A storied Speyside distillery ushers in a new era

In the rarefied world of single malts, evolution occurs with a whisper rather than any pomp or pageantry. So it is with The Macallan, a historic distillery that’s known for playing the long game (it has, after all, been around for over two centuries). The world-renowned brand has recently made what might appear a bold visual statement — but in typically quiet, considered fashion.

Without altering a drop of its classic single malt, The Macallan has reimagined the presentation of its signature Timeless Collections. The result is a new aesthetic that speaks of heritage and modernity in the same breath, via a striking visual shift, but one that is resolutely grounded in the company’s distinctive identity.

Legendary graphic designer David Carson, a longtime creative partner of The Macallan, is the creative force behind the redesign. Carson has drawn on the brand’s rich legacy to compose a visual identity that is as complex and considered as the whisky itself. Each element of the new packaging has been designed with intention. Carson worked exclusively with tangible objects — paper, paint and elements from nature — to create each visual by hand, ensuring no two are the same.

The design is steeped in a deep sense of place. The bold architectural form of The Macallan’s Speyside Distillery served as central inspiration for Carson’s reinterpretation of the logo and pattern, while a new triangular shoulder label nods to the Sherry Triangle of southern Spain, where the distillery’s oak casks are seasoned.

Sherry serves as a common thread between each of the Timeless Collections. It is the Sherry Oak Collection, matured predominantly in sherry seasoned European oak casks, that is the archetypal expression of The Macallan: assertive and rich with dried fruits and spices — plus a long, contemplative finish.

But right across the Timeless Collections, each bottling continues to bear The Macallan hallmarks — depth, balance and a richly evocative flavour profile shaped by the distillery’s signature small stills.

The Double Cask Collection is a masterclass in duality, drawing from both American and European oak to create a warm, harmonious dram. Meanwhile, the Colour Collection, introduced as a global travel exclusive in 2023, offers a brighter, more citrus-led profile, with American oak providing a natural palette of golden hues and vanilla notes.

Those identities are reflected in Carson’s designs, which he describes as being “like whisky — all about balance”.

And therein lies the key to this new chapter. It honours the past without being beholden to it. Elegant, tactile and steeped in meaning, it is smart, sharp and unmistakably of its time.