The Macallan and Bentley Debut the Macallan Horizon
Set for a global release in summer 2023, the bottle features a unique design that blends the heritage of The Macallan and Bentley Motors.
First announced in July 2021, the global partnership between The Macallan and Bentley Motors will see both historic brands develop products that are an amalgamation of their combined heritage. Focusing on the shared values of innovation, craftsmanship, and creativity, a prototype of this collaboration has been revealed and it is the Macallan Horizon.
The limited edition whisky sports a unique design with no standing base, which is a nod to the horizontal trajectory of the automotive world. Furthermore, the case features a 180-degree twist and represents the “mastery of space and time achieved by The Macallan and Bentley Motors”, as mentioned in the press release.
Besides its distinct outlook, the Macallan Horizon is also a homage to the distillery’s Six Pillars. These are the foundation stones of the brand that account for its exceptionality. The newly unveiled prototype is crafted from “six unique upcycled, repurposed or ethically sourced materials” and is integral to both brands.
Among the materials include recycled copper from the disused curiously small spirit stills that were part of The Macallan’s former distillery; aluminium recovered from the British marque’s manufacturing process; recycled wood; recyclable glass and locally sourced carbon neutral leather, also used in the Bentley Mulliner grand tourer that was released earlier.
Lastly, the Macallan Horizon is not complete without its whisky content. For this special collaboration, The Macallan Master Whisky Maker Kirsteen Campbell created a flavour profile reminiscent of her visit to Bentley Motors in Crewe. It was at the marque’s home ground that she got a glimpse of the shared passion for creativity, craftsmanship and innovation.
Speaking about the Macallan Horizon, Jaume Ferras, Global Creative Director for The Macallan, comments: “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.”
Chris Cooke, Bentley’s Product and Lifestyle Design Manager, further adds: “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.”
Information regarding pricing and availability of The Macallan Horizon single malt whisky will be shared closer to its release on themacallan.com and bentleymotors.com.
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