Luxury American Single Malt The Macklowe Aligns With RNDC
March 19, 2024Luxury American single malt whiskey brand The Macklowe has entered a national alignment with RNDC, excluding the markets of NY, NJ, TN, GA, and FL. Additionally, The Macklowe has named Brendan McCarron as master blender, succeeding the retiring Ian MacMillan. McCarron’s career includes time with Distell, Glenmorangie, and Diageo.
With limited bottlings retailing from $250 to upwards of $1,500 a bottle, The Macklowe is aiming to carve out a place at the very high end of American whiskey. Founder Julie Macklowe told SND that the goal was to create a style that blends influences from both American and Scotch whiskies. So far, the brand, whose distilling partner is Kentucky-based Wilderness Trail Distillery (owned by Campari), has gained traction in upscale on-premise venues like Jean-Georges and Daniel among others, where its inaugural Private Collection malt is often positioned at $100 a one-ounce pour and $200 a two-ounce pour.
Projections call for U.S. volume of about 1,000 9-liter cases this year. In terms of where the brand fits into the emerging single malt category, said Macklowe, “We’re the little diamond at the top of the pyramid.”—Daniel Marsteller
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