TIME IN A BOTTLE

Fine Dining | Wine | Spirits

TIME IN A BOTTLE

An extraordinary art and whisky collaboration results in a limited-edition collection that is one for the ages.

| BY ERIN ZILIS / PHOTOS BY MARY MCCARTNEY |

The Macallan, known for its single-malt whiskies, has recently partnered with the godfather of British pop art, Sir Peter Blake, for their third collaboration: the Anecdotes of Ages Collection. The limited-release whisky and art collection of 13 one-of-a-kind bottles of exceptional 1967 whisky “was chosen for its classic yet distinctively colorful character, which is reminiscent of Sir Peter Blake’s work of the same year,” says Sarah Burgess, lead whisky maker at The Macallan. “With notes of oak and fig leading to a burst of hazelnut and strawberry, this is a truly special single malt that finishes with complex flavors of chocolate and lightly spiced peach.”

One of the bottles, The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work Limited Edition, features distinct artwork in the artist’s unique style that tells a story reflecting a milestone in the history of The Macallan: a time when the decision was made to continue using sherry seasoned oak casks in the face of pressure to compromise. On this label, Blake chronicles that time and honors the history of the workers who devoted their lifelong efforts to whisky making.

The outer box was modeled on Blake’s own art supply box. A removable panel reveals a thumbnail photography collage documenting the artist’s journey with The Macallan for the creation of the collection. A sliding drawer features Blake’s signature laser etched into the oak. Within is a leather-bound book revealing the 13 unique stories behind the full Anecdotes of Ages Collection.

“For The Macallan, the past is an integral part of our brand,” says The Macallan Master Whisky Maker Kirsteen Campbell. “It has shaped our signature flavor of the whiskies we make today and will do into the future,”

The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work Limited Edition is available globally for $83,000. (themacallan.com)

The Macallan’s collaboration with pop artist Sir Peter Blake (known for co creating the sleeve design for the Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”) began in 1986 when he designed a label for a set of a dozen 1926 60-year-old single malts. His signature style is now represented on The Anecdotes of Ages Collection—with 13 unique bottle labels that showcase the company’s history, community, and the natural landscape of The Macallan Estate.

In a perfect partnership, the collection has been captured by the lens of British photographer Mary McCartney, Paul and Linda McCartney’s daughter. Each bottle of this 1967 single malt whisky is adorned by a Sir Peter Blake designed collage style label and shot by McCartney on The Macallan Estate in locations representative of the anecdote they depict.

The 1967 whisky was chosen for its classic yet distinctly colorful character, representative of Sir Peter Blake’s unique character and the year that his collage style transcended the art world into pop culture. McCartney’s photographs display the bottle in settings that reminds us of the everyday work and persistent dedication that goes into creating The Macallan’s single malts.