WHISKY 12 OV ER & OUT
We give Bentley’s W12 a last hurrah with a trip to Scotland, raising a glass to the famous engine with a dram of £40k whisky, courtesy of Macallan
Richard Ingram Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk@rsp_ingram
WE’RE pretty lucky in this line of work. We get to do some special stuff, and on occasion, truly experience how the other half lives.
Whether that’s travelling to some far-flung corner of the world testing six-figure supercars, or meeting some of the most important and influential, era-defining people our industry has to offer, at Auto Express, we get to do it all.
But when the opportunity arose to drive almost £1million-worth of Bentleys from the brand’s base in Cheshire, to the Macallan distillery in northeast Scotland to try a £40,000 bottle of whisky? Well, that was something quite unusual.
The partnership between Bentley and Macallan was born in 2021, with the car maker seeing it as an opportunity to “create products and experiences that celebrate the shared values” of the two brands. The so-called ‘Horizon’ project reaches fruition and comes to market just as Bentley calls time on its iconic W12 engine; a classic case of when one door closes, another opens.
The “products and experiences” part of that is a point of particular note. Aside from their punchy prices, the synergies between Bentley and Macallan are more evident than you might imagine. The products they each produce could rarely be described as rational, and the experiences they create – the respective companies might hope – are unique.
But before we get to sample what a dram priced on par with a base BMW 3 Series tastes like, it would be a shame not to give that engine a proper send off. With just over seven hours and 400 miles separating Crewe from the Macallan Estate, and that very intention rooted in our minds, we slip into the flagship Flying Spur Speed Edition 12’s quilted driver’s seat.
It’s journeys like this that Bentley’s W12 is made for. Crossing countries at a whisper without having to worry about where or when you’ll stop, is this car’s forte. So much so, we want a drink before the Flying Spur does – although at 10am, a cup of coffee feels more appropriate than a swig of single malt.
We cover 200 miles before lunch; further evidence, if it were needed, that the car has more stamina than its driver. Refuelled and ready to go, we’re well
