The Macallan has launched Romantica Collection, a rare single cask release and 1986 Vintage, created to mark the centenary of The Macallan 1926, the world’s most valuable bottle of wine or spirit ever sold at auction.
Laid down by brand custodian Janet Harbinson 100 years ago and bottled 60 years later at the apex of its maturation by her great nephew Allan Shiach, this cask produced just 40 precious bottles of The Macallan 1926.
As its maturation came to an end in 1986, a single sherry seasoned European oak cask, no. 9925, was filled and laid down in a quiet corner of a warehouse on The Macallan Estate, which is now being unveiled in 2026 as the Romantica Collection.
Bottled at 48.6% ABV, the single malt whisky reveals a remarkably bright and vibrant character from the first moment. On the palate, a velvety sweetness of brown sugar, glazed peach and tropical lychee gives way to dark cherries, treacle and a subtle hint of peat. The finish is long and memorable, carried by lingering dried fruit, touches of leather and rich cacao, leaving a lasting impression of depth and elegance.
In a creative reunion, the three artists who contributed to The Macallan 1926 – Sir Peter Blake, Valerio Adami and Michael Dillon – return with new works conceived exclusively for Romantica Collection.
Each artist contemplated the journey undertaken by The Macallan during cask no. 9925’s years of slumber, from 1986 to 2026, and interpreted this in their own unique style with a depth, complexity and vibrancy mirrored in the character of the whisky that bears their art. Re-entering the world of The Macallan, each artist has produced a new artwork that responds to the themes – Time Travel, Nature and Community – through their own distinctive lens.
The label on every bottle is personally signed by the artist, highlighting the individuality of each edition and the rarity of the Collection – limited to 258 bottles in total, with just 86 from each artist.
The Macallan master whisky maker, Kirsteen Campbell, said from the moment this cask was laid down in 1986, it became part of a legacy, a story that began with The Macallan 1926 and continues today.
“Over decades of slumber, the whisky has evolved with extraordinary grace, developing a luminous character of fruits, spice and rich oak,” said Campbell.
“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 Macallan Romantica Collection will be available exclusively as a complete set of three artist editions, directly from The Macallan from 30 July.
