Whisky Galore Macallan 1989

Whisky Galore Macallan 1989

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, leather, cream, dark chocolate, hints of oak chips. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, dark chocolate, leather, cream, photocopy paper, black pepper, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Short. Cream, prunes, raisins, dark chocolate, hints of photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

Slightly lower strength, but still quite delightful. Again, very classic Macallan, lots of leather and dark chocolate and raisins to make me enjoy whisky from this distillery again.

Verdict:

I like this.

Piran Strange 28yo Macallan Private Cask Bottling

Piran Strange 28yo Macallan Private Cask Bottling

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cocoa nibs, carrot cake, pomeloes, coffee, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, chalky, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Coffee, raisins, honey, orange peel, vanilla, carrot cake, cocoa nibs. 
Finish: Short. Orange peel, vanilla, carrot cake, dark chocolate, pomeloes. 

Comments: 

Cask 6916. A very good whisky, lots of the sweetness that characterises old Macallan, together with a fudgy, nutmeggy flavour that I identify as carrot cake. Excellent whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Speyside Single Malt (Macallan) 24yo 1995/2020

Speyside Single Malt (Macallan) 24yo 1995/2020

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
46.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pencil lead, brass polish, cherries, orange peel, camphor, cinnamon, strawberry laces. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, milk chocolate, cherries, pencil lead, malted grains, strawberry laces, hints of gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium body. Milk chocolate, malted grains, cherries, black tea, strawberry laces. 

Comments: 

I don’t think very much of the official Macallans, at least nothing that warrants their mighty reputation. However, every so often I run into a whisky that confirms it. This is one of them. Slightly flinty with lots of sweet chocolate and fruit, several layers of complexity make it utterly delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Macallan 30yo 1988/2018 Exceptional Single Cask ASB-3980-09

Macallan 30yo 1988/2018 Exceptional Single Cask ASB-3980/09

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Mahogany 
51.7% ABV
Tiny taste

Nose: Chocolate, raisins, sourdough bread, beef broth, red grapes, honeysuckle, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, raisins, beef broth, sourdough bread, toast, honeysuckle, red grapes, cloves, strawberry laces. 
Finish: Long. Cloves, toast, honeysuckle, raisins, strawberry laces. 

Comments: 

Delicious! It’s not very often I get to taste well-aged Macallan. I’m very impressed. I wish it didn’t sell for thousands of course, but I understand why. It’s also meaty and cereally, lovely balance of complexity and intensity. Very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Macallan Edition 6

Macallan Edition 6

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, orange peel, salt caramel, dust, chocolate, raisins.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, chocolate, fresh baked bread, black tea, walnuts, hints of coffee, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

This one is fruitier and drier than its next oldest sibling, with lots of tannins and bitterness. Again, the higher ABV does it justice. Lots of dried fruit on the finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan Edition 5

Macallan Edition 5

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marshmallows, vanilla, sultanas, fresh cut grass, peanuts, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, warm, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Vanilla, honey, raisins, sultanas, fresh baked bread, fresh cut grass, hints of chocolate.  
Finish: Short. Raisins, fresh baked bread, vanilla, hints of black tea. 

Comments: 

This is more like it! At 48% plus, Macallan is more interesting, this one is warm and inviting, lots of cereally notes and vanilla, quite lush. I enjoyed this. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan Rare Cask 2018 Batch 3

Macallan Rare Cask 2018 Batch 3

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber

43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, chocolate, leather, oranges, vanilla sponge, hazelnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, cool, static. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, raisins, black tea, vanilla, dried apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Oranges, dried apricots, vanilla sponge, honey. 

Comments: 

This is Terry’s chocolate orange whisky. It’s pleasant and straightforward, with the obligatory chocolate and dried fruit, and a decent nose. Again, while it’s well-constructed, it’s not that rare as sherried whiskies go. I liked this, but not at the price. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan Double Cask 15yo

Macallan Double Cask 15yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, leather, dust, barley sugar, shredded wheat, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Leather, raisins, red grapes, barley sugar, rhubarb and custard sweets, shredded wheat. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, chocolate, honey, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Well now, this is better than the 18yo. An interesting, leathery, dusty nose leads into a cereally, fruity nose. But it’s a short finish, and the low ABV makes it taste rather thin. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan Triple Cask 18yo (2019 release)

Macallan Triple Cask 18yo (2019 release)

Official bottling

Single malt - Speyside 
Sunshine gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, sea salt, malted grains, honey, dried apricots, treacle.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Chocolate, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge, salt caramel. 
Finish: Short. Dried apricots, lemon zest, vanilla sponge, honey. 

Comments: 

18 years is normally the sweet spot for whisky, at least for me, so I was looking forward to tasting this sherry monster. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to expectations. There’s honey and chocolate of course, allied to a malty nose, but it seemed a bit thin. Bottling this at 46% or even north of 50%, may have helped, although I understand the lack of interest in a very woody, high strength whisky. 

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition

Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition 

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
42.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, raisins, dried apricots, burning matches, fresh baked bread, vanilla.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, sticky, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, chocolate, hazelnuts, vanilla, orange peel, raisins. 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, coffee, hazelnuts, dried apricots, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

My first official Macallan in a while. I started my whisky journey with Macallan, and at the time, it was clearly good enough to launch me into a hobby that is now well into its second decade. This one gave me hints of that experience, with some nutty chocolate alongside dried fruit. But the low ABV made it a little disappointing. 

