The Macallan Estate unveils TimeSpirit restaurant

The Macallan Estate has officially opened the new dining concept TimeSpirit in collaboration with three-time Michelin star Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca. The Macallan and El Celler de Can Roca’s collaboration – TimeSpirit – will be the Spanish restaurant’s first dining concept outside of Spain and will offer diners a nine-course tasting menu – a culinary exploration of The Macallan, as the brand celebrates 200 years young. The launch builds on a partnership spanning 12 years between the Roca Brothers and The Macallan, celebrating the shared commitment to innovation, combining the “gastronomic brilliance” of the Roca brothers with the heritage of The Macallan. TimeSpirit will sit at the heart of The Macallan’s 485-acre estate on the banks of River Spey, with a 30-seat dining room designed by award-winning architect David Thulstrup, whose past work includes the interior architecture of Copenhagen’s Noma restaurant. The space has been reimagined to create an immersion in nature at The Macallan Estate, as diners overlook views onto the hills of Speyside. The dining concept is a gastronomic expression of The Macallan and El Celler de Can Roca’s “collective playful spirit, creativity and respect for nature”. Each dish will be curated with seasonal, local produce from The Macallan Estate kitchen garden or sourced from local suppliers. The nine-course tasting menu can be paired with The Macallan’s whiskies and sherry wines from Valdespino in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Blending Scottish and Spanish gastronomic influences, the dining experience will include “Distil Your World appetisers” with dishes such as vegetarian haggis with whisky spiced mayonnaise inspired by Scotland, cured mackerel al amontillado inspired by Jerez, pastrami, steamed brioche, sauerkraut inspired by New York, and taco with radish and mango salad inspired by Mexico City. The dining experience is centred around the kitchen, located in the middle of the room, providing guests an “intimate” showcase and immersion into the culinary processes. The Macallan whisky occupies the heart of the restaurant, where bottles are housed in an oak-panelled cellar space. A selection of fine wines and sherries curated by Josep Roca, award-winning sommelier of El Celler de Can Roca, are also set against a striking backdrop inspired by the Albariza soils of Jerez. There will also be a private dining room for 16 guests. Jaume Ferràs, creative director at The Macallan, said: “From our beginnings in 1824, we have had a long history with Spain and its wines - particularly Jerez, so to bring these two brands together for a permanent dining experience on The Macallan estate is an incredible ambition. “El Celler de Can Roca’s philosophy mirrors that of The Macallan, with a deep inspiration from nature, a commitment to community and a relentless pursuit of innovation and this will be showcased for everyone to experience within the new menu – where it will take influence from the past, imagine the future and make a difference in the present, and really bring to life the collaboration between the two brands in a playful and exciting way.” The Roca brothers, from El Celler de Can Roca, added: “El Celler de Can Roca’s bond with Scotland is thrilling and TimeSpirit at The Macallan Estate will enable us to envisage what El Celler de Can Roca would be like on the 60th parallel north. “We have been all over the country, drinking in its spirit, devoting time to it and we would now like to share our cooking through The Macallan. We celebrate our longstanding partnership as part of The Macallan’s 200th anniversary and distil its exciting history from the kitchen.”