The Macallan, the Scotch whisky brand from UK-based Edrington (distributed in Japan by Suntory), is holding the limited-time art event "The Macallan x David Carson: IN THE STUDIO" at seeen in Omotesando, Tokyo, from November 27 to 29, 2026. The event lets visitors experience the creative world that has grown out of The Macallan's long-running collaboration with David Carson, the internationally active graphic designer.
Carson has built a close relationship with the brand, including creating the new visual identity for The Macallan Double Cask and The Macallan Sherry Oak Collection. Rather than simply viewing finished designs, visitors to "IN THE STUDIO" follow the instinct, craft, and mastery that underlie Carson's work and explore the philosophy that his creations share with The Macallan's whisky-making.
"There's no magic answer. At some point, you have to trust your gut."
— David Carson
This attitude of trusting one's instinct, captured in Carson's words, applies not only to his own creative work but also to the craftsmanship The Macallan has pursued throughout its long history.
From Instinct to Craft to Mastery
The "IN THE STUDIO" experience is made up of three chapters: Instinct, Craft, and Mastery.
- Instinct: Introduces Carson's intuitive approach to creating, along with the creative philosophy that underpins his collaboration with The Macallan.
- Craft: Follows the process by which ideas born from instinct take shape through skill and experience. Visitors can experience the balance of discipline, expertise, and instinct shared by Carson's design and The Macallan's whisky-making.
- Mastery: Displays David Carson's original artworks together in one place. Inspired by The Macallan 18 Years Old, 25 Years Old, and 30 Years Old, the works express the flavor and complexity of each whisky in Carson's own visual language, and each is presented alongside the corresponding whisky. The organizers describe it as one of the world's largest collections of Carson's original works.
Whether on a canvas or in a single bottle of whisky, instinct, craft, and mastery are present in the process of giving form to creativity. The Macallan and David Carson, each pursuing creation in a different field, meet at the event's theme, "Mastery Beyond Reason" (マスタリー・ビヨンド・リーズン, meaning mastery that goes beyond common sense).
A Creative Studio by Day, a Whisky Bar by Night
"IN THE STUDIO" is a special space that shows a different character by day and by night.
Daytime: Visitors follow Carson's creative world and spend creative time facing their own sensibilities through art and whisky. Through materials, forms, and flavors, they can experience how instinct is elevated into a finished work.
Night: The venue turns into a whisky bar inspired by The Macallan's world and Carson's creative spirit. Special cocktails and music offer an experience different from the daytime.
Daytime Events: A Creative Workshop and a Whisky Masterclass
During the day, artist MIO KASAI leads a creative workshop. Participants freely combine materials and techniques such as collage and painting to express their own instincts as art, experiencing the creative process in which ideas turn into a finished work. Completed pieces can be taken home as one-of-a-kind original artworks.
A whisky masterclass (tasting class) led by The Macallan ambassador GAKU is also held. While exploring the taste of the whisky, the class introduces the craftsmanship handed down over more than 200 years and the knowledge and skills built up over many years.
Art facilitator: MIO KASAI
Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1992. MIO KASAI spent childhood in the United States and began physical expression at age 3. Full-fledged work as an artist, centered on oil painting, began in 2022. After about a year and a half of creating work in Paris and Berlin, MIO KASAI is currently based in Tokyo. Drawing on values and sensibilities encountered while moving between places, the minimal, contemplative works offer a moment to stop in a modern world where values tend to become skewed and to return to what truly matters, asking about the root of living and its ideal form. Instagram: @miokasai
Night Events: Special Cocktails With Guest Bartenders and DJs
From 5:00 PM, the venue's The Macallan bar serves special house cocktails created for this event, with a different DJ playing each day.
A special guest shift also invites leading bartenders from the bar scenes of Singapore, Seoul, and Tokyo:
- Singapore: Aki Eguchi of the well-known bar Jigger & Pony, which placed 9th in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026
- Seoul: Loui Eom and TAK of Le Chamber, which is highly regarded in Asia's bar scene for original cocktails and a refined world view
- Tokyo: Ramesh Shrestha of VIRTÙ, which is named in The World's 50 Best Bars 2026
Bartenders from renowned bars will each draw out new sides of The Macallan through special cocktails, using their own skill and creativity. Talent from the three cities will be together under one roof.
