The Macallan Distillery: History, Owner, Range and Visitor Guide
Updated: 2 days ago
The Macallan is one of the best known names in Scotch whisky, made on the Easter Elchies estate above the River Spey near Craigellachie. It holds the record price for a bottle at auction. This guide covers its history, owners, people, range and the distillery opened in 2018.
In this guide
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The Macallan at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified information |
|---|---|
Location | Easter Elchies estate, Craigellachie, Speyside |
Established | 1824, Alexander Reid |
Owner | Edrington |
Region | Speyside, Scotland |
Principal single malt range | The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old; The Macallan Double Cask 15 Years Old; The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old 2026 Release; The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old |
Visiting | Visitor experiences require booking; verify times and availability directly |
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The Macallan history, people and production
The Macallan is one of the best known names in Scotch whisky, made on the Easter Elchies estate above the River Spey near Craigellachie. It holds the record price for a bottle at auction. This guide covers its history, owners, people, range and the distillery opened in 2018.
The history of The Macallan
1824: Alexander Reid
The Macallan was founded by Alexander Reid, a barley farmer and schoolteacher. The distillery says the area was once called Maghellan, from the Gaelic magh meaning fertile ground and Ellan from the monk St Fillan, who was linked to a church on the estate until 1400. Farmers had made whisky in the area for centuries. The Macallan was one of the first distillers in Scotland to be legally licensed.
Roderick Kemp and the twentieth century
Roderick Kemp, an Elgin businessman who had previously co-owned Talisker according to The Single Cask, bought the distillery in 1892. Wikipedia notes its first large copper pot still arrived the same year. In the 1930s the distillery began ageing its whiskies for longer. Highland Distillers took full control in 1996 and Edrington acquired Highland Distillers in 1999. The official timeline also marks 1926, 1977 and 1992 as milestones, but its descriptions did not load, so they are not described here.
2018: the new distillery
A new distillery and visitor experience costing 140 million pounds opened in 2018 on the Easter Elchies estate. It won the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland award in 2019 and was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize. Excavations before the build by AOC Archaeology in 2014 found traces of settlement on the site from the Bronze Age onward.
Owners over time
1824: Alexander Reid
1892: Roderick Kemp, with the family trust controlling it for much of the next century
1996: Highland Distillers
1999 onwards: Edrington
How The Macallan is made
The distillery says up to 80 percent of final character and flavour is determined by cask quality
All colour comes from the wood, with no added colouring according to the distillery
Oak is sourced in northern Spain, air dried, then seasoned for 18 months with sherry before being filled in Scotland, according to the distillery
The 24 spirit stills each hold roughly 3,900 litres, according to The Single Cask
The Macallan whisky expressions compared
These distillery expressions have been documented in producer catalogues or specialist sources. Limited editions, vintages and market strengths are not interchangeable. Whisky Clan has not independently tasted or rated every bottle in this table.
Named whisky expression | Age | Listed ABV | Maturation / release |
|---|---|---|---|
The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old | 12 years | 40% | European and American oak, sherry-seasoned in Jerez |
The Macallan Double Cask 15 Years Old | 15 years | 43% | European and American sherry-seasoned oak casks |
The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old 2026 Release | 18 years | 43% | American and European oak with sherry seasoning |
The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old | 12 years | 40% | Predominantly European oak sherry-seasoned casks |
The Macallan featured whisky bottle
An example of a named distillery bottling. Label and packaging can change between releases and markets.
How does The Macallan whisky taste?
The distillery's reported character is influenced by its stills, fermentation, oak and age. Exact nose, palate and finish notes depend on the named bottle, age and cask; consult the official source for the release before treating a style description as an individual tasting review.
Limited bottles, awards and collector information
Limited editions, festival bottlings and older single casks can appear under the same distillery name. The bottle table distinguishes established expressions from historic or less widely available releases. Award claims should always be tied to a named expression, competition and year; none are implied for the entire range here.
Where to buy The Macallan whisky
Availability, pricing, bottle formats and distribution vary between the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Europe. The official catalogue linked below is the best starting point for identifying a whisky, but no live retailer stock is guaranteed.
Visiting The Macallan Distillery
Visitor experiences require booking; verify times and availability directly.
More Speyside distillery guides
Explore the styles and histories of other distilleries we've covered at Whisky Clan.
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Balvenie: Explore its whisky heritage, production and expressions
Mortlach: Explore its whisky heritage, production and expressions
Glendullan: Explore its whisky heritage, production and expressions
Dufftown: Explore its whisky heritage, production and expressions
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More distilleries in Speyside Scotland
Read about other producers in this region.
Frequently asked questions about The Macallan
Where is The Macallan made?
On the Easter Elchies estate near Craigellachie in Moray, Speyside.
When was it founded?
1824, by Alexander Reid.
Who owns it?
36: 12 wash stills and 24 spirit stills.
How many stills does it have?
36: 12 wash stills and 24 spirit stills.
What is the most expensive Macallan sold?
A 1926 bottle sold at auction in November 2023 for around 2.1 million pounds.
Sources and image credits
Image of The Macallan Distillery. Photo: Anne Burgess / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0). Image source · Licence
Featured photograph: New Macallan Distillery and visitor centre photograph by יאיר צפורי, 18 May 2019; CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped for the cover.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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