Inside The Macallan’s 360° Vision of time, taste and craftsmanship with lead whisky maker Euan Kennedy
During The Macallan’s 360° experience in Hong Kong, lead whisky maker Euan Kennedy offered a rare glimpse into the meticulous process behind the brand’s most iconic whiskies. As guests journeyed through the sensory pop-up, Kennedy discussed how time, craftsmanship and the quiet dialogue between wood, spirit and nature influenced The Macallan’s rich legacy. In this interview, he explained how patience—and a touch of imperfection—were key to creating the brand’s most refined expressions.
The 360° experience, held at Pacific Place in October, invited whisky lovers and connoisseurs to step into The Macallan's world. The cinematic walkthrough guided visitors through a sequence of environments: barley fields leading into vineyards, a corridor filled with the scent of sherry, and a glowing cask gallery that illuminated the golden hues of The Macallan’s whiskies. The experience was a sensory journey that perfectly mirrored the brand’s philosophy, a dedication to the passage of time, craftsmanship, and balance.
For Kennedy, the experience was about more than just showcasing the brand’s whisky; it was an opportunity to dive deeper into the elements that make The Macallan so unique. “We’ve evolved the design and packaging,” he said, referring to the newly unveiled Timeless Collections, “but the whisky remains unchanged. It's elegant, balanced, unmistakably The Macallan.”
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Visitors entered a cinematic walkthrough of The Macallan’s world, from barley fields and sherry-seasoned oak to a glowing cask gallery
The pop-up at Pacific Place marked the debut of The Macallan’s refreshed Timeless Collections and new visual identity designed by David Carson
Kennedy, who became The Macallan’s lead whisky maker in 2022, explained how his own background in both chemistry and artistry helps shape the brand’s approach to whisky-making. “It’s about layering,” he said. “Just as David Carson’s design reflects layers, I seek the same complexity in whisky-making. Whether it’s the dried fruits, the spices, or the oak, every element adds to the depth and balance of the final product.”
One of the fundamental pillars of The Macallan’s approach is balance, a theme that resonated throughout Kennedy’s interview. He discussed the delicate equilibrium between the brand’s key elements: sherry, oak, and time. “You can’t have one without the other,” he noted. “In some whiskies, time might take the lead; in others, it’s the sherry or the oak. But balance is everything.”
At the heart of the experience was the opportunity to explore The Macallan’s century-old relationship with Jerez in southern Spain, where the company sources the sherry and oak that define its whiskies. Kennedy elaborated on the importance of this connection: “With our acquisition of Valdespino, we can now influence every step of the process. From the forest, to the oak, to the seasoning, and the sherry. It’s not about control; it’s about understanding how everything connects to create the best whisky possible.”
The Macallan Timeless Collection, a celebration of sherry, oak and time, brings new life to the brand’s enduring pillars of craftsmanship
For Kennedy, this understanding extends to the brand’s commitment to quality at every stage, something that was evident in the carefully curated tasting experiences at the event. Guests had the chance to taste various expressions of The Macallan, each revealing another layer of its rich history and craftsmanship.
The relationship between wood, spirit, and time is not just theoretical for Kennedy; it is something he experiences personally with every cask he inspects. “When I nose a cask, it’s like a conversation,” he said. “I ask, ‘Are you ready?’ and sometimes it answers back.”
That quiet dialogue with the whisky has resulted in some of Kennedy’s most celebrated creations, such as Time: Space Mastery, a whisky crafted from 14 different cask types, and Distil Your World Hong Kong, a whisky that captures the energy and rhythm of the city in liquid form. “I wanted to express the structure, the contrast, and the boldness of Hong Kong in a glass,” Kennedy explained, describing the whisky that combines ginger, honey, tropical fruit, and a subtle savoury note.
Euan Kennedy shared how patience and imperfection define The Macallan’s craft, from sourcing Spanish oak to nurturing decades-long maturation in Speyside
“It’s personal,” Kennedy said with a smile. “You’re distilling emotions as much as you are distilling flavours.”
Kennedy’s technical fluency and artistry come together in his approach to whisky-making, where science supports the creativity, but never overtakes it. “Whisky-making is a balance between art and science,” he explained. “We use science to support the art, but there’s beauty in the uncertainty—in that space between the two.”
When asked whether he considers himself more of a creator or a custodian, Kennedy paused thoughtfully. “Both,” he replied. “Our job isn’t just to make the whiskies of today; it’s to make the whiskies of tomorrow. We’re caretakers. You have to have patience and foresight. If future whisky makers look back and say, ‘They had good patience,’ that would be enough.”
The refreshed Timeless Collection debuted alongside The Macallan’s new visual identity by designer David Carson, marrying contemporary design with heritage detail
The 360° experience embodied Kennedy’s vision: a celebration of tradition meeting innovation, and a showcase of the precision and intuition that go into every bottle of The Macallan. The pop-up was a testament to the brand’s ongoing commitment to quality as well as its belief in the power of time to reveal complexity, balance and beauty.
As this multi-sensory whisky experience wrapped up, it was clear that The Macallan’s philosophy, one rooted in patience and dedication, continues to speak volumes, both in the whisky and the brand’s evolving legacy.
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