When it comes to news-making scotch, The Macallan is never far behind in making headlines with its offerings. Whether it’s for creating the largest bottle of whiskey in the world or selling the most expensive bottle in an auction in 2019, you can safely bet that The Macallan is always involved.
This time, the whiskey makers have announced a collaboration that has baffled even the most ardent enthusiast. The Macallan and Bentley Motors are coming together for a scotch collaboration.
The Macallan Horizon, as the scotch is called, is a “highly innovative limited edition single malt whiskey in development by the brands,” reads a statement.
It’s clear that The Macallan will be in charge of what goes inside the bottle, while Bentley would be designing the outer packaging, as is their expertise as one of the most luxurious and expensive car manufacturers in the world.
The packaging in question “defies the traditional vertical aesthetic of a whisky bottle and reflects the horizontal trajectory of the automotive world.” In case that was a little too wordy for you, they mean that the bottle is horizontal in design and the whiskey is meant to be stored on its side, as opposed to the usual way of it standing upright.
In a feat that the brands are calling a “mastery of space and time”, the bottle has been designed in a way that would not require a cork. Besides this, the bottle cannot have a traditional design, as it could roll off when placed on its side. This is why it features a unique 180-degree twist that enables it to be displayed horizontally.
“In the spirits world, everything is upright, such as our stills and our bottles,” said Jaume Ferras, The Macallan’s Global Creative Director, “When we looked at the horizontal direction pursued by Bentley Motors as part of the automotive industry, it made us consider if and how we could adapt this format for whisky, which ultimately requires to be poured.”
The Macallan Horizon has been created using materials that are significant to both the brands, including repurposed wood from The Macallan and Bentley, repurposed copper (mostly from The Macallan copper stills), aluminium recovered from the Bentley manufacturing process, and ethically-sourced leather from local Scottish supplier Bridge of Weir (known for their “fine automotive leather”)
“Our prototype for The Macallan Horizon is truly pioneering in both its design and use of materials,” said Chris Cooke, Bentley’s head of design collaborations, in a statement, “It’s a fusion of the sharply defined yet curvaceous Bentley design DNA, The Macallan’s innovation, and recycled materials from both iconic British brands. The form of the design has allowed us to almost treat light as another material in itself, and the interplay between light and the wood, aluminium and copper materials is extraordinary.”
Aside from the innovative design, not much is known about the collaboration, including what the whiskey inside would be like.
The Macallan Master Whiskey Maker Kirsteen Campbell developed the flavour profile of the “very special single malt whiskey” after a visit to Bentley Motors where she “observed first hand their shared passion for creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation.”
The Macallan Horizon is slated to be available in the Summer of 2023 and the price of the bottle will also be revealed closer to that date.
