Macallan Classic Cut (2019 Release)

Smooth and delicious

Evokes: Macallan. It smells like the distillery and tastes exactly how I would describe a Macallan dram.

Continuing on my exploration through some of Macallan’s releases, next up I have a sample of their 2019 Classic Cut that was bottled at 52.9% ABV. The nose starts with a mix of sweet creamy lemon lime frosting and light leather then dark chocolate covered golden raisins and freshly ground espresso beans followed by musty grapes, persimmons and caramelized nectarines that transitions to light baking spices and light oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of sweet creamy lemon lime frosting and light leather then a mild bitter spice that slowly fades to dark chocolate mocha, butterscotch pudding and mandarin orange followed by musty grapes, persimmons and caramelized peaches that transitions to light baking spices and light oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with caramelized peaches, lime zest, dark chocolate covered raisins, espresso, light black pepper spice and mildly bitter black tea. This is an enormous improvement over their 12-year old Double Oak that the flavors are far richer, likely from that 12.9% bump in ABV, that balances creamy sweet and sour citrus fruits, light earthiness and youthful oak spice. It has a slight youthful sourness that would likely polish out with a few more years of aging, but this really shows promise for what Macallan can do if they would just stop water-boarding their single malts into a smooth yet lackluster and characterless dram.

Tasted immediately following a tasting of the 2018 release. The former has a more pronounced nose, whereas this one has a fuller palate. The 2019 nose is muted in comparison to the olfactorily profound 2018, but still shows the sherry influence with dates and honey, and cinnamoned apple pie. Modestly higher ABV (52.9% vs 51.2% for 2018) is virtually unnoticeable on the palate compared to the 2018. Noticeably pleasant vanilla on the back end of the finish. Tasted in Glencairn glass.

Clear orange mahogany. Noticeable sherry-influenced nose: dates, clove, honey, cinnamon, spice cake. Mixes with some vanilla and a bit of paraffin on the palate. Robust, but not overpowering: you know you’re not drinking a generic 86-proof dram (this is 105.8). I’ve got this and the 2018; need to look into acquiring more recent releases.

Traded a bottle of Blanton's for this. Was half-expecting to be disappointed, but I read enough reviews to feel fairly comfortable with the trade. The nose is a blast of raisin. I can also pick up some dark chocolate and orange. The palate brings honey, jammy red fruit, raisin, dark chocolate, and a little wisp of gunsmoke. Here it feels more like a feature than a flaw. I didn't like the sulfur in the 12 year Sherry Oak, but the little bit I notice here I experience as complexity. The proof is perfect for me, full flavored, not hot, not watery. Turns out Macallan isn’t all overpriced garbage, although I effectively only paid $60 for this. Also, this is the 2019 release, and I’ve heard the more recent Classic Cut releases haven’t been as good.

Sweet on nose. Roasted Marshmello maybe. Not strong in mouth. Water helps. Not great taste. Might be a good mixer for me