Unveiled yesterday at a private event in New York Macallan, one of Scotland’s best-known purveyors of malt whisky since 1824, have launched a brand new virtual reality experience designed to take groups of guests on a tour of the famous distillery.

Describing The Macallan Distillery Experience as a “multi-sensory experience” interested visitors can enter a cube-like enclosure where 360-degree video is projected onto the structure’s walls and whisks them away to the distillery and the entire Macallan estate where they can explore freely, witnessing the making of a single malt in the process. While strictly not VR the intention is to create an experience as close to virtual reality without the need for headsets.

Creating New Experiences

It’s not the first time Macallan has dabbled with new technologies to enhance visitor experiences. In 2016, they released a 360-degree video that featured its 12-year-old cask whisky. The development of this new Macallan Distillery Experience forms part of the company’s initiative to let people unable to travel to the estate itself be transported there virtually, choose their own path to learn more about the history and heritage of Macallan.

The experience makes use of 3D spatial audio and scent diffusion technology that syncs up with footage being shown; allowing visitors to experience the sounds and smells of the whisky making process.

Macallan opened their new distillery last month, but before unveiling the £140 million facility to the public they captured the entire structure in high-resolution 360-degree video using drones and a remote-controlled robot.

Samantha Leotta, Brand Director of The Macallan, said: “We’re proud to celebrate the opening of The Macallan’s breathtaking new distillery and visitor experience in Scotland and exciting new era of innovation by unveiling this immersive installation in New York City.

“Participants can explore the new distillery as if they were really there, and choose their own path to learn more about the iconic estate, history and heritage of The Macallan and its unrivalled whisky-making process. This journey was created so participants can be virtually transported to Speyside and experience the sights, sounds and scents of our new home.”

Macallan is not the only vendor to use emerging technologies to market their products. In 2017, Guinness deployed virtual reality tasting stations at Tesco retail locations across the UK, which featured an intelligent “tasting cup” with multi-sensory stimuli.

The Macallan Distillery Experience will be open to whisky buffs at Grand Central Station in the heart of New York City July 25 – 27, 2018, which is coinciding with National Scotch Day. As part of the experience, visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy a wee dram of Macallan’s newly released Edition No.4 whisky.