This whisky has the reputation of being one of the finest single malts in the world. Founded in 1824, Macallan was one of the first legal distilleries in Scotland. The Macallan estate, sitting on a hill near Craigellachie on the banks of the River Spey, bears the mysterious name of 'Easter Elchie House'. Situated where the river accelerates its course in the shadow of the Grampian Mountains, the site offers unique conditions and climate for whisky making. Founded by Alexander Reid, the distillery was first licensed in 1824. It was initially operated as a complementary source of income alongside the farm, until it was taken over in 1882 by Roderick Kemp, then developed by Kemp's family over the following century.