The Macallan is marking its 200th year with a range of super-premium whiskies in celebration of what brand owner Edrington describes as “the brand’s interpretation of time travel”.
The liquids, from the new TIME : SPACE Collection, are available in global travel retail at select high-profile airports, supported by a major launch campaign.
The first whisky is TIME : SPACE, a dual-chamber vessel that includes the oldest whisky released by The Macallan at 84 Years Old, as well as a second single malt which is the first released from the brand’s new distillery (2018).
Only 200 vessels of the product, one for each year of The Macallan’s history, are available.
Notably, the vessel for TIME : SPACE has been designed with two chambers to hold each of the whiskies, with the 1940 vintage (43.6% ABV) housed in the outer chamber. The two casks used for this expression were a first-fill American oak butt and second-fill European oak butt, both seasoned with sherry in Jerez de la Frontera and matured in Speyside, Scotland.
The second release, TIME : SPACE Mastery, is a unique single malt which brand owner Edrington noted takes its inspiration from past whisky masters and the variety of 14 different cask types available. This, it added, created “layers of complexity with incredible depth of aroma, texture and flavour”.
With whisky drawn from the breadth of The Macallan’s inventory, the expression has distinct influences from European oak sherry-seasoned casks, American oak sherry-seasoned casks, American oak bourbon casks and the finest refill casks.
The liquid is housed in a specially crafted circular vessel, which Edrington said “symbolises the circle of life and the ongoing journey from the past to the future”.
The Macallan’s TIME : SPACE Mastery is available to purchase in global travel retail at The Macallan Boutiques, shop-in-shops and pop-ups, subject to availability and locations.
The release of the TIME : SPACE Collection is accompanied by a global experiential campaign, leading with two films that take audiences on a journey through a “spiky” world where time flows and nature protects what is most precious, in the words of Edrington.
The films follow two distinct stories, both highlighting The Macallan’s “intrinsic connection” to nature through different characters, animals and plants.
The visual language of this spiky world has been translated into a stunning pop-up design being rolled out at eight major airport locations, including Guangzhou Baiyun International, Los Angeles International, London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Shanghai Pudong, Hamad International, John F. Kennedy International and Singapore Changi.
Central to the pop-up is an immersive virtual-reality experience – The Heart of the Spirit – which is delivered through a headset. The concept features poetry and illustrations by award-winning Scottish novelist Jenni Fagan and renowned Spanish artist Javi Aznarez.
The activation is further enriched through an augmented-reality touchpoint, which allows guests to access a wealth of information and storytelling through their own devices, while also encouraging sign-ups to The Macallan Society.
The TIME : SPACE pop-ups also feature a ‘Discover Your Expression’ tool with touchscreen technology, matching shoppers’ personal preferences and tastes to different The Macallan bottlings.
An extensive OOH display advertising programme is being executed at six airports (Singapore Changi, London Heathrow, Hong Kong International, Dubai International, Los Angeles International and Shanghai Pudong) to raise awareness and drive activation footfall.
Edrington Regional Managing Director – Global Travel Retail Jeremy Speirs commented: “For launches as captivating and ambitious as The Macallan TIME : SPACE collection, global travel retail is the perfect platform for engaging with global consumers and telling the stories that lie behind these products.
“Through a strong pop-up programme and a widespread media campaign, we’re looking to leverage the rich content and create lasting impressions with shoppers in our channel, while continuing to elevate The Macallan’s positioning.” ✈
