I’ve long believed that great whisky is not merely a drink—it’s a time capsule, a story in a bottle. As a whisky connoisseur with a thirty-year private collection, I’ve come to understand that the history behind the best of these spirits is part of what makes them so special and worth our appreciation and reverence. Among those expressions, few hold the same gravity and historical significance as The Macallan Reach. This rare 81-year-old single malt Scotch, one of the oldest whiskies ever released on the market, is a symbol of resilience, tradition, and craftsmanship.
The Reach was distilled in 1940 during the early days of World War II, when global order was on the brink of chaos and the future of Scotch whisky – an increasingly important export to Scotland’s economy – was deeply uncertain. Just before the war forced Macallan to shut down production for several years, the batch was poured into a sherry cask where it remained untouched, aging, for over eight decades. Generations of Macallan craftspeople safeguarded the batch through wars, industrial revolutions, and monumental cultural transformations. When The Reach was unveiled in 2022 it wasn’t just a technical achievement, it was a testament to Macallan’s commitment to excellence and tradition, as well as the most authentic display of its dedication to the craft and those responsible for it.
The Reach is encased in a unique mouth-blown glass decanter cradled by a trio of sculpted bronze hands. Each of the hands symbolizes a different era of the distillery’s leadership: one hand represents the distillery’s workers in 1940, another the one-time chairman Allan Shiach, whose grandfather lead the company when the spirit was first consigned to its cask, and the third represents current master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell. The sleek glass decanter is entirely supported by the bronze hands, which hold it the way a champion athlete might triumphantly lift a trophy into the air with care. These hands know the remarkable achievement they present. Both in form and function there is no denying The Macallan Reach strives to acknowledge the historical origin of the spirit, and pay tribute to it, while reminding us that our past must inform our future. In fact, it’s by remembering our past that there is hope for a better future.
Like Scotland’s unwavering spirit during those challenging times, The Reach stands as proof that beating the odds can result in a better iteration of what came before. It’s not just about survival; it’s about being the best possible version.
As someone who has spent years building a curated whisky collection, including Macallan’s Time:Space, a beautifully conceptual artistic sculpture that explored the interweaving dimensions of aging and flavor, the acquisition of The Reach felt inevitable. Both expressions speak to Macallan’s devotion to storytelling through whisky, but The Reach carries a gravitas that is hard to match. It’s a conversation piece, a museum-worthy artifact.
Later this year, I will have the privilege of visiting The Macallan Estate in Speyside, Scotland—a visit that promises to deepen my appreciation for the distillery’s heritage. Walking the grounds where The Reach was born, seeing the casks that shelter tomorrow’s masterpieces, and meeting the people who carry on the legacy will, no doubt, enrich my relationship with the whisky I’ve come to admire. The Macallan’s new distillery is itself a work of art—modern and bold yet grounded in the traditions that gave rise to expressions like The Reach. I’m eager to see how past, present, and future coexist under its roof.
What continues to make The Reach relevant today is not merely its age or rarity. In an era of mass-market releases and rapid-turnaround distillations, a world where everything is designed to move faster, it serves as a reminder of the value of patience, integrity, and legacy. For younger whisky drinkers discovering Scotch for the first time, it provides a living history lesson: every drop tells a story shaped by global events, human perseverance, and natural forces. For collectors and connoisseurs, it raises the bar of what is possible when time, rather than speed, is the primary ingredient. The Reach affirms that whisky, at its highest level, is not simply distilled—it is composed over generations. Owning a bottle is not just a mark of prestige, but a stewardship of history.
