The Macallan Whisky Experience: House of the Macallan
HOUSE OF THE MACALLAN
For 2023, the annual event series House of The Macallan returned with a cross-country tour that introduced four U.S. cities to the rich history, heritage, and essence of the whisky inspired by nature and informed by mastery.
A collaboration between The Macallan and MATTE, the events engaged everyone–from tradesmen to avid collectors to newcomers–through thoughtfully curated displays, immersive installations, and memorable tasting moments that combined nature and innovation.
CREATIVE WAY IN
Each House of The Macallan was curated as a place where mastery met nature. These pillars informed the creative approach that used a harmonious combination of manmade elements and natural motifs to represent The Macallan estate: a place where the ingenuity of the distillery meets the organic beauty of the Scottish Highlands.
FOUR CITIES, ONE STORY
We brought House of The Macallan to Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Aspen. In each city, we built a modern manifestation of The Macallan estate, and created a three-day multisensory event that told the story of the brand from heritage to liquid.
Hitting all corners of the country, our tour matched timing with major events in the cultural calendar. We coordinated with Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, the Brooklyn Half Marathon, Re:SET Los Angeles, and the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen in order to ensure we captured the eyes and taste buds of a global audience.
A JOURNEY OF ART, CULTURE & NATURE
Arrival Moment
As guests entered the space, they were surrounded by parametric wood walls arranged in harmony to mimic the organic patterns of nature. This served as a gorgeous photo moment to immerse guests in the event.
NATURE ROOM & BAR
Guests were transported to the Scottish Highlands through this light-powered, motion-tracking spectacle–surrounded by 400 species of fauna found at The Macallan estate. A walkway in the center of the room was magically illuminated with amber tones, as the scent pine filled the air.
EASTER ELCHIES HALLWAY
We created a hallway as an homage to the Spiritual Home of The Macallan, the Easter Elchies House built in 1700 that was the first establishment on The Macallan estate.
The hallway served as an exploratory, linear journey through archways inspired by the Easter Elchies House–featuring fabricated frame walls that displayed photographs, art, and information about the label’s rich history.
EXPRESSIONS ON DISPLAY
We offered guests an up-close moment with The Macallan’s most coveted bottles, ranging from Sherry Oak to Double Cask. The aged 15, 18, 25, and 30-year-old bottles were displayed on pedestals of wood, moss, and stone that reflected the brand’s link to nature, and served as a beautiful photo opportunity.
AN IMMERSION INTO THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
THE MONOLITH
Moving deeper into our awe-inspiring world, guests made their way to the grand centerpiece of the event: a four-sided LED monolith towering 15-feet tall. The sides of the monolith featured motion graphics that told the story of the making of the liquid–from water to distillation to heating to aging–for guests to enjoy a cocktail and bask in its glory.
WINDOWS INTO THE MACALLAN ESTATE
As a backdrop for The River Spey Bar, nine-foot-tall LED walls, laid out in the form of windows, showed a look into the stunning Scottish Highlands. These windows displayed content of the 485-acre estate and distillery, seen through a painterly lens and developed through an AI-style transfer technique.
HOLOGRAM PURCHASE PORTAL
Nestled near the bar, we built a wall embedded with an interactive hologram bottle display, accompanied by a QR code for guests to purchase The Macallan of their choosing. The 3D hologram content honored The Macallan’s core set of bottles through abstract imagery that reimagined the estate through oil painting, blue wood, and colorful smoke.
THE ART OF TASTING
TASTING ROOMS
The best way to immerse into the rich history of The Macallan is, of course, through taste. The tasting rooms were decorative museum-inspired spaces with tables of offerings, where guests could familiarize themselves with The Macallan’s most iconic labels.
These rooms gave guests a behind-the-scenes look into the mastery of the liquid, through guided tastings from Brand Ambassadors who served neat pours and described the craftsmanship that went into each bottle.
THE RIVER SPEY BAR
The River Spey Bar was each event’s Speyside home, built using parametric design to match the circular movement of the river itself. This parametric wood base, with a ring-shaped top, was illuminated with amber light–opening up the bar as the communal hub where guests could gather and indulge.
UNMISTAKABLY MACALLAN
We created a graphic design system and treatment that served as a through-line for events in every city–ensuring a consistent look-and-feel that felt unmistakably Macallan. Each venue was transformed into a manifestation of The Macallan estate through menus, print walls, signage, and details that made their signature mark on the space.
SOCIAL & PRESS
