This Rare Bottle of The Macallan Was Split to Become Even Rarer

Wednesday, 09 September 2026 at 10:42

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You don’t come across a 35-year-old whisky every day, let alone a rare The Macallan. Independent Scottish bottler Blind Summit has taken an already scarce release from the famed distillery and split it into two unique bottlings. Each bottle received its own finish, the kind you won’t typically taste from the brand.

The The Macallan whisky originally came from the same cask, but was later divided by the bottler. They then matured the single malt further in two different types of casks. The result is two bottlings that share the same foundation, yet can differ markedly in flavor.

One Macallan, two completely different finishes

For the first variant, Blind Summit chose a cask that previously held Barbados rum. According to the tasting notes, that imparts flavors reminiscent of toasted coconut, molasses, dark fruit, and orange peel. Oak, leather, and a gentle peppery kick also play a role in the finish.

The second release was finished in a Rivesaltes cask. Rivesaltes is a fortified wine from France and steers the whisky in a different direction. This version highlights notes of honey, dried apricot, candied orange, and sweet spices.

Because both whiskies share the same origin, the contrast between them is especially compelling. It’s a rare chance to taste just how much influence a final cask can have on a whisky that has already matured for decades.

Only 30 bottles of each

If you want to secure a bottle, you’ll need to move fast. Both the Barbados Rum Cask and the Rivesaltes Fortified Wine Cask editions are limited to just 30 bottles each. That’s a remarkably small release, even in the world of independent bottlers.

As you’d expect, they don’t come cheap. At UK retailer The Beerhive, both editions are listed at £1,250 per bottle. Blind Summit is clearly aiming at enthusiasts and collectors seeking something that rarely appears on the market.

Blind Summit often opts for distinctive casks

Blind Summit is a small independent bottler based in Leith, Edinburgh. Founded by Jamie Dawson and James Zorab, the company focuses on small-batch whisky releases from various Scottish distilleries.

They regularly experiment with unconventional casks, think wine, rum, and sherry barrels used to give existing whisky an extra period of maturation.

With this 35-year-old Macallan, Blind Summit goes a step further. By guiding a single old whisky down two separate paths, they’ve created a rare experiment that lets aficionados compare, almost side by side, what two different finishes can do to exactly the same base spirit.

FAQ

What makes this 35-year-old The Macallan so special?
The whisky in both releases originally came from the same cask. Blind Summit then split it into two different casks for distinct finishes.
Which two finishes were used?
One whisky was finished in a Barbados rum cask, yielding notes of coconut, molasses, and dark fruit. The other matured further in a Rivesaltes cask, bringing flavors of honey, apricot, and candied orange.
How many bottles are in these Macallan releases?
Both the Barbados Rum Cask and the Rivesaltes Fortified Wine Cask editions are limited to just 30 bottles each. Both versions retail at The Beerhive for £1,250 per bottle.