Review 160
5/17/13
Macallan
12 Yr: 43% abv
Background: We are back to our second review
of Macallan. You might observe that we bought a miniature of this single malt,
and you might be wondering why. Well that is a perfect opportunity for me to
get on my soap box and talk about my problem with Macallan. My problem with
Macallan is not that they are a large scale producer of Scotch. My problem is
that they have started advertising in partnerships with people NOT involved in
Scotch. Do you know what that is? It is a distraction from what really matters.
Macallan’s late and “great” 22 year old “The Flask” Scotch is a partnership
between Oakley and Macallan. What does Oakley know about Scotch? Nothing. To
make matters worse, the 22 year old Scotch is $1,500. I haven’t heard anything
about the Scotch itself in all of Macallan’s advertising. That is why KCM chooses
not to buy a lot of Macallan. They are focused more on brand recognition than
they are their spirits. That being said, Macallan 12 is a very common single
malt to see at the bar, and you need to know if you should take your chances
with it.
Straight
Nose: This is
probably one of the simpler and more straightforward sherried Scotches
available. You certainly get that right in the nose, with a huge sherried,
raison-like smell, with even some red grape and confectionary smells in the
nose. It has an interesting blast of sugary sweetness to it, and throws some
vanilla in to compliment the soft, pleasant aromas. Then again, this distracts
you from the malt character that you might be getting otherwise. There isn’t
much grain to be found here. Instead, you might find some vegetal qualities,
with even some rose-like floral compliments, albeit they aren’t hugely
prominent. Interestingly, there is also a rather leathery quality to the Scotch
which you wouldn’t really expect from a 12 Year old, but it is a pleasant
contrast to the sweetness. Despite all of these pleasant notes, you will still
get some tingling and burn from the smell, and a mild spiciness, akin to cloves
and mild white pepper. Overall, the sherry dominates the smell, but take the
time and you will find some interesting alternative smells in there.
Arrival: Despite
the strong smell, the arrival to this Scotch is actually pretty light. This
certainly has a taste which creeps into the picture. It does not start off big
or eventful, breaking down the doors. What it does do, is introduce some
initial sweetness and gives off some graininess that you missed in the nose.
There is also a hint of black pepper that can be evoked if the whisky is rolled
around the tongue. On a different note, now and again you might start to notice
an almost plastic-like taste coming forward in the later part of the arrival. I
don’t get it all of the time, but it can be slightly unpleasant if you hold
onto the flavor too long. You will start getting the sherry in the arrival, but
not nearly as much as you would think. Just wait…
Body: Here is where you start to get the sherry
profile in the whisky, but it also introduces a decadent milk chocolate flavor
right up front. It is a sweet, whipped chocolate and sherry flavor, which
inspires. Why not make a sherry chocolate cake? First person who does this, let
me know how it works out. You will also notice a mild pepper note will carry
over from the arrival, along with some malty barley. The body does have a
pretty big presents with big, sherry flavor.
Finish: This is
where the sherry really takes over, which is saying a lot considering how much
it plays into the whole presentation. There is some significant maltiness that
comes through at the end here, which is complimented with the notes of vanilla,
milk, and rich chocolate which resonate from the body through the end of the
Scotch. This is a pretty substantial finish, but doesn’t strike me as the most
complex either. Like in the nose, you get a sugary, confectionary finish which
has some semblance to Drambuie.
With Water
Nose: Well
you might suspect that water will have an impact on this Scotch. It hasn’t
really changed the nose at all. I mean, it is really exactly the same. Even
after giving it fifteen minutes to marry with the Scotch and open up the
flavors, it smells overbearingly of sherry.
Arrival: We have
really pulled forward some grain character after adding water. It seems the
arrival provides a much more malty and earthy character after a little water.
It is actually a nice addition to the arrival, and it is much appreciated.
Vanilla is also a big player here.
Body: The
body doesn’t change much, although water does seem to help remove some of the
less favorable tasting notes. There is still some pepper coming through here,
but the sherry seems to become drier with the addition of water. There is some
spiciness in the body as well, that wasn’t nearly as present before adding the
water.
Finish: The
finish actually pushes back some of the sherry after water, and brings out some
vegetal and custard-like notes. It is a pleasant addition of complexity that
really makes this a more interesting and diverse experience. There is
definitely something with the aftertaste of fresh greens that jumps to the
forefront after a few seconds. We got really excited when we started to taste
some apple and even more so some pear in the finish, complimenting and adding
to the raison quality that was already there. The diversification of fruit
flavors makes this a less boring experience. After sitting for a second, wait
and you might get some pleasant subtle nuttiness coming through as well. On the
flip side of things, as was present in the arrival of this Scotch, there does
appear to be a small hint of some worn flavors, that seem tired and almost
stale. This comes in the aftertaste, and we believe this probably comes from
the overuse of the cask or even just less quality grain.
Final Comments: This is actually one of my favorite Scotches
to get out at the bar. It is affordable, pleasant, and more complex than it
initially seems. It is also fairly easy to find if you aren’t looking for it at
McDonalds. When comparing this to Glenfiddich or Glenlivet 12, I always grab this
particular Scotch. There is no comparison in quality and complexity, and I
truly enjoy the simple, but not overbearing presence of sherry, probably even
more than I like drinking sherry by itself. That being said, it does not
compare in the maturity of flavors, to a Glenfarclas or Highland Park, but I
don’t think it is really meant to. I believe Macallan’s quality will continue
to diminish, but for the time being, this is actually a really decent offering
for a reasonable price.
Why you’d buy it: You want
to know what a sherry-aged Scotch is.
Why you wouldn’t: You are
like us, and don’t like ridiculous marketing.
Score: 8.25/10
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