The Macallan And Bentley Motors Teamed Up For A Luxurious Whisky

When two luxury business icons team up for something as consumer friendly as single malt whisky, the bar is raised. Fortunately, both The Macallan whisky distillers and Bentley Motors are accustomed to lofty expectations, a confidence expressed in their joint venture. Formed in 2021, the fruition of that partnership now comes in the form of a limited edition single malt whisky dubbed The Macallan Horizon, announced by a press release.

The whisky itself remains shrouded in mystery, to be revealed closer to the product release in summer 2023. Macallan master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell is behind the spirit's final creation, which Decanter reports has now been finished, though no details have been shared. But it's the concept, incorporated into the bottle and product design materials, that distinguishes this product. Global Creative Director for The Macallan, Jaume Ferras, calls The Macallan Horizon one of "the most unique projects" in the company's history, which spans two centuries of whisky making in the Speyside region of Scotland.

The noted horizontal design of The Macallan Horizon centers on materials encasing the whisky bottle. Representing the distinct "Six Pillars" foundation stones of The Macallan brand. Six primary upcycled materials, mainly sourced and adapted in Scotland and the United Kingdom, reflect both companies' joint commitment to sustainability, per the press release. The design incorporates recycled glass, oak wood from used casks, carbon-neutral leather, copper recycled from spirit stills at a former The Macallan distillery, and aluminum metals salvaged during the manufacture of Bentley Motors automobiles. The final 'pillar,' explains Decanter, is represented by the single malt whisky itself.

Conceptually, the materials form a contrast between traditional vertical bottle design and the horizontal forward movement of automobiles, thereby stretching boundaries of the seemingly disparate industries, explains The Macallan. The upright trajectory of stills and bottles, combined with the curvaceousness of Bentley automotive designs and the recycled materials create what Chris Cooke, head of design collaborations at Bentley, describes as an object born of beauty and innovation.

How that concept plays out in practical terms comes down to another avant-garde feature of The Macallan/Bentley collaboration: the glass bottle, which ultimately must pour the single malt whisky into glasses. The company press release describes the bottle as having "no standing base" and a 180-degree twist, representing how the two companies "[master] space and time" in their respective industries. We'll see in summer 2023 if the whisky is able to meet the lofty expectations laid out in the poetic press release.