UAE. Luxury spirits and wines travel retailer Le Clos has completed the US$500,000 sale of The Macallan Fine and Rare Collection – and hailed it as the largest single transaction yet in travel retail.
The sale, at Dubai International, beats the previous record set earlier this year by the same retailer (also of The Macallan, see more below). The purchaser was an Asian collector, said Le Clos, which is owned by Maritime & Mercantile International (MMI). Le Clos is one of the few partners of The Macallan to offer the Fine and Rare Collection worldwide.
The purchase included a selection of The Macallan Fine and Rare spanning from 1937 through to 1990, in addition to the sought after The Macallan Golden Age of Travel. The latter features a rare Macallan, distilled in 1937, and housed in one of 48 specially created Lalique decanters.
MMI Chief Operating Officer Iain Delaney said: “This sale is testament to the hard work and passion of the Le Clos team in delivering an extraordinary service coupled with an outstanding range and levels of knowledge. [These] are exceptional in any global context and unrivalled in the world’s airport duty free environment, no matter how big or small their purchase.”
MMI Group Chief Executive Officer Andrew Day added: “We would also like to thank Dubai Airports for their outstanding and continued support and the partnership with leading global brands such as The Macallan that help us strive to raise the bar in duty free retailing.”
Dubai Airports Executive Vice President, Commercial & Communications Eugene Barry said: “This is a tremendous achievement. We are proud to provide a retail environment where world-leading brands can showcase and present products that continue to engage and delight the 83 million customers we serve.”
“At The Macallan, we create the world’s finest spirit for the drinker who seeks a life beyond ordinary,” noted Edrington Middle East & Africa Travel Retail Commercial Manager Florence Chevallier.
“There is no ordinary Macallan sale at Le Clos; yet this record-breaking sale is an outstanding example. Connoisseurship, sophistication, dedication… Le Clos shares The Macallan’s values in creating a distinctive experience for its customers. It is this commitment to excellence by Le Clos that aligns so well with The Macallan brand, our precious liquid and the mastery behind every single drop.”
This sale of The Macallan surpasses Le Clos’ previous record-breaking sale, which took place in January 2016 and included some of The Macallan’s Fine and Rare Collection of whiskies. Vintages in that collection ranged from 1938 to 1974 for a then record sale of US$361,000.
