The Macallan is famous for its sherry cask-matured whisky, one of the main defining characteristics of this popular Speyside distillery. Over the past few years, it has partnered with cooperages and bodegas in Jerez, Spain, including the acquisition of 50 percent of Grupo Estévez which owns the Valdespino bodega, allowing the distillery to have continuous access to casks—and to create its own special sherry blend with which to season them. This week Robb Report got exclusive news that the Macallan is partnering with Valdespino to release a new vermouth called Origen this October, and it was produced from the same custom-made sherry that seasons the distillery’s casks.
The specifics of the bespoke sherry blend used to season the Macallan‘s barrels are not revealed, but according to the distillery’s head of advocacy, Alex Robertson, the closest comparison of style would be oloroso. “[The sherry is] oxidized, and it’s about 18 percent ABV,” he told Robb Report. “However, it gives us the cask we need after 18 months, and for oloroso you’d need about two years to season the casks.” Normally, after used to season barrels the sherry is either distilled or turned into another product like sherry vinegar. But the Macallan’s new collaboration was designed specifically with cocktails in mind, based on what it considers to be the high quality of the sherry base.
“The label design is a combination between the Macallan and Valedestino,” said Robertson. “It’s an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the Macallan and classic cocktails, and it’ll go in whatever drink the Macallan goes in.” Just be one dry vermouth expression is being released, which Robertson says is similar to the bespoke sherry that’s created to season the Macallan casks. According to the brand, Moscatel is added to the vermouth to provide “fruity and citrus notes balanced with bright acidity, warm texture, and subtle bitterness,” resulting in a vermouth that can be mixed into cocktails or enjoyed on its own. “The majority of the vermouth is the seasoning, somewhere up to 70 percent,” said Robertson. “You then use a portion of oloroso and you macerate that with 11 botanicals, and add a portion of Moscatel at around 15 percent ABV—the two are married for about three months in a stainless steel vat.”
We did not get to sample Vermouth Origen yet, as it has not arrived here in the U.S. But the planned launch date is this coming winter with a suggested retail price of $23 (much cheaper than any bottle of the Macallan). If you want to stock up on Macallan whisky and start planning which cocktails you’re going to make, you can find the lineup available at websites like ReserveBar now.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker