It’s a win-win situation. You get a bottle of top-line malt AND help the environment at the same time. Plus, you’re laying down the future barrels that The Macallan will harvest in the mists of time to provide future generations with more of the same.
The Macallan distillery on Speyside is offering individuals the chance to buy their own little piece of Scotland – an oak tree on the historic Macallan estate.
One thousand new oak saplings are being planted in the grounds of Easter Elchies House – the 17th century Jacobean manor at the heart of The Macallan Estate – as part of a major woodland regeneration programme involving more than 4000 indigenous trees.
Fans of The Macallan will be able to purchase a special package for £95 (plus postage + packaging), which includes their own oak sapling and a limited edition bottle of The Macallan, hand-labelled and numbered at the distillery. “The Macallan Woodland Estate” is a 12-year-old Sherry Oak expression, released in recognition of the very special role that oak plays in the maturation process.
Buyers will own a specific tree identified by a plaque, which will bear their name and the number of their bottle, with a certificate of ownership outlining where it is situated. Proceeds will be invested into continuing woodland regeneration.
The first oak was planted on Tuesday, November 15 at the Craigellachie distillery by estate manager Stuart MacKenzie and distillery manager, Alexander Tweedie. The pair toasted the launch of the scheme with a dram from the first “Woodland Estate” bottle.
Purchasers will be able to visit their own tree once the planting is complete and their names will be entered into a register to be held at the distillery. Interested parties can order their trees on a first come first served basis through the Macallan web site – www.themacallan.com - or by calling the Order Hotline on +44 (0)1642 864 985.
