Macallan and Lalique launch 64 year old single malt whisky: CIRE PERDUE

Iconic luxury brands The Macallan and Lalique have again come together on the 150th anniversary of Rene Lalique`s birth, building on their successful partnership to produce a one-of-a-kind decanter.

The decanter will hold the oldest and rarest Macallan ever bottled by this Speyside distillery, containing a 64 years old Macallan single malt whisky, and will be auctioned by Sotheby`s on November 15, 2010 in New York. All proceeds will be donated to charity: water, a non-profit organisation bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

Exhibiting in London in May, along with stops in Madrid, Moscow, Seoul, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo, the decanter will embark on an eight month fundraising journey which started in Paris (April 6) and ends in New York (November 15).

The Cire Perdue decanter has been designed by the French crystal house Lalique, exclusively for The Macallan. Painstakingly hand crafted with the skills for which Lalique has achieved world-wide recognition and renowned since the first glass pieces were designed and made by Rene Lalique in the first half of the twentieth century, the inspiration for the design has come from the beauty of the Speyside distillery.

Silvio Denz, President and CEO of Lalique, commented: `We are enormously proud to be collaborating again with The Macallan, and in such a worthwhile cause. In today`s highly interconnected world, we are all increasingly aware of the needs of those much less fortunate than ourselves. We have been working on a series of decanters with The Macallan since 2004 and, over that time, have come to appreciate our shared values of a passionate commitment to outstanding quality, artistry and integrity. These decanters, each holding Macallan whiskies of 50, 55 and 57 years old respectively, have proved hugely admired and sought after around the world by whisky consumers and connoisseurs, as well as collectors of Lalique crystal and lovers of beautiful objets d`art. This latest decanter, a remarkable, unique work of art, holding such an old and rare Macallan, takes our partnership to a new level. I wish every success to its `tour du monde` and to the final auction by Sotheby`s in New York in November`.

The Exhibition and Fundraising Tour
The decanter will travel across the world, beginning in Paris on April 6, 2010 and ending in New York City at the Sotheby`s auction on November 15, 2010. At events along the way, The Macallan and Lalique will auction rare, 10cl drams of The Macallan 64 Year Old in Lalique: Cire Perdue to benefit charity:water.

Tour du Monde:
• Paris : early April
• Madrid : late April
• London : early May
• Moscow : late May
• Hong Kong : early July
• Johannesburg : August
• Taipei : early September
• Shanghai : late September
• Singapore : early October
• Tokyo : late October
• New York : early November

To track the fundraising progress and view images from the tour, visit: www.themacallan.com. Details will also be shared on this site on how to participate in or follow along with the final auction.