Journey through time: The Macallan's 200-year voyage in a bottle

Some things in life are meant to be. For The Macallan's lead whisky maker, Euan Kennedy, his journey to the prestigious Scottish distillery seemed written in the stars. “I feel incredibly lucky to work for The Macallan ,” Kennedy says, with unmistakable pride. “I was always aware of the history, the status and the quality of the distillery, and the brand.”

With more than a decade in the industry, Kennedy's career has taken him, as he puts it, “all the way from the barley to the distilleries to the whisky.” Alongside a natural passion for single malt, his motivation and drive to be a central part of Scotland's national spirit was kindled through his love of travel. Leaving Scotland’s Speyside region, where The Macallan distillery has been based since 1824, and flying around the world, Kennedy realised that Scotch whisky was everywhere – from small bars in far-flung locales to on board Cathay Pacific aircraft. “It amazed me how people had embraced the culture and the flavour of Scotland.”

Bridging centuries in a bottle

Kennedy is now at the helm of one of The Macallan's most historically significant releases: the TIME : SPACE Collection , created to commemorate the distillery's bicentennial. The cornerstone is TIME : SPACE, which offers an unprecedented pairing – a bottle of 84-year-old whisky, the oldest release from The Macallan, alongside the first whisky from their new distillery, a 2018 vintage, in a separate bottle.

“The theme for our 200th anniversary was this idea of time travel and connecting the past and the present to the future,” Kennedy says. “Imagine 84 years of history in one bottle. Many pioneers of the distillery and the brand have looked after, nurtured and shaped these whiskies.”

What makes this collection extra special is the dramatic presentation. The two bottles are intertwined in a circular design: a larger bottle, containing the 84-year-old spirit, surrounds the five-year-old whisky from the new distillery. “This indicates our sense of confidence in the future,” says Kennedy, “combining past and future together as one.” This unique design allows the exceptional whiskies to form the heart of the piece, while the idea of time travel is brought to life stylistically in a retro-futuristic way. 

This circular vessel symbolises the continuity of life and the generational knowledge transfer that defines The Macallan. And for an added sense of theatre, 200 spikes – one for each year of the distillery's history – adorn the bottle. “Each spike represents a story, a moment in time,” Kennedy explains. “The product is all of these things coming together.”

Craftsmanship meets creativity

The second offering in the collection, TIME : SPACE Mastery, encapsulates two centuries of whisky-making expertise. Crafted from 14 exceptional cask types – including European and American oak sherry seasoned casks, bourbon casks and refill casks – it embodies the brand's dedication to complex maturation techniques.

When asked about his approach as a new generation whisky maker, Kennedy emphasises the balance between tradition and innovation. “At its core, the way we think about whisky making is very simple: we always want a strong sense of incomparable craftsmanship and creativity. 

“The craftsmanship will always be something that we remain true to, so we'll learn from those past masters and pioneers. But then, importantly, you have this sense of creativity as well.”

Kennedy’s philosophy permeates the TIME : SPACE collection, and it can be seen in the 2018 vintage that spent part of its maturation within the new distillery. “As well as housing the distillery, we have a small bespoke and unique warehouse,” Kennedy says, highlighting how this novel maturation environment contributes something new while maintaining The Macallan's essential character.

For The Macallan, turning 200 isn't about looking backwards but about honouring the continuity between the past and the future. It is a theme beautifully captured in the TIME : SPACE Collection's philosophy of connections across generations, craftsmanship and time itself.