Whisky might have made a name for itself due to its long tradition, but many distilleries continue to push whisky-making in different directions. The famed Scottish distillery Macallan is no exception with their production of whiskies that focus on a concept rather than an age statement.
The latest addition to the growing stable of whiskies released under this idea is the second edition of The Harmony Collection, specifically, The Macallan Harmony Collection Inspired by Intense Arabica. This is a line that is series driven by the brand’s inherent curiosity and its innovative and creative mindset and explores the distillery’s future packaging journey, with each release featuring distinctive packaging that incorporates organic by-products and gives them new life.
The Macallan Harmony Intense Arabica is the second whisky that celebrates the world of coffee, having been inspired by the Ethiopian Arabica coffee bean. The hybrid packaging was created using repurposed and recycled materials including coffee bean husks which would have otherwise been discarded.
Steven Bremner, Whisky Maker, and The Macallan, said: “Exploring the world of coffee with our masters in the industry, who shared their knowledge, creativity, and love for their art, was both an education and an inspiration. There are many parallels between the approach to creating incomparable whisky and coffee. Each requires unique skills and craftsmanship to achieve depth and complexity of taste and both worlds aim to deliver an extraordinary consumption experience.
Drawing inspiration from the Arabica coffee bean from Ethiopia, renowned as the birthplace of coffee, Steven selected a harmonious combination of American and European oak casks to achieve the distinctive notes offered by the single malts. Inspired by Intense Arabica is reminiscent of a sweet yet strong espresso coffee and has a higher ABV of 44 percent.
“To create the coffee-inspired second edition of The Harmony Collection, I sought out intense notes in The Macallan’s traditional sherry seasoned European oak casks that would offer the rich and satisfying elements of coffee, with the influence of sherry seasoned American oak casks adding sweeter and softer vanilla notes for a balanced and rounded experience,” he shared.
The result is a powerfully-aromatic whisky which lives up to the Intense name. It is redolent with notes of tiramisu and cappuccino on the nose, layered with gingerbread, raisins, almonds and vanilla. This extends to the palate which intensifies the coffee notes further, along with some dark fruit and nut notes. It finishes long with a bitter-sweet note reminiscent of a well-brewed espresso using high-quality beans.
Harmony Collection Inspired by Intense Arabica is now available on a limited release at premium liquor stores and online stores namely Thirst.ph, Boozy.ph, Singlemalt.ph, Flasked.ph, and Winery.ph with an SRP of P30,800 per bottle.
