Macallan collection sets new travel retail record

A collection of 19 bottles of The Macallan has been sold in Dubai duty free for US$361,000, surpassing the previous record by over US$200,000.

The 19-bottle vertical, spanning the 1937 to 1974 vintages of the famous single malt, was sold by luxury travel retail operator, Le Clos, at Dubai International airport.

Le Clos’ previous sales record was set in 2014 when a Chinese buyer purchased The Macallan Lalique series and other 50 year old malts for US$112,780.

Marek Sheridan, managing director of Le Clos, said: “We are delighted that buyers trust and choose Le Clos to purchase such wonderful and rare products like The Macallan. Our extensive range and ability to delight customers with world-class experiences is testament to our powerful collaborations with valued partners such as The Macallan and we look forward to sharing even greater successes as we expand the Le Clos footprint of outlets.”

Ken Grier, global brand director of The Macallan, added: “Our partnership with Le Clos has gone from strength to strength and this fantastic news is testament to this. They truly understand the value of The Macallan and those customers who seek highly collectable single malts. We are delighted to be part of their on-going success and look forward to continuing with this great relationship for the long term.”

The buyer was described as a “Dubai-based businessman” and he has also been invited to a private dinner at the distillery, courtesy of Le Clos and The Macallan, “to truly immerse himself in the provenance of the Fine and Rare Collection.”