The distillery with its original name Invervallen lies in the hills north of the River Spey overlooking Aberlour. Founded in 1824 The Macallan is famous for its sherried whiskies. The name derives from an Irish monk who was born on January 21th, 978. The stills largely produce a non peated destilate which is matured in Oloroso Sherry casks (about 75%) and 25% in other sherry casks, hogsheads and Bourbon casks.

The Macallan was the first distillery to have contracts with bodegas in Andalusia to season their casks with Sherry. There are 16 traditional dunnage warehouses and 21 new racked warehouses on site (2008). In 2008 a further still house was renovated (now 21 stills) to increase the production which was in 2010 about 8.500.000 litres of spirit per year (2014: 9,8 million). The spirit stills are among the smallest in Scotland (4.000-3.500 litres) and are directly heated by gas. In 2010 the distillery sold abot 700.000 cases of malt around the world. It seems as if The Macallan has gained position No. 2 behind Glenfiddich and before its closest competitor The Glenlivet.

There is an ecxellent visitor centre and a super display about wood management. Different tours are offered.  Highly recommended for the whisky enthusiast.

Latest news in November 2013: „Edrington plans to invest over £100 million in The Macallan estate a move which must have been influenced by the continuing increase in global demand for the Speyside malt which in 2012 was the third best selling Scotch single malt whisky in the world with a 9.2% world market share...The project to construct the new distillery and visitor centre is still in the planning stages and subject to receiving planning consent but the plan is for work on the project to begin in autumn 2014 and it is due to be completed in spring 2017.“

There will be three new still houses with four wash stills and eight spirit stills each, there will aslo be a msh house with two mash tuns. It will be the largest malt distillery in Scotland with 16 million LPA.

Distillery Manager: Russell Anderson (from April 2012)

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