Macallan's 15-year-old triple cask Scotch is a complex, well-balanced and engaging single malt. The palate offers spicy woody flavors cereals, baked bread, candied orange and sweet spices.
QUICK FACTS
Classification: single malt scotch
Company: Edrington Group
Shaft: American oak seasoned with sherry, European oak seasoned with sherry, ex-bourbon
Fixed Type:
Published: in progress
Evidence: 86 (43%ABV)
Aged:
MSRP: 125€
The inconvenients
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May be too light for Islay whiskey drinkers looking for smoke and peat
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The fans Macallan's traditional sherry cask influence may need convincing.
Tasting Notes
Nose : A blend of cereal, dried fruit, light caramel and vanilla notes, and sweet, moist oak
Stuffy : In the front of the mouth, it is soft and round, with a hint of spice from oak, dark chocolate, notes of caramel, baked bread, candied orange spice and brandied raisins. Mid-palate , it is medium to full-bodied with a buttery sweetness and a hint of pepper and spice. Towards the back of the throat, oak, baking spice and pepper white dominate, followed by notes of sherry.
Final : Medium-long finish of baked apple, candied sweet orange, cloves , raisin and oak
Our opinion
Macallan is one of Scotland's largest single malt distilleries with a dedicated fan base. It manages to offer well-regarded basic and entry-level products while dominating the Scotch auction circuit with out-of-this-world expressions of 40s, 50s and 60s. Fur 2018, the label, which dates back to 1824, opened its brand new distillery and tour experience. The stylish, state-of-the-art distillery with its grass-covered roof already iconic, houses 24 of the “curiously small” leather stills Macallan pot stills (as well as 12 large primary stills) designed specifically to create an “oiler” and fuller-bodied scotch. That said, thanks to a lack of peat and the use of sherry casks for ageing, the overall effect of this Speyside entry is rounder and more approachable to the newcomer compared to many single malts.
The 15-year-old triple barrel scotch is part of Macallan's larger effort to evolve beyond its basic sherry expressions. In the past, all brand expressions were aged exclusively in oloroso sherry casks sourced from Jerez, Spain. (The brand claims to use the vast majority of all sherry casks from first fill used in Scotch whisky.) Rather than using existing Spanish oak casks left over from the sherry industry, Macallan selects a mix of new European and American oak casks. ins to be sent to Spain, where sherry is used to flavor the barrels for a year or more. Unlike the sherry bombs, the triple oak barrel series means fans of scotch finished in bourbon cask now have options as well. seasoned with sherry and ex-first-fill bourbon casks.Each is independently aged for 15 years, then married and rested to create the finished product.The result is an elegant blend of orange spice, oak, dark chocolate, baking spice and raisins, plums and cassis.
There really can be something for everyone here.
At this price and with this complexity already embedded in the spirit, I would be hesitant to use it in cocktails, opting instead to sip it neat or perhaps with a few drops of water or an ice cube. This is where your Glencairn glass really comes in.
There really is very little to complain about this bottle. Islay whiskey lovers more the daring may find it a little too easygoing, while those who prefer the rich fruit notes of sherry-aged Scotch may miss that rich sweetness and Christmas goodness.