The Macallan has unveiled The Tree of Life Collection, a pair of limited-edition single malts created in tribute to one of Scotland’s most influential designers, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The release continues the distillery’s long-standing engagement with the worlds of art, design and culture, this time drawing inspiration from Mackintosh’s connection to nature and his distinctive visual style.
The centrepiece of the collection is The Tree of Life by The Macallan, a 46-year-old single malt matured in two sherry-seasoned oak casks laid down in 1979. Just 112 decanters have been produced, each housed in a Lalique crystal vessel topped with a rose-inspired stopper, referencing Mackintosh’s stained-glass panel The Spirit of the Rose. The sculptural casing around the decanter nods to the artist’s signature metalwork seen in his architectural designs.
Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker, The Macallan, said: “This exceptional 46 Years Old single malt, selected to mark the age that Mackintosh reconnected with nature, offers a unique, vibrant and complex expression of The Macallan matured in sherry seasoned oak casks. Tropical fruits charred over smouldering peat embers are balanced with complex wood spice. Notes of antique oak are characteristic of higher aged expressions from The Macallan and evoke Mackintosh’s unique designs crafted from wood, in Scotland, many years ago.”
The whisky’s profile includes notes of charred tropical fruit, antique oak and soft spices, with a subtle thread of peat smoke. Its age reflects a significant moment in Mackintosh’s life – the year he left architecture behind to focus on painting and reconnect with the natural world.
Accompanying the release is Art is the Flower, a single malt named after a lecture given by Mackintosh in 1902. Matured in sherry-seasoned European oak, the whisky features flavours of fig, cherry, almond and polished oak. It takes its lead from Mackintosh’s stained-glass works and the organic forms that defined his interiors and artwork.
Stuart Robertson, Director of The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, who collaborated on the project, commented: “Mackintosh had a unique style that continues to influence artisans and global projects even today, and The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society was delighted to collaborate with The Macallan on this new collection – a true collaboration of art, whisky and poetry, inspired by The Spirit of the Rose.”
The Macallan Art is the Flower is a limited-edition release and will be available now for an RRP of $1,000 through invitation to purchase and select retailers across the US. For further information on purchasing The Tree of Life By The Macallan, contact ClientServices@TheMacallan.com.
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