Macallan 1979 18 Years Old

Macallan 1979 18 Years Old

$3,950 AUD

43% 700 ml

A legendary, highly collectible single malt Scotch whisky, this is a good example of the standard vintage release bottled in 1979.

Collectors prize 1970s and 1980s vintages for their distinct "old-style" profile and superior sherry influence; opinions are mixed on how much the high market value is driven by pure taste versus pure rarity and brand collectability.

Rich dark amber colour with heavy notes of sticky toffee, rum-soaked raisins, molasses, old-school funk, leather, and earthy truffles.

The Macallan 1979 18-Year-Old Sherry Cask, represents an era widely regarded as the golden age of sherried Macallan. Distilled in 1979 and matured for 18 years in sherry-seasoned oak casks, it embodies the rich, full-bodied style that established The Macallan’s global reputation, with the depth, balance, and character that serious collectors actively seek. Bottles from this period have become increasingly difficult to source, particularly in good condition, as they are often held in long-term private collections. This example is offered without the original box and comes from a private collector’s collection, presenting a rare opportunity to secure a piece of Macallan’s historic sherry cask legacy. 

 

This product is located in Australia.

 

Distillery

Macallan Distillery

This is the ne plus ultra in Speyside malt whiskies and has set a standard to which many aspire but few succeed.

Sadly, when Alfred Barnard visited the distillery in 1886 he was so unimpressed by it that he dismissed it in seven lines of what was a very heavy tome. Or perhaps he was simply shown the door in the mistaken belief that he was just another carpetbagger from the South! 

This was in sharp contrast to the warmth of the welcome I received when I retraced Barnard’s footsteps 100 years later to be the guest of two of Scotland’s whisky legends – Willie Phillips as managing director and Sandy Curle, the distiller-in- chief at Macallan since 1972. 

Despite Barnard’s neglect, Macallan has a rich history and much of it is recorded in some detail. It is also reflected in how the company has projected itself, not least by representing some of their excellent products against a suitable historic backdrop. Legitimate from 1824 onwards but almost certainly with a darker earlier history, Macallan is a wonderful fusion of tradition and modernity. The latter is reflected in the decision to build a completely new distillery, which went into production in 2017.  We all wait with baited breath to see if it will be a match for its forerunner and it will be a long wait given Macallan’s policy on maturation. However, there is plenty of maturing stock to ensure that interest in, and devotion to the Macallan make does not waiver in the meantime.

Other Macallan Whiskies