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| Hello, that is one in all our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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March 27, 2025
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Completely happy Worldwide Whisk(e)y Day!
Right this moment is Worldwide Whisky Day, the unique worldwide day of whisky that began proper right here on Whiskyfun in 2008, following the suggestion of the well-known Dutch whisky author Hans Offringa, who was the primary to provide you with the concept. Every year, Worldwide Whisky Day pays tribute, on his birthday, to the good whisky author Michael Jackson, who sadly handed away in 2007.
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Michael Jackson was a staunch supporter of Macallan, amongst different distilleries. It is true that the head of his extraordinary profession coincided with the supply available on the market of some elegant Macallan expressions, from the 18-year-olds (as much as the 1980 classic) or the 30-year-olds, to not point out the older 15-year classic editions, which might nonetheless be discovered comparatively simply on the time of his earlier Malt Whisky Companion guidebooks.
So, we’ll end as we speak’s tasting with a kind of legendary Macallans, a 1957 imported to Italy by Rinaldi which, alas, we don’t have formally tasted but, simply think about the scandal.
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Some Macallan for Michael Jackson
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We’re additionally going to take this chance to carry out just a few different previous Macallans that we have by no means formally tasted, together with some bottles from which we decanted components into smaller bottles fairly just a few years in the past. Here is hoping they’ve held up…(please be aware that this session may have two components.)
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Macallan ‘Terra’ (43.8%, OB, Quest Assortment, journey retail, 1st fill American and European oak sherry casks, +/-2024) 
An expression that’s been round for fairly a while, sadly far too dear for a mere NAS (250€) Color: deep gold. Nostril: roasted peanuts and a slight metallic and leathery contact, then just a few raisins, some sherry, adopted by a reasonably charming smoky, waxy and ashy combo. A touch of burnt wooden within the background. Mouth: dry and reasonably oaky, pretty natural, with some pepper and increasingly more sherry affect, but in addition this unmistakable ‘ending’ really feel, not totally well-integrated, even when it stays pretty nice. Roasted nuts, toffee, oak, ginger. A contact of rigidity. End: reasonably brief, extra burnt and caramelised, with a bitter and bitter edge. Oak coming by within the aftertaste. Feedback: for me the oak and its spices are a little bit too ahead, together with that barely jarring ‘ending’ character. I’ve not had a lot luck with the ‘Quest’ vary.
SGP:361 – 81 factors. |
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Macallan ‘A Evening on Earth in Jerez de la Frontera’ (43%, OB, 2024) 
One other easy NAS, although half the value, drawn from the same old ‘sherry seasoned’ casks. This one celebrated New Yr’s Eve and paid tribute to Jerez – one would possibly say, about time too (simply joking). That mentioned, we had reasonably loved the ‘A Evening on Earth in Scotland’ from 2022 (WF 85) Color: gold. Nostril: a nostril I discover extra interesting than that of the Terra, with extra fruitiness, dry fruit jams, and altogether a extra classical Macallan profile. The entire feels extra coherent and higher married, in case you like. Raisins, figs, marzipan… Nothing earth-shattering, however fairly nice. Mouth: much less convincing on the palate, with jellybeans and barely sugary fruit preserves which, reality be instructed, don’t precisely scream ‘Jerez’. Fruit pastes from the grocery store, with just a few grocery store sultanas thrown in. End: medium in size, nonetheless a little bit syrupy. Feedback: the nostril was considerably deceptive, as I discover the palate reasonably a little bit flabby and never terribly partaking.
SGP:541 – 79 factors. |
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Speyside (M) 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Version #29’ (57.1, Signatory Classic, 100 Proof, 1st fill oloroso butt) 
Really a stunning transfer with this sequence priced at €70. What, have we mentioned that already? Color: amber. Nostril: again within the day, because the saying goes. Very charming mixture, barely floral at first (dandelions), then transferring to accords of jams (mirabelle, quince, apricot) with roasted hazelnuts and almonds, all adopted by a espresso and chocolate duet. With water: very frivolously smoky, barely burnt cake, toffee, and some touches of fern. Mouth (neat): prune and Armagnac to begin, then again to the identical jams and dried fruits, laced with some beautiful pepper. The entire leans barely candy, as if there have been a contact of moscatel – although there isn’t. With water: not a lot change, save for some orange marmalade becoming a member of in. End: lengthy, with clove and cinnamon making an look. Feedback: impeccable. Deranged minds would possibly contemplate protecting, as soon as empty, any dear official crystal decanter simply to refill it with this sort of very beautiful juice. Philistines! Pithecanthropuses! Squawking popinjays! Vegetarians! (all copyright captain Haddock).
SGP:651 – 87 factors. |
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Here is an essential query: are the totally different batches actually that totally different? The reply, arising…
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Speyside (M) 13 yo 2011/2024 ‘Version #25’ (57.1, Signatory Classic, 100 Proof, 1st fill and refill oloroso butt)
Color: amber. Nostril: ah sure, this one’s totally different, rather less rounded, barely earthier, with a contact of gunpowder this time, notes of cured ham, and a faint metallic edge… However the bother is, I reasonably like each. Mouth: they’re nearer on the palate, although this one leans extra in the direction of candied oranges and, as soon as once more, a whiff of smoked ham. Wonderful in both case. End: a bit extra espresso and black pepper. Feedback: greatest to cease right here, as a result of with this type of side-by-side train, one can simply find yourself knocking again 25cl of every simply to chase down the nuances, solely to complete completely misplaced. Talking from expertise, after all.
