The Harmony Collection Intense Arabiaa

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Macallan Intense Arabica

The second release in The Macallan's Harmony Collection, a limited annual series built around the brand's curiosity and connection to the natural world. Whisky Maker Steven Bremner created Intense Arabica after hosting a masterclass at The Macallan Estate to immerse himself in the world of coffee, working alongside world-renowned coffee masters to explore the journey "from bean to cup."

The expression is built around the Ethiopian Arabica bean — Ethiopia being widely regarded as coffee's birthplace — and this special single malt pairs harmoniously with coffee, exuding complex flavours of espresso, dark chocolate and raisins.

For the at-home pairing ritual, Bremner specifically recommends Harrar and Guji coffee beans, chosen for their robust flavour profile and intensity, which complement the whisky's dry fruitiness and winey characteristics. In an echo of traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies, the ritual is even paired with salted popcorn alongside the dram and coffee.

Even the packaging carries the theme through — Macallan encourages repurposing the recycled packaging box into a coffee-husk paper coaster to sit the serve on, mixing dry ingredients with brewed coffee, pressing it through a paper-making screen, and cutting it to size.

Tasting Notes (Steven Bremner, The Macallan Whisky Maker)

• Nose: Tiramisu, cappuccino, gingerbread, raisins, almonds, sweet oak and vanilla
• Palate: Espresso, dark chocolate and raisin, with tiramisu returning, alongside blackberry, vanilla, Brazil nut and sweet oak
• Finish: Long, dark roast coffee style — balanced and sweet
• ABV: 44%