The Macallan Adds A Coffee-Inspired Single Malt To Its Innovative Harmony Collection

As part of its ongoing release schedule for The Harmony Collection (which emphasises innovative whisky-making and sustainable packaging materials) The Macallan has finally launched ‘Inspired by Intense Arabica’ in the Aussie marketplace.

As the recent Harmony bottling’s name suggests, the ‘Intense Arabica’ explores the various sensory and thematic “synergies between the world of coffee and whisky”.

Available exclusively “at key airports and duty-free shops around the world”, it is a Speyside whisky of typical intensity for the famed Craigellachie distillery (i.e. 44% ABV) – crafted specifically to “[provide] an unexpected and playful way to pair together whisky and coffee”.

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Notably, the release’s top-to-bottom coffee profile doesn’t involve the use of any actual Arabica beans or pre-made cold brew to speak of. Rather, whisky maker Steven Bremner – who also worked on the conceptual, music-inspired Concept No. 2 release – enlisted five experts in the global coffee community in order to help The Macallan craft a compelling analogue in the world of dark spirits – and, crucially, one that would pair well with your preferred cup of joe.

Following an exhaustive study of the journey Arabica beans make from “field to cup”, Bremner and his panel of coffee masters decided on a mixture of European and American oak (both ex-sherry) in order to evoke the profile of a freshly pulled cup of espresso.

“To create this coffee-inspired edition of The Harmony Collection,” says Bremner, “I sought out intense notes in The Macallan’s traditional sherry-seasoned European oak casks, that would offer the rich satisfying elements of coffee”. Seasoned American oak was also added in order to further soften the whisky’s profile, creating “rounded” drinking experience.

In line with the aforementioned drive toward sustainability, the exterior packaging for ‘Intense Arabica’ is made with a range of waste material (i.e. coffee bean husks) that are organic byproducts of the coffee-making process.

Following ‘Rich Cacao’, this coffee-inspired edition marks the sophomore release in The Harmony Collection – originally launched by The Macallan in 2021.