The 1988 Macallan Mizunara
30 YO Bourbon Barrel Mizunara Finish, Highland Single Cask Malt Whisky
ABV: 48,6% | Vol: 70CLe | Cask #: 5344
The first release of The Macallan Mizunara Trilogy, this Single Malt Scotch Whisky was distilled in June of 1988 at the Macallan Distillery and then aged for 29 years in an ex-Bourbon cask. In 2018 the whisky was filled into a Japanese Oak Cask made of Mizunara that had grown for over 200 years in the pristine forests of Hokkaido. The resulting spirit is the first of its kind and a unique piece of whisky history.
Bottle Details
Vintage: 1988
Bottled: 2019
Cask: #5344
ABV: 48,6%
Volume: 700ml
Bottles: 51
Type: Mizunara
The Magic of Mizunara
Mizunara trees grow exclusively in the pristine forests of Hokkaido. Here, the trees grow slower, resulting in a tighter grain ideal for whisky maturation. The carefully selected Mizunara wood utilized for cask #18/04003 had aged for more than 200 years. Still, Mizunara’s porosity and hardness make finishing as rare a whisky as this 1988 Macallan a bold endeavour. The resulting whisky is a rare as it is unique, being the first of its kind and the first in a series of three.
Making Whisky History
An endeavor that to this day has never been undertaken, simply due to the risks and uncertainties around flavour and leakage. Supported by a team of experts from Scotland who carefully monitored the whisky along every step of its maturation, we waited for the perfect moment in time where the marriage between this legendary spirit and the mysterious Mizunara Oak yielded an outcome with the perfect balance of Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky character and Japanese Oak influence.
The Macallan Distillery
The Macallan is generally considered to be the highest-selling single-malt scotch by value. The distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid. It is located in Craigellachie, Moray, Scotland, and is one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. In July 2019, a new distillery and visitor experience opened on the Easter Elchies estate near Craigellachie.