Macallan has always been proud of its “spiritual home”, Easter Elchies House, which sits at the centre of the Macallan Estate.
Imagery of the sandstone manor has adorned the packaging and labels of many of the distillery’s releases since the 1980s and has laterally replaced their Coat of Arms in the company’s branding. Therefore, it stands to reason that any expression named in honour of this pillar of Macallan-y-ness ought to be deservingly special.
If you were lucky enough to visit the distillery at just the right time between 2005 and 2007, you might have been able to snag yourself a bottle of Easter Elchies Seasonal Selection for what would now seem like a bargain. These popular releases were immediately followed in 2008 with the first of six elegantly presented single cask expressions also bearing the Easter Elchies name, and limited to just a few hundred bottles each.
Although the final release in this series was only a decade ago, these unadulterated, cask-strength Macallans highlight just how much the company has changed in a relatively short space of time. There have since been other expressions to carry the Easter Elchies moniker, but these have been global releases (albeit balloted ones) which have done away with the age-statements of their predecessors, upped the number of bottles available and, most significantly, the price. If there are future entries in the range, it seems unlikely they will match the quality and value for money of the original distillery releases (prove us wrong, Macallan), therefore, these wonderful whiskies now represent a fascinating piece of whisky history.
McTear’s is the longest-established auctioneer of whisky in the world. Entries are invited for this international auction. For a complimentary, no-obligation valuation, visit our Glasgow Galleries or contact our specialist on 0141 810 2880 or whisky@mctears.co.uk.
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