SGP:651 – 87 factors. |
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However do these batches evoke the ‘Previous Macallan’ fashion? Just one option to discover out: search for an older expression, one which might be shut, and for which we haven’t but written an official tasting be aware. Sound like a plan?
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Macallan 10 yo ‘Cask Power’ (58.8%, OB, +/-1999) 
To not be confused with the official 10 yo ‘100 Proof’ at 57%. Color: amber with copper tones. Nostril: no, that is fairly totally different, much more on roasted nuts and fruitcake, mocha, roasted sesame oil, even beeswax and dried beef. Then it shifts step by step in the direction of furnishings polish. General, it’s distinctly drier. With water: this official model good points a slight edge, because of a little bit extra beeswax and a few delicate oils (sunflower). Mouth (neat): the hole narrows on the palate, with the variations changing into extra refined. We’re on spicy dried fruits and Armagnac-soaked prunes as soon as extra. One is reminded of Austrian ‘Rumba Pfaumle’, which, lengthy story brief, interprets, for the report, as ‘chocolate-dipped dried plums with home rum’. And in Austria, home rum is kind of one thing, however I digress… With water: this time we’re practically similar, this one simply being a tad extra polished, extra harmonious. Dates and figs, with a signature be aware of copper coin. End: beautiful size, a great deal of dried fruits, and a burst of honey arriving late. Feedback: a contact of optimistic OBE right here. That mentioned, I see these bottles now promote for over €2,000. Ahem…
SGP:651 – 89 factors. |
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Macallan 24 yo 1998/2023 ‘Speymalt’ (54.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, for LMDW Singapore 18th Anniversary, 1st fill sherry, cask #21603904, 326 bottles) 
There had already been at the very least one Speymalt 1998, however that one had felt a bit underwhelming to our style (WF 79). To be honest, it had been bottled at 43% again in 2007, so at a reasonably younger age. Color: gold. Nostril: properly then, ripe bananas, rum and honey – we’re in. After which comes eucalyptus and lemon verbena, laid over some luxurious roasted figs, grand-restaurant fashion. The G&M fashion, at all times considerably distinct from the OBs and infrequently a little bit extra complicated and fewer overtly oaky, is clearly in play right here. With water: waxes and hand lotions, moisturiser, pollen, ripe apples… We’re loving all of this. Mouth (neat): thanks for proving me fallacious, that is now woodier than the OBs, although extra within the path of infusions and natural teas, all steeped in honey. Loads of very ripe fruits reasonably than dried or as jams, notably apricots. With water: cease proper there, it’s excellent – no want for extra. The medicinal facet is totally beautiful, particularly the camphor and mint notes. End: not overly lengthy however balanced and stylish, with beeswax captaining the ship. Feedback: reality be instructed, we have been anticipating this. Bottles like this shouldn’t be positioned subsequent to present official NAS releases – that may be tactless.
SGP:551 – 90 factors. |
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Proper then, I counsel we end with the 1957 for Michael Jackson, as we’d promised. Then tomorrow, we’ll have another enjoyable Macallans.
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Macallan 1957 (80°proof, OB, Campbell, Hope & King, Rinaldi Italy, sherry wooden, +/-1972)
A Macallan after all below the identify of Roderick Kemp. The 15 years of age are famous on the cardboard field. These vintages are thought-about among the many most legendary, with Campbell, Hope & King of Elgin – CH&Okay – having dealt with the bottling, alongside G&M, of the ‘official’ Macallans, because the distillery didn’t bottle its personal pure malts on the time. The fame of those releases is reasonably colossal, whereas among the many vintages we’ve formally tasted, most have come from the years 1940 to 1962, with a justified skip between 1940 and 1946. But this 1957 had by no means ‘formally’ crossed our path… Color: amber. Nostril: what can I inform you? Maybe that even a whole dictionary of whisky aromas wouldn’t fairly suffice. Up entrance, every little thing that comes from a beehive – honey, wax, pollen, propolis, fir wooden… Then heaps of dried yellow fruits – apples, raisins, figs, pears, bananas… Then forgotten varnishes, leathers, waxes and embrocations, aromas you’d discover within the dusty stacks of an 18th-century library. And to prime all of it off, these acquainted notes of ‘classic automotive’ from comparable eras. Let’s say an previous Jag from the 50s or 60s – how does that sound? And what brilliance to bottle this at 80°proof, roughly 46% vol. Okay, 45.85. Mouth: immense, one of many GOATs of malt whisky, now melted right into a sort of espresso and liquorice cake, but with many distinct parts nonetheless shimmering by – the honeys, the figs, a whisper of tar, the malt after all, sultanas, walnuts and pecans, and naturally the queens of old-school sherry: the figs. Not forgetting the cognac and the mosto/paxarette, whose roles have at all times been debated quietly when nobody else was listening. Ssh… Let’s not overlook the pipe tobacco and bouillons both, two pillars of this now sadly fading fashion. Have you ever rung the Anti-Maltoporn Brigade but? End: elegant. Nothing extra to say. Feedback: shh… Let’s simply say it settles just under the 1954 CH&Okay, my private benchmark.
SGP:652 – 95 factors. |
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Keep in mind, these previous bottles have every developed in their very own method—until they’ve been saved sealed, collectively of their unique case. So that they’ve all change into barely totally different over time, which is totally pleasant, naturally.
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In any case, tomorrow we’ll have some loopy indie Macallans, launched below the distillery’s correct identify, together with an previous official sequence for which, sadly, we’ve by no means written correct tasting notes on this modest little web site. So, have an amazing day or night, and see you tomorrow for extra Macallan adventures…
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(Thanks Thierry and Salvatore)
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