The Macallan puts Valdespino sherry wine casks to work with milestone Time: Space 20 Year Old whisky
Introducing The Macallan Time: Space Sherry Cask, the first whisky to be finished in casks seasoned with Valdespino sherry wine, from The Macallan’s bodega in Jerez de la Frontera.
The third release in The Macallan’s Time: Space collection, the liquid’s initial maturation took place on The Macallan Estate in Speyside in predominantly European oak sherry-seasoned casks. The whisky was then married in a selection of the 200 Valdespino sherry casks shipped to Scotland for filling in 2024, during the brand’s 200th anniversary year.
Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan, describes the unique maturation process as “a milestone, shaped by two distinct interactions with sherry seasoned oak.”
The Macallan Time: Space Sherry Cask tasting notes
Bottled at 44.8% ABV and presented at its natural colour, The Macallan Time: Space Sherry Cask boasts a rich, layered profile. The nose is said to offer sherry-soaked raisins, figs and Medjool dates, alongside sweet frangipane, cinder toffee and caramelised nuts. Dark chocolate truffles are joined by cinnamon, star anise and ginger.
On the palate, dried fruits including sultanas, dates and apricots sit alongside rich ginger cake. Treacle toffee, bramble jam and chocolate-coated cherries add further depth, says the distillery. Cloves and cinnamon sticks bring warmth, followed by cocoa nibs and polished oak.
Warming wood spices, and a hint of espresso, distinguish the finish.
The whisky arrives in the collection’s distinctive circular vessel, designed to represent the continuous flow of past, present and future. The presentation box takes its visual cue from the palomino grapes grown in the Valdespino vineyards, with its circular interior echoing the shape of the grapes and its golden colour reflecting the Andalusian sun.
The Macallan Time: Space Sherry Cask is priced at £1,100. It’s available exclusively from The Macallan Boutique at Harrods, before rolling out to specialist whisky retailers in October.
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