It doesn’t happen often, but there are times when two grand entities collide to make something truly remarkable. In this case, it’s scotch and chocolate. In the scotch arena, we have The Macallan distillery, the prodigal son of the Speyside region of Scotland whose golden ambrosia has captured the hearts and palettes of whisky aficionados around the globe. On the chocolate side of this equation, we have famed pastry chef Jordi Roca of three-Michelin star restaurant El Celler de Can Roca and famed chocolate boutique Casa Cacao. The delicious result of this epic collaboration is The Macallan Harmony Collection Rich Cacao.
The Macallan Harmony Collection Rich Cacao marks The Macallan’s first entry in their new series of single malts exploring the brand’s journey toward sustainable packaging. The color of this single malt is a dark amber, similar to that of toasted cocoa beans. Its aroma has notes of chocolate fondant, honey, oak, zesty lime, and ginger. On the palate, drinkers can expect a mix of dark chocolate, honey, dates, vanilla, and cinnamon with a smooth, rich, chocolatey finish. While the scotch itself is something to be celebrated, the packaging in which it comes is equally as extraordinary. Keeping in line with The Macallan’s sustainable ethos, the packaging materials of the box take on the same chocolatey theme as its scotch bottle. The front and back labels are made from 15% organic cacao shell, 40% post-consumer waste, and 45% FSC virgin fiber while the shoulder label is made of 100% FSC certified virgin fiber. Macallan ups their sustainable creativity even more with the outer box wrap, which is 15% organic cacao shell, 40% post-consumer waste, 44% virgin fiber, and 1% Miscantheses. Even the ribbon that wraps the box is made from 81% virgin wood pulp.
This series is the brainchild of Roca and The Macallan’s whisky maker, Polly Logan. Logan sought to make a single malt that would pair with fine chocolates for a unique tasting experience, and it looks like she accomplished just that. The Macallan Harmony Collection Rich Cacao will be available at The Macallan’s website on November 2 for a suggested retail price of $200.
