Macallan has released the eighth installment in its highly anticipated Archival Series. Folio 8 honors the distillery’s iconic “Colossus of Nose” advertisement from 1988, priced at £350/$400 and already commanding auction prices between £600-£1,100 before widespread release.
The limited-edition release marks the latest chapter in Macallan’s 24-part series celebrating the brand’s most memorable advertising campaigns. Folio 8 pays tribute to one of whisky’s most recognized creative executions while continuing the collection that has become a must-have for enthusiasts and investors alike.
The Original “Colossus of Nose” Campaign
The “Colossus of Nose” advertisement debuted in 1988 as part of Macallan’s groundbreaking marketing push to position itself as a luxury single malt. The creative concept cleverly played on the ancient Colossus of Rhodes, replacing the historical wonder with a monumental nose to highlight the whisky’s “towering aroma.”
Renowned photographer David Montgomery shot the advertisement in his Chelsea studio, featuring an elaborate composition with models posed around and atop the giant sculptural nose.
The models featured in the original ad included Toby Holmes portraying three Arabic gentlemen on the left, creative director David Holmes and copywriter Nick Salaman scaling the top of the nose, and Lyndsey Salaman, Nick’s wife, positioned at the bottom right.
This playful homage to the ancient wonder effectively conveyed the distinctive qualities of Macallan’s single malt, contributing to the distillery’s growth from relative obscurity to winning the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement by 1988.
The Creative Minds: Holmes and Salaman
David Holmes and Nick Salaman formed the creative powerhouse behind Macallan’s transformative advertising campaigns of the 1970s and 1980s. Holmes, serving as creative director and co-founder of advertising agency Holmes Knight Ritchie, brought his distinctive artistic vision to the brand’s visual identity.
Salaman, educated at Oxford University and with a background as a novelist and playwright, crafted the “witty, almost scholarly” copy that became synonymous with Macallan’s voice. Together, they produced more than 250 advertisements for Macallan between 1980 and 1994.
Their partnership established a distinctive tone that educated consumers about single malt whisky while conveying Macallan’s story in an informative yet humorous way. This approach proved instrumental in transforming Macallan from a small Speyside distillery into a globally recognized luxury whisky brand.
Is The Folio 8 A Good Investment In 2025
Is the Macallan Folio 8 a good investment? In the short term, probably not. You’ve already missed the boat – bottles are already appearing at auction with prices between £600-£1,100, and the market will soon be flooded.
In the long term, however – ten years or more – it’s an absolutely solid collector’s piece. But you should be warned: these presentation boxes are quite big. You either need somewhere nice to display it or a large cupboard to store it in.
Market saturation is becoming a concern as the series progresses. While early Folios have appreciated significantly, later entries may face diminishing returns as collector enthusiasm wanes.
The Legacy Continues
Macallan’s Folio 8 continues the distillery’s celebration of its advertising legacy while offering collectors another piece of whisky history. The “Colossus of Nose” campaign represents a creative high point in spirits marketing, showcasing how Holmes and Salaman’s innovative approach helped elevate Macallan to premium status.
While investment returns may vary, the cultural significance of these releases extends beyond monetary value. Each Folio preserves a moment when whisky advertising transformed from mere product promotion to storytelling art form.
For those who appreciate both fine Scotch and marketing creativity, Folio 8 delivers a tangible connection to the golden age of whisky advertising that shaped how we perceive single malts today.
