The Macallan

Macallan began as one of Speyside's farm distilleries and became legal in 1824, when Alexander Reid took one of the new licences issued after the Excise Act of 1823. James Stuart rebuilt it from 1868, and in 1892 it was sold to Roderick Kemp, a former owner of Talisker. Kemp's descendants, in particular the Shiach family, kept control until Highland Distillers took over in 1996; that company is now part of Edrington. The number of stills reached 21 by 1975. A new distillery was commissioned in November 2017 and opened in May 2018 at a reported cost of GBP 140 million.

The distillery stands on its own estate near Craigellachie in Moray, in the Speyside region. ScotchWhisky.com notes its small spirit stills of 3,900 litres and its long use of sherry casks, made from oak it selects in northern Spain, and says large new warehouses have been built on the estate.