News

The Macallan and Bentley Motors give glimpse of The Macallan Horizon

22 August 2022 By Jessica Mason

The Macallan has collaborated with luxury automotive partner Bentley Motors to introduce a limited edition single malt whisky named The Macallan Horizon.

The collaborative bottling, which sees The Edrington Group’s The Macallan brand only hinting of the liquid inside, is set to be available from summer 2023 and showcases a horizontal design.

Speaking to db, the company revealed that the release pays homage to both brands “shared sustainability values” and uses “The Macallan’s six pillars” [the foundation stones of the brand that account for the flavour of its single malt whiskies] and, as such, The Macallan Horizon incorporates six upcycled, repurposed or ethically-sourced materials in its bottle design which are integral to The Macallan and Bentley Motors.

Among the materials are recycled copper from the disused spirit stills which were located within The Macallan’s former distillery, the product casing features aluminium recovered from the Bentley Motors manufacturing process; recycled wood; recyclable glass and locally sourced carbon neutral leather. The final component is a special single malt whisky that has been created by The Macallan master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell who developed the flavour following a visit to Bentley Motors in Crewe. The bottle design, which has no standing base, lays horizontally, encouraging the drinker to use a 180-degree twist to liberate the whisky bottle from its casing.

Jaume Ferras, global creative director for The Macallan, said: “Taking inspiration from the automotive industry, we are showcasing our creative vision and concept development of The Macallan Horizon, which is among the most unique projects we have embarked on in our almost 200-year history. Our collaboration with Bentley Motors and the knowledge exchange we have undertaken as a result has inspired us to see things very differently. In the spirits world, everything is upright, such as our stills and our bottles. When we looked at the horizontal direction pursued by Bentley Motors as part of the automotive industry, it made us consider if and how we could adapt this format for whisky, which ultimately requires to be poured.”

Bentley’s product and lifestyle design manager, Chris Cooke, explained: “Our prototype for The Macallan Horizon is truly pioneering in both its design and use of materials. It’s a fusion of the sharply defined yet curvaceous Bentley design DNA, The Macallan’s innovation and recycled materials from both iconic British brands. The form of the design has allowed us to almost treat light as another material in itself, and the interplay between light and the wood, aluminium and copper materials is extraordinary. In being both an object of beauty in itself and demonstrating such innovation, it’s a representation of what’s coming next from our partnership.”

The Macallan and Bentley Motors launched their global brand partnership in July 2021 and state that they have been united by sharing an ethos for craftsmanship, creativity, innovation and sustainability.

The companies revealed that details on the contents of the bottle along with pricing, ABV and availability of The Macallan Horizon single malt whisky will be shared in due course along with more information about the single malt whisky being housed inside the bottle, which is currently shrouded in secrecy.

Ferras added: “At The Macallan, we are experienced whisky-makers whose time and dedication are focused on crafting an exceptional single malt which can be enjoyed by consumers all around the world. The team at Bentley Motors on the other hand, are first and foremost designers, they operate in a material world where engineering meets art to create something beautiful.”