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The Macallan – more than a distiller

The Macallan distillery.
The Macallan distillery blends into the environment on Speyside.

In the heart of Speyside, The Macallan Estate spans 485 acres of countryside and has been the birthplace of every bottle of the eponymous drink since 1824.

The past two centuries have seen many changes for the estate and its whisky.

In 2018 The Macallan opened a new chapter in its history with the launch of a new distillery, designed by London-based architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

In order to promote sustainability, the modern new building is cut into the land.

Its grass-covered roof is designed to minimise the visual impact on the Speyside landscape.

Inside The Macallan Distillery looking onto vats.
The Macallan Distillery.

The estate welcomes more than 27,000 visitors every year and of these guests more than half travel from within Scotland and the rest of the UK (56%), with one-third (27%) coming from the US and 7% from Europe.

Hospitality destination

Inside the distillery – near Craigellachie – is The Macallan Bar, which has views of the surrounding hills.

It houses what the company describes as “the most comprehensive collection of The Macallan whiskies anywhere in the world, with a number of its rarest expressions found here.”

The bar also overlooks Easter Elchies House, the company’s historic home, which has appeared on every single bottle of The Macallan since 1824.

Visitors can also see a 59ft-high glass wall, comprised of 840 whisky bottles, which forms an archive of The Macallan’s liquid history.

Couple clinking The Macallan whisky glasses.
Elchies Brasserie.

In addition to The Macallan Bar is Elchies Brasserie, where guests can dine by the foot of the distiller’s small stills.

A kitchen team of five works under the leadership of head chef Pawel Sowa to curate seasonal menus using local ingredients.

Food and fine dining is not the first thing people think of when they plan their visit to The Macallan Estate.”

Pawel Sowa, head chef.

Mr Sowa who has worked on The Macallan Estate since early 2021, said he was “on a mission” to raise Speyside’s position as a must-visit culinary destination in the same way the region is already famous for its whisky.

He added: “As a place famous for its whisky, food and fine dining is not the first thing people think of when they plan their visit to The Macallan Estate, or indeed to Speyside.

But Scotland has such a rich, natural larder and we produce some of the highest quality meat, fish and natural ingredients found anywhere in the world.

The Macallan Estate Pawel Sowa.
The Macallan head chef Pawel Sowa.

Ghillie takes care of private fishing along the River Spey

As well as its chefs, the estate employs a further 48 people. Many of them joined the business from the local community.

Opportunities with the distiller range from whisky-makers to production operators who oversee The Macallan’s stills and those working with sherry-seasoned casks.

There is even a ghillie who takes care of private fishing on the River Spey, while other posts specialise in hospitality.

New generation

One of The Macallan hosts, Niamh Taylor, 20, is among the youngest members of the front-of-house team.

Originally from Keith, Ms Taylor has grown up around whisky.

There are several other members of her family in the industry, including her brother, Levi, who is an apprentice cooper.

The Macallan host Niamh Taylor.
Niamh Taylor, host at The Macallan.

As one of The Macallan hosts, she is responsible for finding accommodation for guests who travel from all parts of the world.

She is often the first person they meet and accompanies them throughout their day, leading tours of the distillery and taking guests through each tasting experience.

Ms Taylor did not know what she wanted to do when she left school.

She was originally placed on work experience with The Macallan Estate through the Career Ready partnership between Moray schools and local businesses.

It is my job to bring this story to life and immerse our guests in the world of The Macallan.”

Niamh Taylor, host.

“I’m from Speyside so there is a natural affiliation with the whisky industry, but I never appreciated all the work that goes into creating a single malt,” she said, adding: “It is my job to bring this story to life and immerse our guests in the world of The Macallan.

“We offer a full hospitality destination experience, rather than simply a tourism location and our process tour is only a component part of this.”

Her role with The Macallan is not limited to within the estate. She recently travelled to Vienna in Austria to host a tasting for the launch of The Macallan Harmony.

Closer to home, estate general manager Stuart Cassells is looking forward to a busy few months.

The Macallan Estate general manager Stuart Cassells
The Macallan Estate general manager Stuart Cassells

Since his appointment in 2019, a year after the distillery opened, he and his team have hosted multiple bespoke experiences and events.

Mr Cassells is always keen to highlight how young people can benefit from different types of career at the distillery.

We’re proud to play our role in creating quality opportunities.”

Stuart Cassells, estate general manager.

He said: “Moray Speyside has traditionally seen limited opportunities for young people to grow their careers in the hospitality sector.

“It’s encouraging to see this landscape changing at pace, and we’re proud to play our role in creating quality opportunities.

“As an example, Matthew Anderson, who was assistant food and beverage manager at The Macallan Estate until recently, has just moved into a new role as a brand ambassador for The Macallan in Dubai, as part of the global education team.”

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