The Macallan celebrates two centuries of craft with an otherworldly pop-up at Singapore Changi Airport

Crafting exceptional whisky demands many things, but one quality stands above the rest – patience. At The Macallan, time is its most vital ingredient. Through a slow, deliberate maturation process, sherry-seasoned oak casks gradually transform each single malt into something extraordinary – a journey that cannot be hurried.

Two centuries later, this commitment to time and craft remains central to The Macallan, even as the distillery embraces innovation through new techniques and explorations. To mark its milestone anniversary, the brand has unveiled the TIME : SPACE COLLECTION – two releases celebrating its mastery of wood and spirit since 1824. These creations reflect a deep connection to nature, portraying its role in safeguarding the future while intertwining elements of past and future in a narrative of time travel.

One of the releases, TIME : SPACE Mastery, takes centre stage at an immersive pop-up experience at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 Departure Hall. Running till Jan 12, 2025, this interactive installation invites visitors on a red-hued journey through The Macallan’s whisky-making process, featuring a virtual reality (VR) experience, tasting sessions, dedicated discovery areas and exclusive gifting rituals. 

ENTER A CRIMSON WORLD

Held in collaboration with Singapore Changi Airport and LOTTE DUTY FREE Singapore, the pop-up captures the attention of passing travellers with its bold hues and striking design. Angular forms resembling extraterrestrial landscapes merge with undulating walls, creating a luxurious cocoon that invites exploration.

Inside, visitors will find arresting icons that reflect The Macallan’s whisky-making process, adorned with red spikes to signify nature’s guardianship of its future. A fiery red peacock represents the brand’s natural whisky colour while a hedgehog reinforces the theme of protective defence. At the heart of it all, a cask – the cornerstone of The Macallan’s flavour, aroma, colour and quality – stands proudly beneath the anniversary sign. Throughout the space, displays showcase The Macallan’s portfolio of fine whiskies. 

A highlight of the pop-up is The Heart of the Spirit – a VR experience that transports visitors into a vivid world using VR headsets. Paired with a soaring score, it pays homage to the distillery’s 200-year legacy while envisioning an exciting future.

Beyond the VR journey, the pop-up provides personalised whisky recommendations and distinctive gifting rituals, complete with custom-coloured Macallan ribbons and gift cards to elevate the shopping experience. Guests can also enjoy exclusive tastings from The Macallan’s portfolio.

AN EXALTED TRIBUTE TO 200 YEARS OF CRAFT

The two expressions from the TIME : SPACE COLLECTION encapsulate the sense of time travel inherent in whisky-making.

The first, TIME : SPACE, presents two vintages in an eye-catching dual-chamber bottle design that unites the past and present. The core holds a 2018 expression – the first whisky distilled and bottled from The Macallan’s new distillery. Surrounding it, in the outer chamber, is an 84-year-old whisky, the oldest ever released by The Macallan. 

“It was a privilege to be able to reach back in time and select stock from 1940 to honour our 200-year anniversary,” said master whisky maker Kirsteen Campbell. “As a whisky mastery team, our roles are unique in the sense that we get to time travel – selecting whisky from the past crafted by our predecessors, while simultaneously laying down casks for future generations of whisky makers and consumers.”

There is also TIME : SPACE Mastery, available for a limited time at the pop-up event. This expression combines 14 cask types carefully blended to deliver layers of luxurious complexity in a single sip. Expect an aromatic journey with notes of Medjool dates, baked figs and milk chocolate, enriched by tropical fruits and delicate honey. On the palate, it offers the richness of sherry-soaked dried fruits, brightened by marmalade, honeycomb and warm spices like ginger and cinnamon. The finish is indulgent, lingering with hints of caramelised pineapple, creamy vanilla, dark chocolate and coffee.

The cherry red single malt is housed in an enigmatic ring-shaped bottle, symbolising the circle of life. Its presentation case, a nod to the futuristic world of the pop-up, opens dramatically to reveal 200 crimson spikes – a bloom representing the brand’s bicentennial year.

“Inspired by past masters, we have explored the full extent of our warehouses to capture the complex influences of cask seasoning, oak origin, cask size and distillery character,” said Mr Euan Kennedy, lead whisky maker for TIME : SPACE Mastery. “At its core lies the refined elegance of European oak, culminating in an extraordinary creation.”

A WHISKY JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER

For those looking to deepen their whisky journey, the TIME : SPACE COLLECTION pop-up also features The Macallan Colour Collection – a range of travel-exclusive single malts with five age statements: 12, 15, 18, 21 and 30 years.

This range captures the radiant tones of The Macallan’s whisky spectrum, achieved through maturation in sherry-seasoned oak casks. Each cask, meticulously selected by the whisky mastery team, cradles the distillery’s signature rich and fruity new make spirit. The collection is elegantly packaged in designs by The Macallan’s longstanding collaborator David Carson, blending tradition with modern artistry. 

Discover The Macallan’s bicentenary legacy with the TIME: SPACE COLLECTION pop-up and pick up the limited-edition TIME : SPACE Mastery release, available at the pop-up and selected stores at Singapore Changi Airport.