THE MACALLAN MARKS CENTENARY WITH ROMANTICA COLLECTION

The Macallan launches the Romantica Collection, a rare single cask 1986 Vintage marking the centenary of The Macallan 1926. Limited to 258 bottles, each edition features new artworks by Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon, uniting heritage, artistry and whisky-making mastery in an exclusive collector’s release.

The Macallan has unveiled the Romantica Collection, a rare single cask release and 1986 Vintage, created to commemorate the centenary of The Macallan 1926 – the world’s most valuable bottle of wine or spirit ever sold at auction. This launch bridges a century of heritage, artistry and whisky-making mastery.  

The story begins in 1926 when Janet Harbinson, custodian of The Macallan, laid down the legendary cask that would later produce just 40 bottles of The Macallan 1926, bottled 60 years later by her great nephew Allan Shiach. As that whisky reached the apex of its maturation in 1986, a new sherry seasoned European oak cask, no. 9925, was filled and left to slumber quietly on The Macallan Estate. Four decades later, it emerges as the Romantica Collection, bottled at 48.6% ABV and limited to 258 bottles.  

The whisky itself is described as remarkably bright and vibrant. From the first sip, velvety sweetness of brown sugar, glazed peach and tropical lychee unfolds, before deep notes of dark cherries, treacle and a subtle hint of peat take centre stage. The finish lingers with dried fruit, touches of leather and rich cacao, leaving a lasting impression of elegance and depth.  

In a creative reunion, the three artists who famously contributed to The Macallan 1926 – Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon – return with new works conceived exclusively for Romantica Collection. Each artist reflected on the whisky’s journey from 1986 to 2026, interpreting themes of Time Travel, Nature and Community through their distinctive lenses. Their artworks, personally signed on each bottle, highlight the individuality of every edition and reinforce the rarity of the release, with just 86 bottles per artist.  

Kirsteen Campbell, The Macallan’s master whisky maker, emphasised the legacy embodied in cask no. 9925. “Over decades of slumber, the whisky has evolved with extraordinary grace, developing a luminous character of fruits, spice and rich oak,” she said. “To see this expression now paired with new artworks from Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon is deeply moving. Their interpretations mirror the whisky’s own journey: layered, imaginative and shaped by time. It is a privilege to present a single-cask release that connects so profoundly with our heritage.”  

The Romantica Collection is positioned not merely as a whisky but as a cultural artefact, uniting craftsmanship, art and history. By revisiting the creative partnership with Blake, Adami and Dillon, The Macallan underscores its commitment to storytelling through both liquid and design. The collection’s exclusivity – available only as complete sets of three artist editions – further elevates its status as a collector’s treasure.  

From its origins in 1926 to its rebirth in 2026, the Romantica Collection encapsulates The Macallan’s enduring philosophy: whisky shaped by time, artistry and community. It is a release that honours the past while offering a luminous expression for the present, destined to resonate with connoisseurs and collectors alike.