Recently I mentioned The Macallan in a different review, but only briefly. Because of that, and the request I received to work it into a review, I set out to taste with Macallan on the mind. The Macallan is actually the first scotch whisky that I ever tasted. I will admit that, at the time, it was not as pleasant of an experience as it is for me today (I was young, with absolutely no whisky exposure). It was a turning point in my life though, as it set the bar for what I set out to conquer. As it was with Makers Mark, I have history with The Macallan that I will ignore when completing my review; I never want to give any unfair advantages.
Macallan is considered a Speyside whisky even though current districts place it in the Highland region. Their portfolio of whisky boasts many to choose from, but for this review I am going to focus on the Fine Oak series. The Fine Oak offers 10, 12, 15, 17, and 18 year-old whisky; for this review I tasted the 17. As I stated, Macallan offers different series of their whisky, the Sherry Oak series is what you are most likely to encounter in a pub or restaurant, and of that series it is the 12 and 18 you are most likely to find. The Fine Oak is a little harder to come by but the right whisky bar will hopefully have at least one whisky from this series for you to taste.
The Macallan 17 is triple cask matured. This means that the whisky is matured for 17 years in a combination of three different casks before it is eventually bottled. The whisky is matured in Spanish oak casks seasoned with sherry, American oak casks seasoned with sherry, and American oak casks seasoned with bourbon. This results in a very special combination of flavors making their way into the whisky. The combination results in a complex flavor but something that I enjoyed in this tasting was that I was able to detect them; they didn't mask each other or cancel each other out.
The whisky itself is a beautiful amber color with good legs. When I inhaled the whisky there was a very brief scent of alcohol which quickly dissipated, opening the door for the other aromas. I was delighted to find that I could easily detect the sherry in the scent, accented with some creamy, floral notes. The whisky smelled a little sweet. The mouth feel revealed it to be a whisky of medium thickness. On my palate it was creamy, fruity, and 'woody'. The aftertaste was quite pleasant, and lingered, letting me enjoy the whisky even longer.
Rating: 5.0 out of a possible 5 casks.
Reason: My first 5.0 rating, does this come as a surprise? It did to me. I had even considered giving a 4.5, leaving some room for improvement, but after only a moment of thought realized that this whisky had everything I could ask for; it deserved it. Where the whisky really succeeded with me was the complex but easily deciphered aroma, added bonus points for the taste which enabled me to pull out each flavor and contemplate it. I realize that my description of the taste may have sounded a bit complex, but it is because this whisky allowed me to isolate the flavors and spend a moment analyzing each of them. This whisky is a great call, all around. Average cost ranges $130 to $150 per bottle (although it could range from $120 on the low end to $180 on the high), and around $15-$18 per glass. Highly recommend.
Cheers,
Charles
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