RESTAURANT
In harmony with the zeitgeist

Mankind may have embraced the concept of time and space thousands of years ago, but up here in the sparsely populated north of Scotland, not far from the rugged coast, its interpretation is a matter of opinion. ‘The past 200 years have merely been a prologue to everything that is yet to come,’ explains the single malt whisky distillery “The Macallan” with a view to its historic anniversary last year. And adds: ‘We are The Macallan. 200 years young.’

For a spirit that is fermented for more than 50 hours and then matured for up to 78 years, time really is relative, albeit anything but unimportant. It is therefore no coincidence that the company's latest project, a luxury restaurant on the distillery's almost 200-hectare estate, is also centred on the concept – literally. The ‘Timespirit’ pays homage to the European zeitgeist, which is served up by a star-studded line-up in both architectural and culinary terms: Designed and planned by Danish architect David Thulstrup, the restaurant nestled deep in the hills of the Scottish Highlands is to be the first outpost of the famous Spanish Michelin-starred restaurant ‘El Celler de Can Roca’.

This unusual collaboration is the result of many years of cooperation between The Macallan and the three Michelin-starred restaurant in Girona. El Celler de Can Roca has been named the best restaurant in the world twice before; the three Roca brothers have been running it since 1986 and refine Catalan cuisine into sophisticated multi-course menus. This fits in better with the wild Scottish character than it might appear at first glance: the ‘Timespirit’, whose floor-to-ceiling glass façades offer a spectacular view of the countryside from the dining room, also aims to create locally curated dishes, drawing from ‘Scotland's larder’ all around.

The immersive restaurant experience begins at the gates of the distillery, though: the ultra-modern, dome-shaped building made of glass and steel nestles into the landscaped grounds like a hat pulled low over its face. The elaborate wooden roof construction is only visible from the outside as the ‘brim of the hat’; inside the building, however, the finely grained material plays the main role. Anyone moving through the distillery, past massive copper boilers and archaic steel pipes, lined with the light, warm wood of the ceiling, will find its completion in the spacious dining room of the ‘Timespirit’.

It is hardly surprising that David Thulstrup, a master of Scandinavian redundancy, was chosen for this high-end project. The architect and designer already succeeded in creating an unpretentious combination of simple shapes, natural wood, light, nature and warmth in the Danish ‘Noma’. The interiors of his designs are both in harmony with the concept of seasonal and regional ingredients served there and at the same time take a back seat. Precision united with the power of nature in its original form: this is also the case in the light-flooded rooms of the ‘Timespirit’, which Thulstrup has lined with spacious purism and lots of wood.

The open kitchen, which invites you to look over your shoulder at the fine art of cooking, forms the centre and starting point of the dining room. It is followed by what The Macallan describes as the ‘centrepiece’ of the restaurant: A wine and whisky cellar framed in oak and stone, the material composition of which thoughtfully echoes the heritage of the Scottish distillery. Around 80 per cent of Macallan whisky is matured in former oak sherry casks, which come from the Spanish region of Jerez, among other places, and produce the characteristic warm amber note of the spirit. The soil on which the Andalusian sherry vines is known as Albariza soil, which is a bright white colour due to its high concentration of limestone and chalk. David Thulstrup skilfully picks up on this geological interweaving: The hatched, light-coloured stone wall made of Albariza stretches like a ring around the presentation area for the Macallan whisky, whose semi-circular rounding made of oak wood is in turn modelled on the storage casks. The interlocking elements extend into the guest room as room dividers, where they merge with the organic curves of the tables, chairs and work islands to create a uniform overall picture.

In a statement, Thulstrup emphasises that his design combines the 200-year-old tradition of The Macallan with the craftsmanship that is also used to distil the local whisky or in the Roca brothers' kitchen: ’Natural materials such as wood and stone are reminiscent of the local heritage and location in terms of age and appearance (...) and at the same time are intended to enhance the desired [culinary] experience.’

The warm yet calm atmosphere of the restaurant proves him right. Thulstrup succeeds in projecting the golden yellow glow of the Macallan whisky onto the simplicity of the interior. This is created by an interplay of burnished brass, indirect light sources and dark-stained wooden tables, which create a certain commitment within the space thanks to the recurring material, yet are grouped discreetly. Up to 24 people can be seated here to savour the liaison of Catalan finesse and Scottish down-to-earthness.

The Macallan offers an insight into its menu with the ‘Distil Your World appetisers’ programme, which includes the Scottish national dish haggis, as well as tacos from Mexico, pastrami from New York and foie gras from London. And of course: mackerel refined with sherry, a homage to Jerez. It would take just under two days to make the journey by car from the southernmost tip of Spain up to the North Sea coast of Scotland. The zeitgeist, as ‘Timespirit’ could literally be translated, would be the same here and there: A tasteful essence of elegance, cosmopolitanism, high quality and craftsmanship.

Susanne Maerzke: After Noma and Ikoyi, the restaurant "TimeSpirit" near the Scottish Highlands was your latest project in fine dining architecture. What intrigues you about this topic?

David Thulstrup: One of my passions in architecture is the experience – how a space feels and what it elevates. My professionalism of course focuses on who the space is for, and how it should be used and designed. When I was invited to The Macallan Estate and the team showed me their distillery, shared their history and heritage, and explained their production process, I immediately understood how deeply everything is connected. I was intrigued by the challenge of working with this connection and enhancing it in their new dining experience. The goal was to connect the visitor to the place, landscape and distillery, the bigger context, and to integrate a new space within the existing architecture. The entire experience felt meaningful, and I am drawn to projects where I sense this depth and significance.

How many requirements regarding the design were set by The Macallan?

David Thulstrup: I will say a few, but important ones. In general, client requirements are always important, and very essential for how I work. It is an important insight into how The Macallan Estate operates their distillery, how guests are visiting, their history and how they want to move forward. They have so much knowledge that needs to be considered. The overall was integration, and that a harmony between the new and the existing was established. I was extremely pleased to hear from guests and The Macallan team that the restaurant felt as though it had always been there. That really confirmed I had done a good job.

Which aspect of your signature as an architect can be found in each of your projects?

David Thulstrup: My approach, whenever I meet a new client – I listen carefully, ask questions, and remain curious. My curiosity and the knowledge that a client brings allows me to create something unique for each client, as I believe the essence of my work is rooted in the context and an attention to detail. I am always zooming in and out on small details, as well as the bigger impression of space and how you move through. I started my career as an interior architect and I think too often architecture and design is carried out on the idea of the exterior surface, and the attention to the exterior shape. It is very much based on the picture effect or the wow effect, seeing a project for the first time. It is very commercialised. What is left out are the questions of liveability and how it feels. If it is welcoming, opening up, nice to sit and stay in, etc. For TimeSpirit – and in all restaurant projects I am involved in – acoustics are essential. And the distillery is a huge vast space, so we had to work a lot on securing an environment and acoustic that was good and felt comfortable.

The Macallan Distillery Experience
The Macallan Distillers Ltd
Easter Elchies, Craigellachie
AB38 9RX, Schottland

Phone: +44 (0)1340 318 000

Opening hours Dining TimeSpirit:
Thursday to Saturday
12-2 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.

Sunday
12-2. p.m.

Reservation required in advance.