Box-book · Tales of The Macallan Volume I A journey through time
Through Tales of The Macallan, distiller The Macallan pays tribute to its pioneers by developing a rare collection of 6 limited-edition single malt whiskeys, as well as artistic books that explore and recount the prestigious distillery’s history. Resulting from an international confluence of superior expertise, the volumes making up Tales of The Macallan are a true celebration of craftsmanship and creativity, in which the Imprimerie du Marais had the honour of participating.
Containing just over 852 pages, the first volume presents the legacy of Captain John Grant, the Laird of Easter Elchies, and the original guardian of the whiskeys of The Macallan. Between extremely precise cutting and pinpoint placement, bonding and folding, the combined bespoke skills of our prototyping and packaging, litho, foiling, embossing and hand-finishing workshops made it possible to meet the challenge of transforming that impressive collaborative book into a real box for the new handcrafted Lalique decanter that it reveals, containing a precious golden spirit: an ode to nature crafted by lead whiskey maker Sarah Burgess.
Links between nature and culture also find sublime expression in the work of visual artist Andrew Davidson, who created a double-spread pop-up object, as well as illustrations printed from carved wood blocks. The height of refinement, this masterpiece is hand-bound in rich leather and 24-carat gold leaf, by London’s renowned Shepherds Bookbinders.
Telling you about Tales of The Macallan also means shining a light on the work of our London teams. They have enthusiastically supported this multi-volume project, from providing advice about the concept and the choice of materials and techniques, to overseeing the Paris production chain, which, gathered under one roof, combines virtuosity, complementarity, and efficiency. In so doing, they have spread our comprehensive expertise, and the Art of Possibility, all the way to Scotland.
“We were contacted by The Macallan in 2020, at the very beginning of the first lockdown. We had to adapt our working methods to those circumstances, which were just as exceptional as the project we were about to take on. The potential pitfalls a project like that has were solved through a year of development and prototyping with the full support of The Macallan, Shepherds Bookbinders, Lalique and Potlatch agency.
“However, one key fact was keeping us on our toes until the end. Would the elements produced from 3D-printed prototypes of the Lalique decanters fit perfectly with the final crystal ones, especially when filled with the delicate whisky? It was a relief to see that, after a few final adjustments, all the hard work had paid off and we had created something that not only worked but was totally unique!
And what a joy it was to attend the launch and be able to celebrate this success at The Macallan’s distillery, a very special place!” – Daniel O’Kane, Commercial director UK/US
Behind the scene
The Workshops
"We are proud to be part of The Macallan’s Artisan Collective."
