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- The Macallan has launched “Drink of a Generation”, a new global campaign featuring James Marsden and his son, Jack Marsden.
- “Drink of a Generation” centres on the 2026 releases of The Macallan Sherry Oak 25 Years Old and Sherry Oak 30 Years Old.
- In Australia, the 25 Years Old appears locally from around AUD $4,200, while the 30 Years Old appears from around AUD $8,300 through selected retailers.
Passing something down through the generations from father to son sounds lovely. But in The Macallan’s world, it can also cost more than eight grand a bottle.
To celebrate the release of The Macallan Sherry Oak 25 Years Old and Sherry Oak 30 Years Old 2026 releases, the Speyside whisky maker has unveiled “Drink of a Generation”, a new global campaign featuring actor James Marsden and his son, Jack Marsden.
One has spent a quarter of a century maturing in predominantly sherry-seasoned European oak casks. The other has spent three decades there. So if The Macallan is going to build a campaign around time, inheritance and things that improve when they’re not rushed, 25 and 30-year-old Macallans give it a pretty solid place to start.
Related: 10 Most Expensive Whiskies Ever Sold
The Two Sherry Oak Releases Behind The Macallan’s ‘Drink of a Generation’
The Macallan Sherry Oak 25 Years Old 2026 Release
- Age: 25 years
- Cask: Predominantly sherry-seasoned European oak
- ABV: 43%
- Flavour frame: Raisins, ginger, rich oak
- Price: From around AUD $4,200
The Macallan Sherry Oak 25 Years Old has been matured for a quarter of a century. According to the brand, that maturation gives the whisky layers of dried fruits, warming spice and oak complexity. Product notes frame it around raisin, ginger and rich oak, which is about as Macallan Sherry Oak as it gets.
The Macallan Sherry Oak 30 Years Old 2026 Release
- Age: 30 years
- Cask: Predominantly sherry-seasoned European oak
- ABV: 43%
- Flavour frame: Ginger, orange, woodspice
- Price: From around AUD $8,300
The Sherry Oak 30 Years Old takes it even further. Matured for three decades, it is the oldest expression in The Macallan Sherry Oak Collection and is released annually in small, carefully curated batches. With a profile shaped by time, oak and the house’s sherry-seasoned cask style, The Macallan’s official flavour frame calls out ginger, orange and woodspice.
Across the broader Sherry Oak Collection, you’ll find 12, 18, 25 and 30-year-old expressions. Each cask is seasoned with sherry wine in Spain before being sent to Speyside, filled with new-make spirit, and left to mature. That time-intensive process gives the campaign a more convincing link between family inheritance and whisky ageing.
Where the Marsdens Fit In
Some father-son stories come with acoustic guitars and life advice. The Macallan’s version comes with sherry-seasoned oak and two very expensive age statements. These are not bottles built around speed, novelty or quick impact. Their whole reason for existing is that time has done something useful. The campaign also extends into creative collaborations around mastery across different disciplines, though the cleaner idea remains the one in the glass: age, oak and time doing the work.
Both whiskies are available through selected liquor retailers in Australia, which is another way of saying you probably won’t spot them while picking up something for the weekend. The Macallan doesn’t list official Australian RRPs on its website, so local pricing will depend on the retailer and available stock.
So yes, this is a very expensive family tradition with an $8,000 entry point. And while the Marsdens might lure you in, these bottles still sit firmly in special-occasion territory. Perhaps a dram with Dad.
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