The Macallan Folio 7 Is a Collector's Bottle Worth Hunting Down
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It's not often that a new whisky release from one of the world's top single-malt houses is said to owe a good swig of its inspiration to a crafty 40-year-old ad campaign. Such is the case with Folio 7. The latest covetable bottle from The Macallan's Archival Series is unabashedly steeped in the whisky brand's broader creative brilliance as well—beyond the barrels.
While not as well-known in the U.S., The Macallan’s ads have made quite an impact in the U.K. In fact, the various campaigns that ran throughout the 1970s, '80s, and '90s were so effective that the brand launched The Archival Series of single malts inspired by them.
Like the ads, these aren’t just any whiskies. You won’t find them at the corner liquor store. Rather, you’ll have to snag one while traveling internationally or buy online at a healthy markup.
Related: The Macallan Just Auctioned a Single Bottle of Scotch for $250K
Folio 7—the seventh release from The Macallan Archival Series—highlights an ad campaign from 1984 that tells the quirky story of a curious party of scientists invited to the distillery to taste The Macallan single-malt whisky for the first time. The ad depicts the scientists visiting and enjoying a dram while discerning why whisky ages best in sherry-seasoned casks. They're seen sniffing and sipping the amber-gold liquid in awe of their new discovery, before they depart to investigate further.
Known as “The Boffins Baffled,” the advertisement was created by art director David Holmes and copy writer Nick Salaman, along with illustrator Mary Hogan. Now, the famed ad has been rebirthed as Folio 7. It comes accompanied by a booklet commemorating the brand’s vintage promotions, presented in a book-shaped tin.
Courtesy Image
“Crafted to pay tribute to the magic and curiosity of the Boffins Baffled advert of the 1980s, Folio 7 is a captivating single-malt whisky that truly reflects the iconic status of the artwork it celebrates,” says The Macallan's lead whisky maker Euan Kennedy. “[Folio 7] offers a fruity nose of apple and pear, raisins, milk chocolate, and orange peel then gives way to vanilla and baked fruits on the palate, leaving a long, creamy finish with warm spices. With its interesting flavors, Folio 7 offers a unique way to experience The Macallan and one of its most unforgettable advertising campaigns from decades past.”
The Macallan Folio 7 Tasting Notes
A golden-honey in color, the whisky—bottled at 43 percent ABV—has aromas of dried fruits, baked apple and pear, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chocolate, orange, and oak. The palate delivers raisins, fig, milk chocolate, orange peel, vanilla, and baked fruits with light spices. The finish is long and creamy with dried fruit and warm spices.
First released in 2015, The Archival Series commemorates The Macallan’s famed print, press, and film advertising campaigns. The range gathers the stories, anecdotes, drawings, and photographs that featured in the campaigns, and shows how The Macallan grew from a a small distillery along the River Spey into one of the world’s most celebrated Scotch whisky brands.
[$3,900; frootbat.com]