ranks of the Macallan Red Collection.
The Red Collection was launched in 2020 with the release of 6 single malts (original retail price stated):
- The Macallan Red Collection 40 Years Old – £11,300
- The Macallan Red Collection 50 Years Old – £37,500
- The Macallan Red Collection 60 Years Old – £49,000
- The Macallan Red Collection 71 Years Old – £58.500
- The Macallan Red Collection 74 Years Old – £61,500
- The Macallan Red Collection 78 Years Old – £65,500
The Macallan Red Collection 77 Years Old was released at the end of 2022, available at selected retailers and airports around the world for $87,000 (~£70,852).
Image via The Macallan
The new addition to the collection retailed at a higher price than its 2020 counterparts, perhaps due to the popularity of the Red Collection on the secondary market, and the increased demand for new Macallan releases (Macallan have started releasing many bottles, such as the Macallan James Bond collection, via ballot due to overwhelming demand).
The 77 Year Old was distilled in 1945, the year that World War II finally came to an end, as did the reign of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. It was matured at the Macallan distillery for over seven decades before being bottled at 43.2% in 2022.
To celebrate the release of the 77 year old, a short animated film has been created depicting Sir Roderick Kemp, who owned Macallan from 1892 until his death in 1909, sampling Macallan whisky almost 120 years ago. The scene then transitions into a modern-day tasting and celebration at The Macallan Bar in the modern Macallan distillery.
Javi Aznarez was commissioned by the Macallan to create two illustrated sets of the original Macallan Red Collection, one of which sold at Sotheby’s auction in 2020 for an astonishing £756,400 despite a pre-sale estimate of £200,000.
Image via Sotheby’s
The addition of the 77 year old to the Macallan Red Collection implies an ongoing commitment by Macallan to keep extending this collection, as was speculated by Mark in our 2021 YouTube video The Macallan Red Collection – Everything you need to know Ep:13
So, what could be next for The Macallan Red Collection? Could we soon be seeing age statements start creeping into the 80s? That is certainly possible, seeing as Macallan has already released an 81 year old whisky into the market. If the gap between the two releases is anything to go by, then we could be waiting until the end of 2025 before another bottle hits the shelves.
