Macallan Introduces ‘The Anecdotes Of Ages Collection, A Collaboration With Artist Sir Peter Blake

Today the Macallan revealed its third art collaboration with British pop artist Sir Peter Blake: The Anecdotes of Ages Collection. The collection celebrates the legacy and history of Blake and The Macallan through 13 one-of-a-kind bottles, each filled with 1967 whiskey. 1967 was the year that Sir Peter Blake’s collage-style art transcended the art world into pop culture.

 If you think you’re not familiar with Blake, chances are you are, you just don’t realize it. Blake is perhaps best known for creating the sleeve design for the Beatles’ album Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. He also created the covers for two Who albums, and the Live Aid concert poster, amongst others.

He’s one of Britain’s most well-known pop artists, so much so that he was knighted at Buckingham Palace for his services to art back in 2002.

As for The Macallan, each individual bottle of the whisky has its own original piece of art on the label, making it not only a collectable bottle of whisky, but a collectable piece of art as well.

“I am deeply inspired by the incredible legacy of The Macallan, and its emphasis on family, tradition, and the natural world,” said Sir Peter Blake. “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 collection that is a celebration of art and whisky.”

Each of the 13 original Anecdotes of Ages bottles are hand-blown with an oak stopper, with the labels signed by Blake. They’re also presented in an oak case, which includes photography showcasing Blake’s journey with the Macallan. The box also comes with a leather-bound book showcasing all 13 artworks displayed on the bottles and a certificate of authenticity.

Next month, Sotheby’s will host a live auction where one of the 13 original bottles of The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection will be sold to raise funds to benefit the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. 

While 12 of the 13 bottles will be sold to the public, the 13th original bottle will be kept in The Macallan archive, a duplicate label will be sold on bottles of that same 1967 whisky at a somewhat more approachable price point, $83,000. Called The Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work Limited Edition, 322 of those bottles will be made available worldwide.

“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,” said Sarah Burgess, The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker. “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.”

Additionally, a special whisky inspired by The Macallan and Blake — An Estate, A Community and A Distillery — that bottle will be sold for $1,200 and will come displayed in a custom box inspired by Sir Peter Blake’s art, alongside a certificate outlining the art’s history and heritage, and Sir Peter Blake’s artwork printed on a scroll.

And if that whisky is a bit out of reach for you right now, you can still take part in the collaboration through a new The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Virtual Art Exhibit. The virtual exhibit allows guests to explore three galleries in a virtual 360 environment from the comfort of their computer at home. Virtual visits kick off in a Sir Peter Blake studio featuring the bottles. 

And finally, if you’re wondering what these new expressions taste like, here’s a rundown from teh distillery:

Anecdotes of Ages Collection: Down to Work Limited Edition

Color: Caramelized peach

Aroma: Classic antique oak, dried fruit and fig combined with hints of pineapple and mango layered with a decadent chocolate strawberry note.

Palate: Warm chocolate with light nutmeg and ginger, oak spices and sweet oak opening into pineapple and coconut with an unexpected strawberry and hazelnut burst

Finish: Complex with a medium to long finish of chocolate, sweet oak and lightly spiced peach

ABV: 46.7%

An Estate, A Community and A Distillery

Color: Cinnamon

Aroma: Rich in dried fruits and spices with a hint of orange and clove

Palate: Dried fruits with cracked black pepper and treacle, accents of vanilla and orange oil

Finish: A long, rich oak finish with cinnamon and cacao

ABV: 47.7%

If you’re interested in snagging one of the bottles, you can get more info on how to do so on The Macallan’s website.