Macallan will always have special place in my heart. My very first dram was not some horrible, undrinkable blend, but a Macallan 12 year old. It makes me wince to think about it, but back then, I still did terrible things like mix it with green tea. Fortunately, I’ve since grown out of that phase and actually started to appreciate this aqua vitae for what it is – a complex blend of aromas, flavours and textures, created by masterful craftmanship.
Since then, I’ve tasted a lot of Macallan, and the 18 Year Fine Oak (good luck getting that now) is a particular favourite. I’ve always felt that Macallans were remarkably well balanced, particularly between sherry and vanilla flavours. Often present are citrus, flowers, spice and a light chocolate taste- I treat the balance of these flavours as Macallan’s calling card.
So why bring this all up?
Well, I’ve recently had the pleasure of tasting a dram of The Macallan Masters of Photography V: Mario Testino Edition at its Singapore launch. While it does sound a bit like a movie, it is (surprise) a very beautiful whisky indeed.
Nose: Citrus, spice, vanilla, faint raisin.
Palate: Strong citrus and vanilla tastes at first- but wait, the flavours just keep on building on each other, lapping like waves slowly caressing a shore. Spice. Chocolate. A bit of fruitcake. Smooth as silk, with not even a hint of burn.
Finish: Citrus and raisins linger on the tongue just long enough to remind one of the exquisite whisky that was just tasted, but not long enough to outstay their welcome.
The finished product can only be described as liquid desire. Well balanced, complex, mature, exhibiting the qualities of a classic Macallan. I shouldn’t be surprised- word has it that it’s based on the Six Pillars that make up the foundation of Macallan: Spiritual Home, Curiously Small Stills, Finest Cut, Exceptional Oak Casks, Natural Colour and Peerless Spirit.
Only six casks out of a range of 200,000 were selected to represent each of the Six Pillars, and were blended to create this very limited edition whisky.
While the taste alone makes the Macallan Mario Testino Edition a whisky to remember, there’s quite a bit more to it. The title give it away; this is the fifth in The Macallan Master of Photography series, which invites iconic photographers such as Elliott Erwitt, Annie Leibovitz, Rankin and Albert Watso to blend whisky and photography in their own unique style.
Mario Testino, the fifth Master in the series, is no slouch either; the Peruvian photographer was the one who captured the iconic portrait of Princess Diana for Vanity Fair in 1997. Since then, he has been regularly engaged as photographer for the British Royal Family.
For his shoot in a former palace near the Forbidden City in Beijing, Mario Testino cast six visually distinct characters in the role of each of The Six Pillars.
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In a word: exquisite. You can almost imagine yourself there at the party, enjoying the good life. Personally, I really enjoy the tip of the hat to Chinese culture- even if it does feel it’s like trying a little too hard. It’s a nice reflection of how much the desire for scotch, and Macallan in particular, has grown in Asia.
Four editions, each featuring a different print, were released in individually numbered lacquered boxes. Each box contains an exclusive photo-archival booklet featuring a total of 20 photos, one bottle of the single malt whisky and six miniatures from each of the selected six casks stored in a secret hidden compartment.
While I believe strongly that packaging and marketing should never come at the expense of the whisky, in this case, there is no compromise at all. Everything about the The Macallan Masters of Photography V: Mario Testino Edition exudes quality.
Consider this a serious collectors’ item; there are only 4,000 bottles for sale worldwide, and each retails for a whopping S$4,500. While the average whisky fanatic might not be able to get his hands on this gem, there’s nothing to stop him from admiring the sheer beauty and production value.
And that’s what I’m going to do.
