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In 1986, two journeys in The Macallan’s history began and ended in the same moment. One reached its conclusion when the sherry seasoned oak cask that would become The Macallan 1926 was bottled at the height of its maturation. At the same time, in a warehouse on The Macallan Estate, cask number 9925 was filled with new make spirit and laid down for maturation.
Those responsible for the new release have reflected on the timing. “This cask was never selected with a specific expectation at the time it was filled. Much like 1926, it began as part of the ongoing craft of whisky making at The Macallan,” Euan Kennedy, Lead Whisky Maker at The Macallan, explained. “But the fact that cask no. 9925 was filled in 1986, the year The Macallan 1926 was bottled, creates a meaningful connection between two moments in The Macallan story: as one legendary cask reached the apex of its journey, another began its own. That gives the Romantica Collection a powerful centenary resonance.”
A century after The Macallan 1926 was distilled, the contents of cask no. 9925 have been brought together as the Romantica Collection. The release does not attempt to recreate what came before. Instead, it continues the same spirit of care, patience and long-term thinking that defined the earlier whisky.
The liquid itself has spent almost four decades in a single sherry-seasoned European oak cask. When first tasted after this period, its brightness was most striking. “What stands out most is how bright and expressive it is for its age,” said Kennedy. “There is real depth and richness, but also a vividness that keeps the whisky feeling refined and alive. Each sip reveals layers of fruit, spice, oak and a subtle smokiness, all unfolding with great elegance, and that balance is what makes it so distinctive. It is also an incredibly evocative whisky – one that seems to connect you back to another era – and that emotional resonance is part of what makes it so special.”
This character owes much to the wood. European oak seasoned with sherry wine has long formed part of The Macallan’s DNA. In this case the cask has brought structure, richness and layered spice while allowing fruit and toffee notes to develop with unusual clarity. The balance achieved, with its depth and complexity alongside lift and finesse, gives the whisky a sense of completeness that continues to reveal itself over time.
Three artists who contributed to the original art for The Macallan 1926 have returned with new works. Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon each responded to one of three themes: Time Travel, Nature and Community. Sir Peter Blake’s collage, The Music Room, brings viewers inside Easter Elchies House in 1986, where guests gathered for the opening of The Macallan Octagon Room. Valerio Adami’s Romantica (1986) depicts Janet ‘Nettie’ Harbinson – custodian of The Macallan at the time the 1926 was distilled – standing in a bold red dress, set against a Scottish landscape. Michael Dillon’s The Macallan Estate shows the distillery almost hidden beneath its green roof, a structure designed in sympathy with the surrounding land.
The collection is described by Jaume Ferràs, Global Creative Director at The Macallan, as “a rare convergence of time, creativity and craftsmanship”. By returning to the legacy of The Macallan 1926 through the same three artists, the project allows new meaning to emerge from a whisky that has developed over decades.
The name “Romantica” was chosen to reflect the imaginative and emotional quality that runs through both the liquid and the artworks. “Romantica was chosen because it captures the emotional and imaginative spirit at the heart of the collection,” said Kennedy. “For us, the romantic quality of whisky lies in its ability to evoke emotion, memory and a sense of place and time; certain aromas, flavours and stories can transport you, and this cask does exactly that.”
The collection exists only as a complete set of three artist editions. In total, 258 bottles have been produced. “The collection was conceived as a complete artistic statement, so it was important that it be experienced as a trio,” Kennedy explained. “Each artist responds to a different theme, but together they create a fuller interpretation of the legacy of The Macallan 1926 and the journey of this 1986 cask. Presenting the release as a complete set preserves the sense of rarity and occasion around the collection.”
Those who acquire the Romantica Collection in Hong Kong and across the Greater Bay Area encounter something that combines material scarcity with a coherent story. Local consumers have a strong appreciation for pieces that combine rarity with cultural meaning, and that is exactly where Romantica has resonance, according to the Whisky Mastery Team.
“The artistic collaboration gives the collection emotional depth and contemporary relevance, while the connection to The Macallan 1926 brings a heritage story with genuine credibility. For these collectors, the appeal is not simply ownership of something rare, but ownership of something with such a story and lasting significance. And importantly, collecting and consumption are not mutually exclusive. For many collectors, the pleasure comes from both curating exceptional bottles and opening them at the right point of time,” said Kennedy.
“From the moment cask no. 9925 was laid down in 1986, it became part of a legacy that began with The Macallan 1926 and continues today. Over decades of slumber, the whisky developed with extraordinary grace, acquiring a luminous character of fruits, spice and rich oak. To see this expression now paired with new artworks from the three artists feels deeply moving. Their interpretations mirror the whisky’s own layered, imaginative character, one shaped by time,” said Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan.
Each bottle rests in a wooden presentation box crafted from European oak. A numbered certificate signed by Master Whisky Maker Kirsteen Campbell, a collection booklet and a limited-edition giclée print accompany the liquid.
The meticulous attention given to every element lives up to the same standards applied during the whisky’s almost four decades of maturation. The Macallan Romantica Collection marks a century since the 1926 through continuation. Laid down in the same year the earlier whisky was bottled, this expression carries those values forward. The Macallan 1926 remains a benchmark. A century of decisions made with restraint connects the two.
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