Macallan 50 Years Red Collection

In the 20th century, Macallan primarily served as a constituent malt in blends. The distillery shifted its focus to single malts during the market downturn of the 1980s. This change aligned with a growing interest in high-quality releases, like those licensed to Campbell, Hope & King and Gordon & MacPhail in the 1960s and 1970s. These releases remain highly collectible. The increased demand led to the opening of a new distillery in 2018, a subterranean architectural masterpiece within the Easter Elchies estate, featuring 36 copper pot stills.

Launched in October 2020, the 50-year-old Macallan is part of The Red Collection, which also includes 40, 60, 71, 74, and 78-year-old expressions—some of the oldest whisky ever bottled by the distillery. The color red holds special significance for Macallan. It references Alexander Reid, the founder, whose name means “the red one,” and the label’s design pays tribute to the earliest vintages bottled in the late 1970s. Allan Shiach marked these bottles with red ribbons in the 1980s.

Whisky Maker Kirsteen Campbell created this exceptional 50-year-old expression.