Macallan 1997 Exceptional Cask #5542-02 / 2019 Release

It may be hard to imagine today, but for much of the 20th century, Macallan was primarily a constituent malt in blends. It was not until the 1980s downturn in the market that the distillery decided to focus on its single malt brand. Fortuitously, this coincided with the crest of a wave of enthusiasm for the high quality releases that the distillery had licensed to Campbell, Hope & King and Gordon & MacPhail in the 1960s and 1970s. These remain some of the most collectible on the market. While global single malt sales volume is still lead by Speyside neighbours, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, Macallan is easily the most sought after. So much so in fact, that they had to open a brand new distillery in 2018, a subterranean architectural masterpiece within the Easter Elchies estate, boasting 36 copper pot stills.

This Macallan was distilled in April 1997 and matured in single European Oak sherry butt #ESB-5542/02. It was bottled in August 2019 as part of the distillery's Exceptional Cask series.

The 2019 Macallan Exceptional Casks were bottled mostly for the United States and parts of Asia. The range takes its name from a number of single cask bottlings Macallan released during the 1990s, which are often described as some of "the greatest Macallan of them all."

One of 581 bottles.