The Macallan has launched another Scotch series, Nautica, consisting of two limited expressions inspired by the Atlantic Ocean.
It comes just weeks after the Speyside distillery launched Time : Space Sherry Cask, a limited-edition 20-year-old Scotch aged in sherry casks. What does Nautica have? A 20-year-old Scotch aged in sherry casks.
But despite the same age statement and limited nature, a few things separate it from Time : Space. The main one: this is a sherry-aged whisky finished in ex-bourbon casks.
Yes, finished in ex-bourbon casks. That is unusual. Ex-bourbon casks usually have a lighter impact on whisky and are better suited to long aging, while sherry casks are more influential and can make their mark in a short space of time. The normal formula is long ex-bourbon aging followed by a sherry finish – it’s standard practice for whisky makers.
The Macallan Nautica collection reverses that convention, giving the whisky a short spell to pick up the vanilla and tropical notes ex-bourbon can impart.
It has done the same with an older, rarer whisky, too. The collection also includes a 1987 vintage, which has taken the same maturation journey, although the length of its ex-bourbon finish isn’t stated. It’s 38 years old and bottled at 45.2% ABV, which isn’t cask strength but is likely close to it.
There are just 600 bottles, available from Macallan Boutiques, including the one at the distillery. The Macallan hasn’t confirmed a price, but based on similar bottles, expect to pay well over $10,000. A recent comparison would be Romantica, which was a 1986 vintage priced at $105,000 for a set of three.
But then age may not be the best indication of price. The 20 Year Old is bottled at 42% ABV and will be a travel retail exclusive at $800 (£593). That’s just over half the price of Time : Space ($1,480), which is also slightly stronger at 44.8%. Neither release has disclosed its bottle count, so beyond the order of the casks, the most visible difference between the two is the decanter.
What’s the Atlantic Ocean got to do with it, you ask? Well, The Macallan uses a lot of American and European oak to make its whisky, although admittedly not much of it is ex-bourbon. Ex-bourbon barrels must cross the Atlantic to reach Scotland before they can be used to age Scotch.
Silly question, really.
Euan Kennedy, lead whisky maker at The Macallan, said: “The Carta Nautica Collection is a celebration of journey and transformation. By bringing together casks shaped by different continents and climates, we have created a selection of whiskies that express both contrast and harmony. Each element has been carefully guided to reveal a character that is complex, balanced, and deeply connected to its origins.”