Surrounded by art and music, guests can enjoy The Macallan with all five senses in a space that looks different from the daytime. The Macallan whiskies are also available in many other varieties, which can be enjoyed straight, on the rocks, or with soda, as preferred.
DJ Lineup
Guest Bartenders
The Macallan Special House Cocktails
From left: The Macallan ハウス・メリディアン / The Macallan グローブ / The Macallan ロバー
Art, Design, Craft, and Whisky
Held for only three days in Omotesando, Tokyo, "IN THE STUDIO" brings together the worlds of The Macallan and David Carson, who have each pursued creation in a different field, in an experience meant to stimulate sensibility and creativity.
Event Details
- Event name: The Macallan x David Carson: IN THE STUDIO
- Dates: Friday, November 27 to Sunday, November 29, 2026
- Venue: seeen (Omotesando, Tokyo), 4-13-12 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tqvmDNJqAfRyj8aSA
- Hours: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM (closes at 7:00 PM on the final day, November 29)
- B1F special bar hours: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM (closes at 7:00 PM on November 29)
- Art workshop: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (three sessions daily)
- Whisky masterclass (tasting class): 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM (November 28 only)
- B1F guest bartender and DJ time: Daily; 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on November 27, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on November 28, and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on November 29
- Admission: Free (alcoholic drinks are sold for a fee in the in-venue bar area)
Notes
- Visitors under 20 may enter, but alcohol is not sold to them at the bar corner.
- Alcohol tasting is part of the art workshop and the whisky masterclass.
- Guests arriving by car should refrain from drinking in the venue.
Schedule by Day
Friday, November 27
- Daytime (1F): Art workshop by MIO KASAI (up to 9 people, 1.5 hours each), starting at 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM
- Night (B1F): DJ and bar time, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Guest bartender: Aki Eguchi (from Jigger & Pony, Singapore). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiggerandponysg/
- Guest DJ: Fraser Cooke
Fraser Cooke is a London-born DJ and co-founder of "The Hideout," active across music, fashion, and street culture. Since joining Nike in 2004, Cooke has worked on numerous creative collaborations, while also performing as a DJ in Japan and abroad from a base in Tokyo. Instagram: @marcfraser66
Saturday, November 28
- Daytime (1F):
- Art workshop by MIO KASAI (up to 9 people, 1.5 hours each), starting at 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM
- Whisky masterclass by The Macallan ambassador GAKU (up to 9 people, 45 minutes each), starting at 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM
- Night (B1F): DJ and bar time, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Guest bartenders: Loui Eom & TAK (from Le Chamber, Seoul). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/le_chamber/
- Guest DJ: Haruna
Haruna is a Tokyo-based DJ known for a style that freely mixes a wide range of genres, including disco, house, tech house, R&B, and hip-hop. Besides serving as the weekly regular DJ at the "Gold Bar" at EDITION Tokyo, Haruna plays at popular clubs such as CÉ LA VI TOKYO, 1 OAK, and Zouk, and at luxury hotels and fashion events for global brands such as BVLGARI, Longchamp, Swarovski, and Coach. Instagram: @haruna_h_mori
Sunday, November 29
- Daytime (1F): Art workshop by MIO KASAI (up to 9 people, 1.5 hours each), starting at 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM
- Night (B1F): DJ and bar time, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- Guest bartender: Ramesh Shrestha (from VIRTÙ, Tokyo). Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtutokyo/
- Guest DJ: Max Mackee Mild Bunch / Rhythm of Life
Max Mackee is a Tokyo-based selector who has been playing around the world since 1997. As one of the original members of MILD BUNCH SOUND SYSTEM, the DJ has kept dancers moving worldwide, from Burning Man to Fuji Rock, Labyrinth Festival, and the legendary Space Lab YELLOW. Instagram: @max_mackee
Reservations for the workshops and whisky masterclasses are taken at the venue. Please feel free to ask a staff member.
