Famous Scotch whiskey The Macallan launches edition at $4,200

An event in New York marked, on April 13, the launch of a new and exclusive edition of the most awarded scotch whiskey in the world, The Macallan. The theme of the new drink: the city itself. Its label: Distil Your World New York Limited Edition. The price: between US$4,200 and US$4,500 each of the only 1,000 bottles produced.

The famous distillery, installed in 1824 in the Scottish region of Speyside, is usually in the news for the countless awards it wins in a row (it even stopped participating in contests). Last year, it launched the world’s oldest whiskey, The Reach, made 81 years ago and since then kept in a single barrel in Jerez until bottled in 2021 (it costs US$125,000 a bottle, or around R$620,000). .

The “Distil Your World” program was launched to create special labels dedicated to a specific city or region. The drink is the result of a collaboration between the brand’s “whisky maker”, the Scottish Polly Logan, and the Roca brothers, from the restaurant already awarded as the number one in the world, the Spanish El Celler de Can Roca.

Previous editions have focused on Scotland, London and Jerez (where barrels for aging The Macallan come from). Now it’s New York’s turn, and the whole experience, like the previous ones, has become a documentary that can be watched on the brand’s YouTube channel.

The invitation-only launch at the Rainbow Room (traditional event space on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Center building) was accompanied by journalists from vehicles from various countries, the Sheet included. In three days, they followed some of the steps taken by the authors of this whiskey edition, who visited iconic places and people in the city.

As seen in the documentary, in search of evidence of the city’s art, creativity and vision of the future Joan Roca and Logan got to know the work of characters such as jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, graffiti artist Lady Pink, Guggenheim museum curator Megan Fontanella, stylist Daniel Silverstein.

From there, Logan created a single malt whiskey (i.e. from a single distillery) prepared with a blend of different years and different aging processes – for example, this edition was born from the combination of spirits aged in six different European oak barrels. and american.

The New York edition brings in the aroma notes of apple (already characteristic of The Macallan and appropriate to pay homage to the Big Apple), brittle (kind of foot of kid, peanut candy and caramel) and milk chocolate.

The flavor insists on roasted apples, raisins, chocolate with nuts, as well as citrus peaks that, for creators, refer to skyscrapers. “We look for quintessential New York flavors — like waffles, maple syrup, pecans — and street food,” says whiskey maker Logan.

To enjoy it, the Roca brothers designed a menu with flavors and dishes inspired by recipes and products that evoke the city. “New York’s originality is infinite, it would be impossible to portray it on one plate”, says Joan Roca; “That’s why we created a whole menu, complex and daring, with ideas that we explored for the first time”.

It includes dishes such as potato cronut with salsa brava, waffles with chicken pâté and cane syrup, oysters with pecan and vanilla, and cured and smoked steak – not to mention the big apple dessert (fruit-shaped caramel stuffed with applesauce). and milk chocolate).

But as is often the case with such special drinks, this edition of The Macallan will be little appreciated by the public: the very limited edition and the high price make these bottles collector’s items.

Even the menu designed by the Roca brothers should be enjoyed by few – a charity auction will select the lucky ones who will be able to go to Girona, in Catalonia, to taste the dishes along with the rare distillate.

It remains as a consolation to watch the 33-minute documentary, to at least follow (from afar) the genesis of the creative process.