Inside whisky-making in Scotland and how it is evolving

Set in Speyside Scotland the Macallan Estate is home to The Macallan the luxury single malt Scotch whisky brand founded in 1824 and among the first distilleries in the country to be legally licensed Here nearly two centuries of whiskymaking heritage come together with modern innovation across its distillery maturation warehouses and immersive visitor experiencesCalum McKay FampB Assistant Manager and whisky professional at the estate mdash who oversees the delivery of these luxury guest experiences including at the acclaimed TimeSpirit restaurant mdash was recently in India Originally from Aberdeen he also leads the curation of whisky and wine programmes reflecting the brandrsquos focus on craftsmanship and precisionldquoIndia has always been a destination Irsquove wanted to visit Irsquom a massive foodie I love culture and meeting people and I think those are the three things that really define this country Breakfast this morning was dosa and idlis and I really enjoyed it In Delhi where I was the last couple of days Irsquove had pretty much nonstop curries Butter chicken of courserdquo he saysldquoThe depth of flavour and the spices are incrediblerdquo he adds ldquoIn Scotland we do get spices but theyrsquore not native to our cuisine So to come somewhere where thatrsquos at the forefront is quite special Indian food back home is very toned down The heat of chilli tends to come through more but here you get far more complexity If I could take anything back with me it would be the food and the people Those are the two things Irsquoll miss mostrdquoRegarding the Timeless Collection McKay says the liquid hasnrsquot changed ldquoOur whiskymaking team continues exactly as before they werenrsquot even aware of when the packaging changed What wersquove done is refresh the visual identity Itrsquos about bringing the brand into the modern day making it cleaner more readable and more striking on the bar We worked with designer David Carson on this The idea is simple modern presentation same exceptional whisky At The Macallan wersquore always looking to improve One of our principles is being ldquoincomparablerdquo which means constantly evolving This refresh is about innovation looking ahead while staying true to who we areMcKay tells us luxury in whisky today is all about the experience and storytelling At The Macallan Estate everything from the boutique to the tours to dining is designed to immerse you ldquoLuxury isnrsquot just about having a dram itrsquos about understanding the story behind it Thatrsquos where the real value lies If you want to understand what makes The Macallan unique itrsquos our sherryseasoned casks It takes five years to produce just one cask We control every stage from sourcing oak in America and Spain to crafting the casks producing the sherry used to season them and even owning the vineyards That level of dedication is what defines usrdquo he saysAt the Macallan estate in Scotland the focus lies heavily on biodiversity and regenerative farmingIn a world where sustainability is often used as a buzzword it is central to what The Macallan does ldquoOne of our core pillars is the estate and we focus heavily on biodiversity and regenerative farming The goal is simple we want the estate to still be recognisable 200 years from now Itrsquos about preserving legacy while improving for the futurerdquoBoth whisky and food are complex and when paired thoughtfully they can work in harmony ldquoItrsquos about understanding flavour profiles mdash vanilla and citrus from American oak or spice and richness from European oak mdash and matching them to dishesrdquo he adds ldquoWe created a dish with three styles of halibut each paired with a different expression Citrus and vanilla notes with a lighter preparation Balanced richness with a confit version and deeper spiced notes with a barbecued preparation Each pairing worked beautifully itrsquos about alignmentrdquoWhile Mackay has not formally tried whisky and Indian food pairing yet he is impressed by the cocktail scene here especially how local flavours are being used For example a highball with cedarwood and Macallan Double Cask worked incredibly well with curries The freshness cuts through the richness while the spice complements it ldquoCinnamon ginger nutmeg mdash these are flavours we also find in our whiskies especially in the sherry oak range Therersquos a natural synergyrdquo he saysMacKay feels that what stands out in India is the excitement ldquoBartenders and consumers here are eager to experiment to learn and to elevaterdquo ldquoThe cocktail scene is exceptional Irsquod say some of the best in the world Therersquos real innovation happening and I think India will be a key market shaping the future of whiskyrdquo he signs offMisconceptions about whisky1 Therersquos no ldquorightrdquo way to drink whisky Itrsquos entirely personal2 Whisky doesnrsquot have to be drunk neat cocktails are just as valid3 People should feel free to experiment There are no rigid rules At the end of the day itrsquos about enjoying it your way