The Macallan unveils Boutique Programme at Dubai International (DXB) with Le Clos; One year on from the opening of its £140M Speyside distillery and visitor centre
The Macallan, (the most valuable single malt in the world), today announces its boutique programme with the opening of The Macallan Boutique at the world’s busiest international airport, DXB, in partnership with Le Clos. This is a part of a multi-million pound investment that will see Macallan stores open across in select cities across the globe.
Starting with the opening of the first retail experience at DXB in partnership with Le Clos – the award winning fine wine and spirit retailer – The Macallan boutiques will bring the heritage and prestige of the brand to life. The boutique concept draws heavily from the beauty of The Macallan Estate. It uses architecture, aesthetics and materials, and immersive features, that are distinct to the new £140m state of the art distillery and visitor experience, opened in 2018.
Attention to detail and luxury are central to the overall design. There is a stunning, signature oak lattice centrepiece in each space, providing a direct and highly visual connection to the innovative roof of the brand’s home in Speyside, Scotland. The extraordinary spaces are designed to give a sense of familiarity to everyone who visits – from single malt aficionados to those exploring the world of The Macallan for the first time.
Suzy Smith, Managing Director from The Macallan, said: “It has been a year since we opened the doors of our new distillery and visitor experience, which was one of the most exciting moments in our history as a brand. The next chapter in our story is the launch of our boutique programme, which will bring whisky-lovers across the world even closer to our home on Speyside. Each store will be a gateway to the world of The Macallan, from the stunning cinematography of the Easter Elchies estate to the exceptional whisky available to taste.
“As we continue to roll out these boutiques globally, we hope more people are able to catch a glimpse into the home of the world’s most valuable single malt. Partnering with Le Clos to open the first outlet will allow us to deliver a true luxury shopping experience for travellers in our product offering and through exceptional service.”
Visitors to The Macallan Boutique are invited to discover the luxury world of The Macallan through a prestige multisensory experience that is both memorable and shareable. Expansive video walls will show The Macallan’s brand stories shot in stunning cinematography, while a virtual reality tasting experience whisks shoppers away to Speyside through 360-degree video content that explores the history behind The Macallan estate. Using expansive drone shots and personal interviews with the people behind the Estate, shoppers are immersed in a setting normally reserved for the lucky few who have visited the grounds in Scotland.
Andrew Day, Group CEO of MMI, said: “Le Clos and The Macallan have enjoyed a record-breaking partnership for over a decade and we are incredibly proud to be honoured with opening the first global Travel Retail Boutique for The Macallan here in DXB.
“This boutique will bring together two exceptional brands in the world of luxury spirits creating an unrivalled and immersive customer experience. Following our successful partnership with The Macallan that spans over a decade, this new Boutique symbolises the heights we can reach with a shared vision and combined commitment to delivering the ultimate customer experience and we look forward to joining the Macallan on this exciting next stage of the journey”
The Macallan Boutique in Dubai will offer a stunning, carefully curated range of rare and exclusive whiskies, some of which will be exclusive to boutiques. Highlights of the prestige collection include rare bottlings from the Masters of Photography, Golden Age of Travel and Exceptional Single Cask ranges. A strong pipeline of new product innovations and boutique exclusives will ensure The Macallan Boutique offers a constantly engaging and ever-changing range of whiskies.
The Macallan Boutiques will be opening first at a number of major international hub airports throughout 2019, starting with Terminal 3 at DXB.