Macallan and Bentley Unveil Limited Edition $50,000 Whisky

Macallan has partnered with the Bentley brand to co-create a limited edition $50,000 whisky, which was presented in a unique horizontal bottle.

It's been over a year since Macallan announced a partnership with the British luxury car manufacturer Bentley for a limited edition single malt whisky named "Horizon." Created in honor of the Macallan brand's 200th anniversary, this whisky was touted as the world's first horizontal single malt whisky. Well, the unusual decanter we saw back then was just a prototype. After nearly 20 months of waiting, these two companies have finally unveiled the real deal, Macallan Horizon, a limited edition Scotch whisky presented in a special horizontal vessel with a unique detail in the form of a twisted band. The exquisite bottle was designed and crafted in collaboration with the Bentley Motors brand.

Marrying common interests in innovation, craftsmanship, and creativity, the vessel pays homage to the Macallan Six Pillars concept by incorporating six materials, including a special glass container lined with aluminum tape "precision-engineered to Bentley's requirements" and housed in a sculpture of the finest chestnut-colored leather. Furthermore, recycled copper frame, oak wood insert, and Bentley veneered walnut surface complete the vessel. The sixth and final ingredient is the single malt Scotch whisky inside the vessel, created exclusively for Macallan Horizon.

Created to capture the essence of the Bentley brand through a "complex and bold flavor," the exclusive whisky was crafted by master Kirstin Campbell. To create the whisky, six empty oak casks soaked in sherry wine from reserves maturing on the Macallan Estate were selected. Each cask contributes its character to create an "unparalleled intensity of flavor, texture, and natural color."

"Macallan Horizon is the most complex and visionary whisky project Macallan has ever embarked on, and it required deep and ongoing exchanges of expertise with the team from Bentley Motors," said Geoff Kirk, Creative Director at Macallan. "Our collaboration with the Bentley brand and the knowledge exchange we've undertaken inspired us to look at things entirely differently. In the world of spirits, everything is vertical, like our stills and our bottles. When we looked at the horizontal plane occupied by Bentley grand tourers, we wondered if and how we could adapt this format for whisky, which ultimately must be poured and enjoyed."

Adrian Hallmark, President and CEO of the Bentley brand, added: "We've spent years working with the Macallan distillery through our partnership, dedicating time to crafting this incredible first joint product that represents the best of both brands. Focused on innovative materials that reflect our future orientation, the ultimate result—both the whisky and the vessel that contains it—are stunning and set a new standard for design, materials, and quality in this space."

Macallan Horizon is limited to just 700 bottles worldwide, each priced at $50,000. This makes it more expensive than a Tesla Model 3, but that's no surprise. The limited edition whisky is now available for purchase at Macallan brand boutiques and select retailers.