The Macallan Rounds Out 200th Anniversary With a Sherry-Seasoned Homage to Spain

(Photos: The Macallan)

On Tuesday, The Macallan Scotch toasted its bicentennial with a nod to Jerez de la Frontera, a Spanish city located in the heart of the country’s “Sherry Triangle.”

A Night on Earth in Jerez is matured in a combination of European and American Sherry-seasoned oak casks said to impart flavors of pastry, almonds and rosemary. The brand says that the overall effect pays homage to “las doce uvas de la suerte,” a Spanish tradition of eating twelve grapes before midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Its the latest in an annual Night On Earth series preceded by “In Scotland” and “The Journey,” both of which featured flavors of sherry albeit in more subtle form.

“Jerez plays a crucial role in The Macallan’s past, but also present and future,” whisky maker Steven Bremner said in a news release. “As a whisky maker, having been able to tell part of that story through a whisky has been wonderfully rewarding. A combination of European and American Sherry-seasoned casks has enabled us to capture the flavours, traditions and María’s memories of New Year in Jerez de la Frontera, the home of Sherry wine.”

Packaging was designed in collaboration with Jerez native María Melero, who designed its red and blue colorway in the likeness of a vivid sunset descending upon a grape vineyard. An ornamental tile design, known within Spain as “azulejos,” lines the box with miniature renditions of casks, stills, vine leaves and oranges. The expression is bottled at 43% ABV and is now available for purchase at £110 ($143).

The Macallan has been dropping back-to-back releases since the beginning of this year to commemorate its 200th anniversary. A Night on Earth in Jerez is by far the least expensive of the bunch — but that’s not saying much.

The historic brand kicked off the festivities in January with the debut of a 73-year-old single malt that retailed at a suggested £77,000 ($97,505). The opulent release was bundled inside an 800-page book featuring illustrations from British artist Andrew Davidson, famous for bringing to life stories including “Harry Potter” and “Sherlock Holmes.”

If its first 200th-anniversary bottling was a look at antiquity, its subsequent releases were a full-throttle ride into futurism. The Macallan TIME: SPACE touched down in September at a retail price of $190,000. Its dual-chambered vessel, which vaguely resembles a cross between a donut and the Star Trek Enterprise, contained an 84-year-old scotch boasted as the distiller’s oldest to date. We had the chance to attend a launch event for this one that was decked out in enough luxury trappings to make our wallets shrink in fear. While we were there, we also spotted the brand’s recently inked collaboration with Bentley Motors: a $50,000 whisky contained inside a horizontal oak wood sculpture.

Other high-profile team-ups included an advertising campaign featuring “Doctor Who” alum David Tenant and a brand HQ dubbed The Macallan Villa built in the hills of Los Angeles.

The Macallan A Night on Earth in Perez Tasting Notes, Per the Brand

• Color: Naranja quemada (burnt orange)
• Nose: Honey-coated pestiños, sweet raisins, cinnamon, anise, rich oak & vibrant citrus
• Taste: Sweet Pastry, white grapes, honey-glazed almonds, vanilla, balanced spices, and hints of fresh rosemary
• Finish: Sweet, vibrant, and warming