In a special global virtual launch this week, The Macallan unveiled the Anecdotes of Ages Collection, an art and whisky collaboration with globally renowned British pop artist, Sir Peter Blake.
The collaboration, which is The Macallan’s third with the iconic artist and is part of a relationship which has spanned more than three decades, celebrates The Macallan’s rich legacy and Sir Peter Blake’s remarkable contribution to the art world.
At the heart of the collection are 13 one-of-a-kind bottles of 1967 whisky, which have been matured for more than 50 years. The single malt Scotch was care-fully selected to represent the year that Sir Peter Blake’s signature collages transcended from art into popular culture.
Each bottle features original art
Each individual bottle features its own original Sir Peter Blake collage art on the label, detailing unique stories relating to The Macallan’s history, community, and the natural landscape of The Macallan Estate.
Pop artist Sir Peter Blake is renowned for his highly distinctive collages featuring images from popular culture and is best known for his signature crowd work.
The long relationship between The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake has now spanned more than 30 years. In 1986 he collaborated with The Macallan to create a bespoke label for The Macallan 1926 taking inspiration from the events of the era. In 2012 The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake collaborated again to create a unique, limited edition art piece in celebration of his 80th birthday and decades of collaborating with The Macallan.
Bottle auction to aid museum
As part of The Macallan’s support for the arts, one of the 13 Anecdotes of Ages bottles is being auctioned to raise funds to benefit the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Support from The Macallan will advance efforts underway at the Guggenheim to increase free access and develop engagement with a variety of audiences, in alignment with the museum’s diversity, equity, access, and inclusion initiatives. The sale is being conducted by Sotheby’s in March 2021.
Sir Peter Blake said: “I am deeply inspired by the incredible legacy of The Macallan, and its emphasis on family, tradition, and the natural world.
“Each collage in the Anecdotes of Ages Collection is inspired by The Macallan’s history and heritage, one that respects time and craft, two essential components of my own creative process. I meticulously worked on each collage, pulling from The Macallan Estate’s rich history to complete a col-lection that is a celebration of art and whisky.”
Sarah Burgess, Lead Whisky Maker at The Macallan, said: “This exceptional 1967 whisky was chosen for its classic yet distinctively colorful character, which is reminiscent of Sir Peter Blake’s work of the same year. With notes of oak and fig leading to a burst of hazelnut and strawberry, this is a truly special single malt that finishes with complex flavors of chocolate and lightly spiced peach. It is in many ways, its own work of art.”
Each of the 13 original bottles are hand-blown with an oak stop-per, and feature a label signed by Sir Peter Blake. Presented in a handcrafted European oak case incorporating thumbnail photography revealing Sir Peter Blake’s journey with The Macallan, the expressions are also accompanied by a leather-bound book showcasing all 13 label artworks and corresponding stories, as well as a certificate of authenticity.
While the 13th original bottle will be retained in The Macallan archive, a highly limited edition whisky featuring a duplicate label and the same rare 1967 whisky, will be released as The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work Limited Edition. Only 322 bottles will be available worldwide, from February. A limited quantity will be available in Global Travel Retail exclusively at The Macallan Boutiques from Q2 2021.
The Macallan will later release a further special single malt Scotch created to commemorate Sir Peter Blake’s visit to The Macallan Estate. An Estate, A Community and A Distillery is displayed in a custom box inspired by Sir Peter Blake’s art, alongside a certificate outlining the history and heritage on which the art was based, and Sir Peter Blake’s artwork printed on a scroll. This edition will be available in domestic markets globally from February and in The Macallan Boutiques and selected airports globally from Q2 2021.
The RRSP of The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work is US $65,000 / £50,000 /€55,000.
The RRSP of An Estate, A Community and A Distillery is US $1,000 / £750 / €840.
