Whisky Cask Steaming Process Extract Enhances Production At Macallan’s Historic Speyside Distillery
- Air Quality Within Steam Room Greatly Improved
- Localised Steam Extraction and Quick Turn-Around of Casks Achieved for Process
- Longevity of Steam Room and the Equipment it contains Vastly Enhanced
Macallan have enhanced their coopering capabilities implementing new ROFLOW process extract systems within their cask steaming enclosures.
Macallan Whisky’s historic 485 acre facility is located on the Easter Elchies estate above the River Spey in north eastern Scotland. Macallan is universally accepted among leading whisky experts as some of the finest in the world. Famously, a bottle of 1926 Macallan recently became the most expensive bottle of whisky sold at auction.
Macallan’s owners – international premium spirits company Edrington – have recently invested over 500 million into the Macallan brand, 140m of which was spent on their flagship Easter Elchies distillery. The stunning new distillery was designed by internationally acclaimed architect, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, who were selected to lead the project after an international competition.
Not only serving as a spectacular new visitors attraction, the new facility also significantly enhances Macallan’s production capabilities. This in a range of areas including distilling, warehousing and particularly in the treatment and re-coopering of Macallan’s signature sherry-seasoned oak casks.
The journey of The Macallan cask is a fascinating one. From its origins in the forests of America and Europe and via the cooperages and sherry bodegas of Spain the casks eventually end their methodically tumultuous voyage at their distillery in Speyside. Here, they are to be toasted, reassembled and steamed by their Coopers under the watchful eye of the Master of Wood.
The ROFLOW process extract systems are located within the cask steaming room. The new extraction plant has large scale overhead steam extract canopy systems, being designed to accommodate the large banks of casks below.
The extract systems are typical in design and construction detail with each being manufactured entirely from 304 grade stainless steel, this including the heavy duty large centrifugal extract fan units for the plant. Steam is extracted uniformly through the dampered canopy systems and follow to outside where the steam vapour is dispersed into atmosphere. The construction of the plant provides a long life system for the future generations of whisky manufacture, this also giving protracted life to the cask room fabric.
We are very proud to have been selected to undertake the prestigious contract for the site and wish Macallan, their consultants and fellow contractors a very prosperous future, a worthy toast indeed.
