Speyside

The Macallan Edition No. 3

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Macallan Edition No. 3
C6.V523.T23.2017-003

48.3% ABV
$100-$110
Website
The Macallan Edition 3

What the Distillery Says

A DYNAMIC AND ORIGINAL COLLABORATION
Inspiration and innovation lie at the heart of The Macallan and nowhere is this more evident than in The Edition Series. Edition No. 3 brings to life the flavor experience of The Macallan through aroma, calling on Master Perfumer Roja Dove’s remarkable sensory knowledge and expert sense of smell to create the third unique expression in the series. Borne of two art forms, Edition No. 3 unites the worlds of whisky and aroma to reveal the complexities of single malt character and the power of the senses in creating and experiencing The Macallan. When we experience and enjoy whisky, the power of aroma is unquestionable – and it is this power that makes the approach to Edition No. 3 truly mesmerizing.

Roja brought his skill to the distillery and the creative process, nosing a range of whisky samples to provide his thoughts and interpretation of the character and aromas he encountered. Roja’s articulation of aromas was then used in the whisky’s creation to select dominant notes that shape the final character of Edition No.3. Drawn from a combination of European and American oak casks, Edition No.3 is sweet and fruity in character, balancing the heavier base recognisable in our single malts with citrus, vanilla, florals and fresh cut oak.

THE EXPERIENCE
COLOUR: Barley Gold.
NOSE: Reminiscent of a fine fragrance with vanilla ice cream, fresh cut oak and delicate florals. Orange oil provides subtle grandeur while ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg flit in and out. Vanilla imparts sweetness with citrus fruits at the fore before allowing chocolate to come through. Burnished oak delivers a soft ending.
PALATE: Sweet fruit, vanilla and rich fruit cake with hints of apricot, pear and crisp green apple. Ginger and cinnamon are balanced with a light resinous oak finale.
FINISH: Long, sweet and fruity, leaving a lasting impression on the senses.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Stewed dark fruit – raisins, plums and some orange zest; notes of balsamic and hazelnuts, milk chocolate, hints of leather, fall leaves, spent matches, and floral notes.
Palate:  Rich, viscous mouthfeel, sweet raisin bread with vanilla creme icing, mixed fruit – peaches, pears – a kick of cinnamon spice with nutmeg, a touch of ginger, and a hint of tangerines.
Finish:  Long, drying with cinnamon apples and citrus undertones.
Comments:  Damn this is delicious! A lovely mouthfeel, well balanced, sweet but a nice spice kick. In the same price range as Macallan Classic Cut, I prefer this over that by a fair margin. This is lighter in color than some of the other Macallan’s, but the flavor density is quite solid for the price.

Rating: Must Try

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The Macallan Gold

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

The Macallan Gold
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$50
Website
Macallan Gold

What the Distillery Says

-The 1824 Series-
The Macallan Gold forms part of The 1824 Series which exemplifies our commitment to 100% natural colour, present in each and every Macallan single malt. The colour of each expression becomes richer as the range progresses and its flavours more intense.

THE EXPERIENCE
COLOUR: Burnished gold.
NOSE: Lemon citrus, then orange peel and an interlacing sweetness that softens but doesn’t eliminate the zest. A quiet note of vanilla is followed by dark chocolate with lingering floral and light oak notes.
PALATE: Citrus and boiled sweets rule the palate, along with hints of ginger and cinnamon, while soft oak tones reveal toasted apples.
FINISH: Medium sweet, malty and slightly dry.

NOTE: Reborn as The Macallan Double Cask Gold as of April 2018, The Macallan Gold (part of The 1824 Series) is embodied in a new look range; offering the same unique whisky with a new name, new bottle and bold new packaging.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, musky stewed peaches atop lemon meringue pie, notes of honey with caramel, subtle baking spices and floral notes.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with a rich sweetness of vanilla, honey, cooked peaches, chocolate orange, subtle caramel and cinnamon.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, with hints of salted caramel.
Comments:  Tasting this at the same time as the Macallan Fine Oak 12 Yr, I liked this quite a bit more. The color is a bit deeper, and this had a richness and depth of flavor that I really enjoyed. Not being familiar with it, I assumed this was the more expensive of the two – so imagine my surprise when I compiled my notes for this review. At this price point, I’d consider this a ‘Must Try’ for fans of Macallan (and if you’re not, it definitely stands out as a solid single malt).

