Whisky: Macallan 12 Year (2008), SMWS 24.147 “Red wine and cola sangria spritzer // The deepest mahogany”

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 63.3%

Cask: Oloroso Butt (10Y), First Fill American Oak PX Hogshead

Age: 12 Years (Distilled 13 Oct. 2008)

Nose: Rich and decadent, stewed stone fruits, ripe purple plums, brown sugar, subtle mint and perilla leaf, dark chocolate, lacquered wood.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, rich, stewed stone fruit, salted caramel, hints of spice and citrus rind, leather, cherries, lacquered wood, dark chocolate.

Finish: Medium-long and drying with brown sugar, lacquered wood, and stone fruits.

Score: 6-7

Mental Image: Prohibition Milkshake Joint

Narrative & Notes: Rich and decadent, the aroma overflowed with stewed stone fruit and oak. Stone fruits bubbled away with cinnamon, anise, and brown sugar while juicy, ripe purple plums were set aside for snacking. Subtle herbal notions of mint and perilla lingered in the background as more dark chocolate, caramel, malty sugars, lacquered wood, and hints of leather developed— chocolate malted milkshake in a steakhouse, maybe? Medium to full-bodied, the flavor profile exploded with juicy stewed stone fruits, salted caramel, plums, hints of orange rind, anise, and cinnamon. Leather and cherries sat further in with lacquered wood, cocoa, and brown sugar, which sparked a craving for cherries jubilee. The finish was medium to long and drying with brown sugar, lacquered wood, and stone fruits.

Wood and sherry took center stage on this cask-driven Macallan from SMWS. Some of its sibling casks have tiptoed to the "overly tannic and woody" line of no return but never crossed the point where an oaky bitterness emerged. A good friend with a sensitivity to bitterness, he finds peat overly bitter, quibbled that he has generally found these SMWS Macallan to be over-oaked and bitter, but enjoyed this one.

The aroma was woody, but there were enough accompanying and competing notes that this never felt overly simple. On the palate, the stone fruits had a lovely juiciness, which balanced well against tannins from the American oak. This needed no water to open up, though patience and time were rewarded with the development of some additional complexity. A few drops brought out more fruit and pushed some of the chocolate and caramel further into the background.

Overall, an above-average sherry-driven malt that competes well against some of the bonkers Macallan exceptional casks. Cask-driven malts are rarely to my taste, but I found this one enjoyable.

About Macallan

From its humble beginnings as a farm distillery in 1824, Macallan expanded significantly during the 20th century to become one of the biggest distilleries in Speyside and one of the most recognizable luxury scotch brands. There is a cache attached to Macallan, especially since the 1980s when the distillery moved early toward single malt releases. They were, of course, far from the first to do this, yet they managed to capitalize early on the growing demand for single malts.

Macallan is primarily operated by Edrington (who also own Highland Park and Glenrothes), though its ownership structure is far more complex. In 1986, Suntory purchased a 25% stake in the distillery; the remaining 75% was divided (70/30) between Edrington and William Grant & Sons in 1999 when they bought Highland Distilleries. In 2020, Beam-Suntory purchased a 10% stake in Edrington, further increasing their financial involvement at the distillery.

The distillery produces a heavy and sulfurous spirit with minimal copper contact during distillation. Not unlike the approach at Glenfarclas, the heavy spirit stands up well to the robust sherry casks that the distillery prefers to use for maturation. Over time, the spirit mellows and softens, retaining a richness on the palate while some of the heavier or dirtier flavors fall into the background.