Macallan Page 1 of 1

In 1924, Alexander Reid received a license for the Macallan distillery, but under a different name – life began as Elchies Distillery. Macallan is located near a ford across the River Spey, where originally there was a distillery from a local farm that was visited by cattle drovers crossing the ford. The distillery expanded at the end of the 19th century and was renamed Macallan-Glenlivet, with the Glenlivet suffix being dropped in 1980.

Since the 1950s, Macallan has grown significantly. In 1965, it doubled the number of its distilleries to 12, to 18 in 1974, and further increased it to 21 in 1975. This was due to high demand as Macallan became highly sought after. Old vintages are highly prized and valuable.

Roderick Kemp purchased the distillery in 1892 and established a family trust. In 1968, Macallan-Glenlivet was traded on the London Stock Exchange. Its name is a combination of Magh, which in Gaelic means fertile piece of land, and Ellan or Of St Fillan. St Fillan was an Irish monk who traveled through Scotland in the 8th century spreading Christianity.

In 1986, the Japanese company Suntory bought a quarter of the shares, and ten years later, they purchased the remaining shares of Highland Distillers, ending the Kemp family's interests. Macallan significantly utilizes sherry casks for aging its whisky. A very typical Speysider, Macallan recently acquired a range of fine oak casks Fine Oak, where bourbon aged, and the 18-year-old bourbon from this range received first place in Whisky Magazine's Best Whiskies in the World.