Byline:Elliott Broidy
On February 7, a 311-year-old Stradivarius violin, made by the legendary Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari, sold for $11.25 million at Sotheby’s. His signature craftsmanship is so inextricably linked to unrivaled quality that the name is used to describe best-in-class, regardless of the object. And it’s so expertly constructed that time does not diminish its excellence. In fact, leading up to the auction, celebrated violinist and conductor Joshua Bell told NPR that a centuries-old Stradivarius offers subtle "sound colors" not found elsewhere. It’s almost like each note carries the gravitas of time, becoming more intense as decades pass.
The much-hyped sale of this instrument makes me think of the various limited-edition Macallan releases—and not only because each is similarly rare and historic, a collector’s ultimate dream. The older the whisky, the more profound the revelation of the impact of time on the spirit. When you pause and think, it’s really a wonder that a spirit can sit in oak for decades and decades, continuously interacting with the organic material, and somehow comes out tasting bright and lively. Usually, when you think of something old, you think of dust and staleness. What makes single malt Scotch so compelling to me is the vibrancy that comes with its age, much like the unspoiled sound from the masterfully crafted violin.
This came into stark relief when I heard about Time:Space 1940 Vintage, which was released in 2024 on the occasion of the distillery’s 200th anniversary. You don’t even need to taste it—and very few have—to be gripped. It starts with the visuals: a sculptural doughnut-shaped, wood vessel representing the circle of life, containing an 84-year-old whisky – the oldest single malt the Macallan distillery has ever released – that encircles a 375-milliliter crimson flask filled with a five-year-old malt, which was originally produced in 2018 when the lavish new Speyside distillery opened. The wood container and the crimson flask are surrounded by matte lacquer maroon spikes – its protective armor. It’s art that contains artistry, a liquid antique that’s been polished by time, encased in a masterful sculpture.
Each time a Stradivarius comes up for sale, its backstory is as exciting as its distinctive, crystalline sound. Part of what made the February sale so thrilling to collectors was that the violin was owned and played by Joseph Joachim, one of the 19th century’s most famous violinists and an associate of Johannes Brahms. What makes Time:Space so exciting to me as a collector is not just that it’s a celebration of the distillery’s historic anniversary, but that its record-breaking age tells stories of its own—one of a centuries-old legacy of skilled craftsmanship, and another of the history of Scotch whisky production overall. I recently learned from Master Distiller Kirsteen Campbell that the distillery used peated malt in the 1940s, which is almost unheard of anywhere in Speyside today.
The Time:Space collection piece I have connects me with that history. Just as a Stradivarius owner takes out the instrument only for momentous events, my extraordinary piece combining the two whiskeys, sits in a prominent large circular table in my home, like a prize, unopened. But it’s within my reach when the just-right occasion arises. In the meantime, it’s a conversation piece that’s prompted guests to tell me their own stories of whisky-related travels and encounters.
The Macallan, which consistently beats its own record on the auction block, is known for its collaborations with the Stradivarius of luxury brands in other categories, like Bentley Motors and Lalique, the French glassmaker. It’s been exciting to watch over the years as each of those projects seems to top the last. But it’s the ultra-aged whiskies that flow from the distillery that have captivated my attention like some kind of serial drama.
I had no idea what they’d do to top The Reach, an 81-year-old single barrel whisky distilled in 1940, when FDR was president, and “Gone with the Wind” won the Oscar for Best Picture. I bought a bottle when it came out in 2022 and it sits in the center of the bar in my home. Its glass vessel, which is held up with three bronze hands, is as much a piece of art as the liquid. When it was released, I thought it would be the ultimate Macallan expression. It seemed implausible at the time that something older than 81 years would become available beyond the auction block. Happily, I was wrong.
As a collector, I’m always looking ahead. Collectors get a thrill from not knowing what we might find next, what treasure might reveal itself and become available. As a collector of Macallan in particular, I’m inclined to think that the distillery hit its limit with the design and beauty of the Time:Space capsule. Then again, I thought the same after The Reach came out. I’m sure an Olympic sprinter doesn’t think of the record she’s trying to beat as insurmountable. After all, records are made to be broken. After Macallan’s last two extraordinary releases, I’m not inclined to doubt Macallan’s ability to dazzle and astound again.
