Macallan Fine & Rare 49Y Vintage 1952 0,7L 50,80%

There are whiskies that are drunk. And then there are whiskies that tell the story of half a century. The Macallan Fine & Rare 49 Years Old Vintage 1952 is one of the rarest archive vintages from this iconic distillery – a liquid document of its time, matured for almost fifty years in a sherry oak cask.

The year 1952 – the world after the war, the world of the future

The year 1952 brought some momentous events: Albert Schweitzer won the Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Jonas Salk developed a vaccine against polio, and construction began on the first nuclear submarine. As the world entered a new era, whisky was quietly maturing in the barrels at Easter Elchies, to be bottled fifty years later as one of the rarest editions in the Fine & Rare collection.

Edition specifications:

• Age: 49 years (distilled in 1952, bottled in 2002)
• Cask type: Butt (Spanish oak sherry)
• Cask number: 627
• Total yield: 465 bottles
• Alcohol: 50.8%
• Color: Natural Color 22 – deep oak hue

Maturation in first-fill sherry casks has given this whisky extraordinary depth, complexity, and structure that can only be achieved through time and careful cask selection.

Tasting profile:

Aroma: Honey, lemon freshness, light peat, and delicate wood. Distinct floral notes add elegance and nobility.

Taste: Fuller than the aroma suggests. Dried fruit—especially raisins—dominates, accompanied by lingering peat smoke and a noble oak structure.

Finish: Long and layered. Molasses, caramel, cloves, and dried plums. A classic, perfectly matured expression of Spanish sherry oak.

Fine & Rare Collection:

Launched at the beginning of the 21st century, Fine & Rare collection is now considered the most extensive collection of vintage single malt whiskies in the world. Each vintage is a separate chapter in the history of the distillery and the era in which it was created.

The Macallan Fine & Rare 49 Years Old Vintage 1952 is not just a collector's item. It is a rare opportunity to taste the work of generations who have cared for the cask for almost half a century. Whiskies like this are not opened often – but when they are, time stands still.

The Macallan Distillers Ltd.

The Macallan Distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid, originally a teacher and barley grower, who leased land in Easter Elchies in 1819. The Macallan was one of the first Scottish distilleries to be officially licensed and has gradually built a reputation as one of the most prestigious single malt whisky brands in the world.

From the beginning, its character has been shaped by three key influences – Scotland, Spain, and North America. It is precisely this emphasis on the selection of raw materials and, above all, on maturation in carefully selected sherry casks from Spain that has become one of the pillars of this iconic brand's style. Merchant Roderick Kemp, who bought the distillery in 1892 and cemented its long-term association with sherry casks, also played an important role.

A legendary milestone was the 1926 cask, which was bottled after sixty years as The Macallan 1926 60 Years Old – one of the most sought-after whiskies of its time.

In 2018, the brand opened a new architecturally exceptional distillery designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, which combines modern technology with respect for the surrounding Speyside landscape. In 2024, the distillery celebrated 200 years since its founding – two centuries of craftsmanship, innovation, and exceptional quality that have defined the style of The Macallan.