Macallan's fall from grace - or at least the supposed fall from grace - or, that is, their continued and heavily debated thrust to position themselves as one of the great elite Scotch brands through intense advertising, perhaps deceptively - is something that has spawned thousands of words across the internet. I think MaltMadness does a particularly good job explaining some of the core problems. I personally have yet to meet a Scotch drinker who really liked any of their new and much-promoted Fine Oak line.
But they are a huge producer, number two or three as of the time of this writing (and of course, this carries its own kettle of fish along with it) and have successfully used the heft of their currency and legacy to become one of the most common Scotch whiskies in the world. If a bar has any kind of single malt Scotch at all, chances are good that Macallan is among them.
But the brand cut their teeth and built their empire on Scotch aged in sherry casks, and so we'll begin with their entry level offering - the 12 Year Sherry Oak bottle, which I have had a bottle of and then another glass at a lovely wedding in Michigan last weekend.
Nose: Fruit, fruit, fruit. More fruit! This bouquet is among the most fruit-forward of maybe any Scotch I've had. Apples are heavy, pears, raisins, golden raisins, plums, prunes. It's a cornucopia of orchard fruit, just spilling out everywhere.
Mouthfeel: Silky and smooth.
Palate: Yet more fruit, but with a surprisingly thick alcohol bloom and then some citrus notes I didn't expect - orange, orange peel, light lemon, sweetened lemon. No lime or grapefruit, shame. Sweet, quite sweet. An intriguing bread aspect - this is, I think, the cereal malts coming through, but it ends up something like raisin bread. Sherry as well, in the form of the aforementioned raisins and also a distinct wine flavor.
Finish: The wood of the casks comes through at the end. While the finish stays sweet, it gets spicier and drier. A rather quick finish, as well.
Verdict: Recommended, depending on the price. This is a very solid entry sherried Scotch. Although I favor a few others in this ~$40-50 price bracket (Edradour, Aberlour, and Balvenie all have sherry offerings I like a little more than this), this is a very pleasant, delicious fruity Scotch that will offend no one and please many.
Link to the Macallan 12 Year site: http://www.themacallan.com/the-whisky/sherry-oak/sherry-oak-12/
Good review!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I find offensive about Macallan 12 Sherry Oak is the price. In Canada, it is $82 and for much less there is GlenDronach 12, Balvenie Doublewood, etc, that make the Macallan choice unlikely.
If price were not a concern, I would buy it regularly.