Rating: Must Try/Stands Out

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The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$65 – $80
Website
Macallan Fine Oak 12 Year

What the Distillery Says

The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old forms part of the Fine Oak range and is matured for a minimum of twelve years in three exceptional oak cask types. This complex combination of casks delivers a smooth whisky with notes of dried fruit, honey and subtle spice.

THE EXPERIENCE
COLOUR: Pale straw.
NOSE: Complex, with a hint of fruit and vanilla.
PALATE: Medium, balanced with fruit, oak and spice.
FINISH: Lingering with dried fruits, oak and spice.

NOTE: Reborn as The Macallan Triple Cask Matured 12 Years Old from April 2018, The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old is embodied in a new look range; offering the same extraordinarily smooth, delicate yet complex character with a new name, new bottle and bold new packaging.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Bright malt, honeysuckle, day-old peach cobbler, subtle smoke with floral hints.
Palate:  Sweet and fruity with green apples, honey, oak and just a hint of pepper spice.
Finish:  A tad short, with honey and dried fruit.
Comments:  This is a different take on Macallan – fruity but not the dark fruit you get from the sherry cask matured standard bearer. The finish was fairly short (at least to me) which surprised me. Fans of Macallan wanting to explore the whisky with different wood treatment might be interested in this. While nothing turned me off, nothing really grabbed my attention either.

Rating: Average

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Glenrothes 18 Yr (1999)

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glen Rothes 1999
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
The Unchillfiltered Collection Signatory Vintage

46% ABV
$74
Website

What the Bottle Says

Distilled at GLEN ROTHES Distillery
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distilled 1999
Aged: 18 years
Distilled on: 19.11.1999 (Nov 19, 1999)
Bottled on: 04.06.2018 (Jun 4th, 2018)
Matured in: Hogshead
Cask No: 12582
Bottle No: 49

Due to no chillfiltration, this whisky may turn cloudy when stored in a cool place. It is both more full bodied and full flavoured.
Natural Colour

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honeyed malt, vanilla, not-quite-ripe peaches, almonds, hint of grapefruit rind with some floral notes.
Palate:  Sweet peaches in honey with a nutty spice kicking in, subtle with hints of dried apricots, milk chocolate and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long with honey, a hint of oak and pepper spice.
Comments:  Glenrothes or Glen Rothes? Per their web-site, it is ‘Glenrothes’, but listing it as it is labeled on the bottle (not sure if I’m helping avoid confusion, or creating it unnecessarily). Anywho, this is a very smooth and subtle pour – nothing really ‘jumps out’ to me. A great price for an 18 yr single malt, although age isn’t everything. This is the first Glenrothes I’ve had the pleasure of trying, and apparently ‘honey’ is squarely in their house style, which I definitely picked up.

Rating: Stands Out

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Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt 40 Years Old

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt 40 Years Old

46% ABV
$500 (when released; current 43% retails for $900+)
Website
Glenfarclas 40 Yr

What the Distillery Says

Tasting Notes
Colour: Autumn Gold.
Nose: The Glenfarclas 40 Years Old, now at 43%, has a fresh sweetness and fruity Turkish delight aroma on the nose. Its freshness and power is similar to the first time you open a bag of freshly ground java coffee beans.
Flavour: Sweet taste, followed by a peppering of caramel and chocolate explosions. Sherry power creeping its way to the back of your mouth releasing dark chocolate, raisins and sultanas.
Finish: It ends with a sweet, crisp, dry & lingering finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, thick, intense fruitcake and mincemeat pie full of raisins, figs, stewed apples, pears, plums in an old English library; old leather furniture, pipe tobacco and musty smoke.
Palate:  Rich sherried fruit, coffee cake, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, oak, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Finish:  Moderately long with lingering raisins, clove and oak.
Comments:  Damn this pour is dark! This is one of those drams where I actually prefer nosing it over drinking it. Don’t get me wrong – nothing offputting on the palate (for 40 yrs old, the oak isn’t as prominent as I’d expect – which I appreciate!) The nose is probably in my top 5 favorites with such depth, complexity and balance. The palate is very nice, but not in my top 5 – and or even top 10. Don’t get me wrong – it is really good, but less complex than the nose led me to expect. This sample was from the higher-proof version (this was first released at 46%, not sure when they brought it down to 43%), and from what I’ve read this was initially a bargain at around $500 (currently much more). That’s a lotta cheddar for a bottle of whiskey – although thankfully since I like smelling it more than drinking it, I’m gonna stretch this sample out for a while..

Rating: Stands Out

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