In collaboration with the Roca brothers, owners of El Celler de Can Roca – twice named Best Restaurant in the World, The Macallan has released Distil Your World New York, which it says captures the essence of one of the most iconic cities in the world.
Crafted by The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan, the 49.5% ABV single malt has the colour of a city sunrise, with the appropriate Big Apple aroma of apple with peanut brittle and milk chocolate, along with “a sweet and salty mix like a rising dough and a whisp of sidewalks, fresh rain and cherry blossom.” The palate is said to be baked apple and raisin, chocolate covered nuts, maple syrup and toasted waffles with a side of salted pecans.
This marks the latest release in the series of limited edition single malt whiskies and gastronomic creations exploring leading locations around the globe.
To uncover the mastery behind New York, Polly and Joan Roca travelled to the city to spend time with the artists who fuel its vibrant culture; the visionaries driving its inimitable creativity; and the thinkers chronicling the city.
Their journey and the people they encountered, including globally acclaimed jazz musician Wynton Marsalis and legendary street artist Lady Pink, are featured in a new 30-minute documentary which premiered in New York before its release on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube in April 2022.
Created from a combination of six European and American oak casks, the whisky reflects the distinctive artistic character of New York, its towering architecture, and the culinary eclecticism offered by its delis, diners, and street food.
Building on the subtle apple notes already characteristic of The Macallan – a fitting flavour for the Big Apple – Distil Your World New York also offers the sweetness of classic American candy, with nods to peanut and chocolate. A whisp of sidewalks portrays the bustle of the city while uplifting citrus represents the skyscrapers that dominate the skyline.
The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan said: “This project is a homage to the people of New York. The daring, creative and diverse characters we’ve met along the way. This whisky is bold, vibrant and uplifting – just like each of them.
“We really looked towards the quintessential tastes of New York – sweet candy, waffles, peanut brittle, chocolate, and pecans. The city’s thriving street food scene was a great source of inspiration.”
The Roca brothers also created a unique menu designed to take diners on a journey through New York. Their creations include a potato cronut with salsa brava, waffles with chicken pâté and sugar cane syrup and cured and smoked strip steak. The Big Apple, their masterpiece dessert, features a caramel apple filled with fresh apple purée and milk chocolate.
Joan Roca said: “The originality of New York is endless, it’s impossible to portray it with just one creation, so we needed to express it through an extended menu, where every dish tells a story. The city grabs hold of you instantly. Its energy pushed us to create a complex and daring menu, with ideas that we explored for the very first time.”
Distil Your World New York is housed in a white presentation box featuring an engraved aerial map of New York. Bold touches of blue on the box and bottle represent the water that surrounds the city and the buildings which reach into the sky. As well as the whisky, the box contains a book documenting the different inspirations behind this single malt, and the craftsmanship involved in its creation, alongside New York photography.
The Macallan Distil Your World New York is a limited-edition release with an RRSP of $4,200 (£3.2k) for the 70cl bottle and $4,500 (£3.45k) for the 75cl version. It will be available at select The Macallan Boutiques around the world, in premium specialist retailers and in exclusive premium non-specialist retailers from April 2022.
