8 Collectable Macallan Whisky Bottles For Around £200 for Beginner Whisky Collectors
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8 Collectable Macallan Whisky Bottles For Around £200 for Beginner Whisky Collectors
The moment you realise that drinking whisky goes beyond sipping spirit from a tumbler is the moment you should start your first whisky bottles collection. As a beginner, you might have no idea which distillery deserves your attention. Or, perhaps you want to buy quality bottles without breaking the bank.
We’ve been there too and know the struggle. Luckily, we also know that you can’t go wrong with Macallan’s whisky.
One of the leading luxury distilleries in the world and one of the first legal distilleries in Scotland, Macallan is renowned for its premium whisky. Their spirit is made exclusively from the highest quality barley, yeast, and distilled water, then matured in American and European oak casks.
It is useless to deny it; such whisky doesn’t come cheap – at least typically. Because we’ve found these 7 collectible Macallan whisky bottles for around £200 that let you taste Macallen’s spirit at an affordable price tag.
1. Macallan Classic Cut 2017 – avg. price £300
The first in a series of annual releases, the Macallan Classic Cut 2017, is one of the best collectable whisky bottles for beginners. Not only it impresses with its indulgent character and satisfyingly long finish, but it also comes at a more than attractive price tag.
Responsible for the timeless character of this spirit is the maturation in exclusively hand-picked sherry casks that come directly from Jerez, Spain.
A predominant velvety caramel palate with punchy orange zest notes defines this whisky’s sweet and spicy character. The other three bottles in the collection, released in 2018, 2019, and 2020, are also ideal for beginners.
Update – since we posted the article the price has more than doubled and it will continue to rise since this is the first bottle in the series.
2. Macallan Enigma – avg. price £230
Created exclusively for Global Travel Retail, Enigma is the pinnacle of Macallan’s Quest collection. A rich and intense spirit that is fresh and vibrant at the same time. Slightly more expensive than the Classic Cut 2017, it makes a beautiful choice for the avid newbies who want the best whiskies on their shelves.
Like the Classic Cut 2017, Enigma is the first release in its series, offering a fruity nose and cinnamon, vanilla, and dried fruit taste notes. Macallan Enigma single malt whisky is rigorously matured in sherryseasoned European oak casks.
3. Macallan Ruby – avg. price £400
If you want to create a unique whisky collection with bottles you can hardly find on the market, you can’t go wrong with Ruby. Macallan’s 1824 Series’s pinnacle is the darkest single malt in its range, showing off an attractive dark amber colour.
Like Enigma, the Ruby is a whisky aged in European oak casks imported from Jerez, Spain, and presents a sweet, dried fruit nose.
The burnished wood element leaves a pleasant aftertaste, while the primary notes include raisin, herald orange, ginger, and nutmeg. Macallan recently discontinued Ruby’s production, so hurry up if you want to get a bottle at an affordable price tag.
4. Macallan Folio 5 – avg. price £1200
As its name suggests, the Folio 5 is the fifth release in The Archival Series, an exceptional whisky only a selected few will have the pleasure to drink. That is because only those who entered the distillery’s ballot will have the chance to buy a bottle.
Celebrating the distillery’s classic advertising campaigns carried out between the 70s and the 90s, Folio 5 is a dark amber whisky with rich aromas of fig and dates. Its taste has a sweet raisin character, while ginger and wood spice notes add the right punchiness to the palate.
Those who weren’t lucky enough to enter the ballot can still find the bottle on dedicated auction sites. Currently, Folio 5 sells for around £450 on auctions – a bit more than £200, but considering that Folio 1 now sells for over £4,000, we’d still call it a bargain.
5. Macallan Classic Cut 2018 and 2019 – avg. price £95
The second and third editions in the Classic Cut collection, these are two of the cheapest bottles you can get from Macallan. Obviously, they’re limited edition and more than collectable, with their retail price expected to go up in the next years. Similar to Classic Cut 2017, they are an excellent choice for newbies thanks to their sweet and perfectly balanced flavour.
Macallan Cut 2018 has an optimum strength of 51.2% AVB, light amber colour, and exceptional sweet vanilla, ginger, and nutmeg palate. Purchase is limited to one bottle per person, so undeniably one of the best collectible bottles for beginners.
Macallan Cut 2019 has a slightly punchier character, with a strength of 52.9% AVB and sweet ginger and orange zest palate with a lingering honey finish. Whether you decide to go for only one bottle or get all three whiskies in the selection, they make an excellent choice for a new collection or as a gift for a connoisseur.
6. Macallan Edition Series – avg. price £250
A collection developed to celebrate the distillery’s commitment to producing excellent spirits and to bring tribute to beautiful Scotland, the Edition Series comprises six notable releases, each dedicated to a particular element of the whisky-making process or to the area where Macallan sources its raw materials.
Each whisky in this collection displays a multi-sensory experience of taste and aroma, but they differ from one another.
Edition No.1 has a natural honey colour and a soft, lingering flavour that blends toffee notes with ginger and spices. This first release bottle is still collectible, but rather expensive. As a newbie, you can still delight your palate with the second and third releases, which sell for around £200, or you could opt for Edition No.5 or Edition No.6 if you don’t want to spend more than £100.
7. Macallan Concept 1 – avg. price £130
The first release in the Concept series, Concept 1 is a collectable Macallan whisky bottle under £200, ideal for beginner collectors and enthusiasts. Its artsy spirit pairs perfectly with the distillery’s intention of bringing homage to art, and not only because of the bottle and label design.
The golden amber colour matches the banana, citrus, and dried fruit nose. On the palate, the whisky presents a punchy character with fresh fruit, ginger, and sweet orange notes.
Like most Macallans, Concept 1 is a single malt whisky aged in sherry oak, and we expect its price to go up quickly once the series expands. In other words, we wouldn’t wait for too long before getting our hands on one of these bottles.
8. Macallan Folio 6 – ballot entry £270
The sixth release in The Archival Series, Folio 6, is one of the best collectable bottles for beginners recently launched by the distillery. Like its predecessor, Folio 5, this is a limited edition bottle that will only be made available for purchase to the fortunate whisky enthusiasts who win the ballot.
Promising volumes, Folio 6 presents a rich autumnal auburn colour and conquers with sweet aromas of poached pear, nutmeg, vanilla, orange, and ginger.
Its palate presents intense orange and sultana notes blended with hints of ginger and soft milk chocolate. A long, warm ginger finish and natural cask strength of 43% ABV make it perfect for beginners. Don’t miss your chance to enter the ballot and win the opportunity to buy a bottle.
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