Category: Macallan

Whiskies distilled at Macallan in the Speyside region of Scotland

Review: Macallan Classic Cut 2018

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Paid: $95 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

51.2% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: “Sherry seasoned oak”

Chill Filtered: Yes?

Color Added: No

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Raisins, honey, malt, apple, caramel, oak, vanilla

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Caramel, light sherry, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, oak, and leather

Finish: Medium warmth and length, Dried fruits, vanilla, oak, sherry, pepper

Thoughts: Pretty basic for a sherry aged Macallan, the age on some of the malt has to be pretty young. I’m pretty disappointed in this release, especially compared to the more sherry forward 2017 version.

Score: 78 out of 100

Review: Macallan Whisky Maker’s Edition

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Price: $100 for 700ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

42.8% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Ex-sherry and bourbon

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Color: Burnished

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Raisins, sherry, citrus, malt, vanilla, nuts, apple, and pine resin

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Chocolate, oloroso sherry, nuts, dried fruit, leather, oak, caramel, and sultanas

Finish: Medium to light warmth and has a pretty good length. Malt, cocoa powder, sherry, pepper, ginger, and coffee

Thoughts: Not bad for an NAS travel malt, but not worth the price they were charging back in the day.

Score: 82 out of 100

Review: Macallan 18 Sherry 1993

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Paid: N/A – Sample

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

43% ABV

Aged For: 18 Years, distilled 1993

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Oloroso sherry casks

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Color: Light mahogany

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Sherry, raisins, Christmas cake, dried fruits, orange peel, caramel, ginger, and wood spice

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Rich and fruity, caramel, chocolate sauce, oak, citrus, honey, malt, and fruitcake

Finish: Medium warmth, and lasting. Vanilla, sherry, creamy oak, dried citrus, and light roast coffee with cream

Thoughts: It’s a classic, and I really like it, but as far as bang for your buck, some IB sherry cask Glenrothes, Glen Morays, and even Glenlivets are the way to go.

Score: 90 out of 100

Macallan Edition No. 4

On By MajorHopIn 90-94, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan Edition No. 4

Paid: $105 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

48.4% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: European and American oak refill butts and hogsheads, and butts, puncheons and hogsheads from Vasmya, Diego Martin, Jose y Miguel Martin and Tevasa.

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Chocolate, oak, lemon, honey, raisins, nutmeg, sherry, walnuts, vanilla

Feel:Medium body

Taste: Chocolate and caramel, oranges, vanilla, sherry, oak ,cake

Finish: Caramel, coffee, brown sugar, malt, honey, walnuts, and dried fruit. Medium warmth and length

Thoughts: Similar to the edition two, but I enjoyed this one a lot more as it hit my preferred flavors. Another solid entry in the editions series, and is tied with the edition 1 for me.

Score: 90 out of 100

Macallan Classic Cut 2017

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan Classic Cut

Paid: $90 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington

Region: Speyside

58.4% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Sherry Seasoned Casks

Chill Filtered: Unknown

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Chestnut

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Vanilla, honey, ginger, oak, light sherry, and caramel

Feel: Full bodied

Taste: Caramel, vanilla, raisin, cream, oak, white pepper, milk chocolate, and almond

Finish: Medium, lingering toffee and butterscotch oak with light sherry

Thoughts: Compared to the old CS it’s a bit of a letdown, but taken on its own it’s a very good drink.

Score: 87 out of 100

 

Speymalt From Macallan 2005

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Speymalt from Macallan

Paid: $60 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Gordon & MachPhail

Region: Speyside

43% ABV

Aged For: 9 Years

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Sherry Casks

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Pale gold

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Beeswax, honeycomb, golden raisin, citrus, malt, vanilla, white wine

Feel:Light bodied, creamy

Taste: Dried fruit, citrus, touch of sherry, cinnamon, and milk chocolate

Finish: Warm, lingering, white pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, milk chocolate, oak, and dried citrus

Thoughts: Lots of gentle chocolates and fruit in this one, and ideal introductory speyside.

Score: 83 out of 100

Macallan Rare Cask

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan Rare Cask

Price: $300 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

43% ABV

Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley

Aged For: NAS

Cask Type: Sherry Cask

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Sherried malt and candied almonds. A bit of dried fruit and ginger with chocolate and citrus.

Mouthfeel: Lighter

Palate/Taste: Raisins and fig, with sherry and dried banana. Milk chocolate and vanilla with a touch of oak.

Finish: Medium length with caramel and ginger being most predominant, slight fruitiness

Thoughts: It tastes Macallan 12, in a fancy overpriced bottle, and my score reflects this. It’s not bad, but for $50 less you can get Macallan 18, (Which is also overpriced) a dram with far more complexity and deep sherry.

Score: 78/100

Macallan 12 Double Cask

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan 12 double cask

Price: $60 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

43% ABV

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Aged For: 12 years

Cask Type: New sherry seasoned American oak & European oak sherry casks

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Tawny

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Dried oranges, citrus, spice cake, sherry, vanilla, and caramel.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and slightly viscous.

Palate/Taste: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon with bits of gentle pepper and ginger. Fruit notes throughout.

Finish: Medium warmth with a linger of oak, candied ginger, and apples.

Thoughts: If you took Macallan 12 sherry cask and turned the flavor knob down this is what you get. I appreciate the age statement, but Macallan is obviously trying to extended their depleted stocks with this release until they can get more aged sherry cask back on hand. Alright scotch, but no match for the regular 12 year.

Score: 79 out of 100

Macallan 10 Fine Oak

On By MajorHopIn 70-74, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan 10 FO

Macallan 10 Fine oak is like the Bud Lite of Scotch (If bud light was priced like a craft brew). I’ve found Mac 10 at Applebees to put this in perspective. I wanted to write up some formal notes on it just to put things in perspective for myself.

Price: $50 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

40% ABV

Aged For: 10 Years

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Spanish sherry, American bourbon, and American oak sherry

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Light gold

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Honeycomb, vanilla, malt, oats, frosting, and gentle oak.

Taste: Watery, more honey, vanilla, and barley. Very simple, no complexity.

Finish: Short and gentle, a vanilla biscuit flavor.

Thoughts: It’s short, light, easy to drink, and a snoozer.

Score: 73 out of 100

Macallan Edition No. 2

On By MajorHopIn 85-89, Macallan, Scotch, SpeysideLeave a comment

Macallan no. 2

Paid: $105 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Macallan / Edrington Group

Region: Speyside

48.2% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: American and European oak Sherry puncheons, butts, and refill hogsheads

Chill Filtered: Yes

Color Added: No

 

 

Color: Sunset yellow

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Hazelnut, clove, sherry, chocolate, espresso, maple syrup, and berries.

Taste: Fig, oak, cinnamon, ginger, caramel and vanilla. Slight oiliness and very sweet.

Finish: Lingering gingersnap and sherry with a slight warmth.

Thoughts: I think the first edition was a bit “Darker” and I preferred it a bit more. However an increased ABV and solid flavors, while keeping price (Modern pricing not historic) within reason makes this come recommended from me.

Score: 86 out of 100