Macallan have teamed up with Bentley Motors and announced the forthcoming release of the Macallan Horizon.
Design teams from both companies have come together to create a prototype for a new and utterly unique decanter that, in their words, ‘defies the traditional vertical aesthetic of a whisky bottle’. I doubt many of us have thought to challenge the ‘vertical aesthetic’ of a normal bottle, but it turns out the solution is fairly simple: put the bottle on its side.
It goes without saying that the horizontal design of the Horizon is remarkably idiosyncratic. Bentley’s website refers to the design as an ‘object of beauty’. We all know beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and those at Bentley may be a wee bit biased, but there’s no denying the Horizon is certainly eye-catching.
The glass and aluminium decanter has no flat base on which to rest the bottle, and it lives within an oak and copper, leather-cushioned shell. To remove the bottle, you twist and pull it to remove it from the external case. Might be a bit of a faff when you’re desperate for a dram, but since whisky is destined to be poured it’s possible the horizontal design might turn out to be beneficial in this regard.
Inspiration has been drawn from the six pillars of Macallan (the principles that guide the Macallan brand and are at the heart of their identity), with only six materials used in the production. A focus has been put on sustainability, too: copper comes from old stills; oak taken from used casks; carbon neutral leather.
Ultimately it’s hard to deny that the sculpture is visually impressive. The sleek curves of the wood clearly draw inspiration from the craftsmanship and design principles that drive the automotive industry. It’s almost aerodynamic. A far cry from your traditional, weighty, cut-crystal decanters.
However, the whisky within remains a mystery. Apparently the whisky has been "selected", but no information has been made public. Similarly, there have been no details about expected price. No formal announcement is expected to be made until early 2023. As such, the Horizon currently remains a solely aesthetic experience.
But, with such emphasis on sculptural engineering and aesthetic artistry, maybe that’s the point?