Verdict:

I like this.

The Macallan Estate

The Macallan Estate

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, vanilla fudge, butterscotch, coffee, hints of dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, vanilla fudge, blueberries, maple syrup, hints of coffee.
Finish: Short. Coffee, raisins, vanilla fudge, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

A nice little starter dram, very straightforward and familiar. It’s got lots of sweet flavours, and is very Macallan. Very decent whisky to start a session with. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan Sienna

Macallan Sienna

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Sienna
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, raisins, vanilla, toast, fresh baked bread, hints of nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, vanilla, fresh baked bread, red grapes, black tea. 
Finish: Long. Mint, lemon zest, honey, black tea. 

Comments: 

Well, this is well-constructed, plenty of honey, red grapes, vanilla. But it's like many other sherried whiskies, and really in the mold of the age-statement Macallans. It's not as sweet and intense. There are some interesting cool citrusy notes in the finish.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Crabbies 30yo

Crabbies 30yo

Crabbies
Single malt - Speyside
Dark red
48.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, red grapes, peat, strawberries, hints of black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, warming, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, pears, white grapes, kiwi fruit, strawberries, hints of peat. 
Finish: Long. Kiwi fruit, peat, white grapes, hints of cucumber. 

Comments: 

That this is peated, 30 year old Macallan is an open secret. It's unusual though, very fruity, chockful of grapes (both red and white) and both white fruits and red fruits. It's not as intense as other sherry bombs, instead it's subtle and gentle, and warming.

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan Gold

Macallan Gold

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, yoghurt, orange peel, raisins, honey, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, astringent, loose. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Freshly baked bread, yoghurt, orange peel, raisins, honey, hint of milk chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, honey, yoghurt, hints of orange peel. 

Comments: 

Another NAS whisky. I can't remember which Macallan expression this one replaced - the 10 year old? The 12 year old? Well, no matter. It's slightly disappointing, it tastes... young. There's a shallowness of flavour, lack of complexity, lack of deep chocolate and fruit notes, instead quite of lot of light yoghurty and bready flavours. OK, no more.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Macallan 18 yo

Macallan 18 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber red
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, caramel, marmalade, strawberries, honey, brown paper, roast pork.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, thickens, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet. Brown paper, marmalade, strawberry jam, honey, raisins, mint, hints of roast pork.
Finish: Long. Honey, lemons, oranges.

Comments:

Mmmm... a brandy-like sherried monster (I did check to make sure it wasn't brandy, embarassingly enough). In addition to the waves of caramelised concentrated fruit, there are some very appealing roast meat notes in the nose and on the tongue. Excellent whisky, lifts my opinion of Macallan.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 24.106 (Macallan 12 yo 1996/2009)

SMWS 24.106 (Macallan 12 yo 1996/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Orange amber
58.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brown paper, potato chips, caramel, raisins, raw latex, hints of tablet, hints of biscuit.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, raw, smooth, hot, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet. Black tea, brown paper, raisins, tablet, biscuit, plums, cinnamon, hints of almonds.
Finish: Short. Cinnamon, plums, tablet No water.

Comments:

Mouth-coating and sweet. This is proper Macallan, and shows what the whisky could be. The official bottlings have less body, and are less rounded in terms of flavour. Great combination of brown paper, Scottish tablet and plums.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 24.101 (Macallan 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 24.101 (Macallan 23 yo 1985/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
52.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, bitter chocolate, caramel, vanilla, whipped cream, hints of cranberries.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, watery, loose, static.
Tasting: Sweet. Oak, vanilla, walnuts, orange peel, cinnamon, honey, hints of red grapes, hints of cranberries.
Finish: Short. Vanilla, caramel, marmalade.

Comments:

Lots and lots of oranges, almost like a Balvenie, except that the oranges are fresher, less peel. They are also mixed with sweet vanilla cream - like a creme anglaise. Lots of oak and wood in the taste, slightly nutty. So much wood that it's difficult to discern the flavours. At least the nose is great.

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan 18 yo 1989/2007 Cask Strength

Macallan 18 yo 1989/2007 Cask Strength

From the cask, the Whisky Shop
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
55% ABV
Mini

Nose: Oak, wine, sherry, oranges, honey, hint of candied ginger.
Mouthfeel:Heavy body, thick, full.
Tasting: Sweet. Toffee, tangy, honey, pine, paper, orange peel, cherry syrup.
Finish: Long. Hint of smoke, sweet caramel fudge.

Comments:

This was a present from mum and dad. Pretty good, more dimension of flavour than I normally find in Macallan. Very Christmas pudding. Macallan is much better at a higher strength; I do think that 40% is too weak for many whiskies.

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan 10 yo Fine Oak

Macallan 10 yo Fine Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
40% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, raisins, nutmeg, eggnog.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, viscous, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sweet, hint of smoke, more caramel, maple syrup, buttered pancakes.
Finish: Short. Bitter, peanuts, peanut skin.

Comments:

Matured in a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks. I enjoyed this the first time I tried it, but as I educated my palate a little more I found that there really wasn't much in here. Apparently cutting back on the use of sherry casks (as a cost saving measure) has allowed more the distillery's character to emerge with this expression, but I don't think the distillery character is an improvement over the sherry monster.

Verdict:

I like this.