Macallan Cask Strength

(59% ABV) Nose - (w/o water) Dark chocolate fountain, dark dried pit fruits, ripe strawberries, cherry brandy, hint of wet tobacco and freshly oiled leather. (w/ water) Softens up the dark dried fruit sweetness a bit, strawberry is more pronounced, adds a component like that of a barrel aged apple cider. Taste - (w/o water) Intense syrupy sweet dried cherries, plums, and raisins. Strawberry jam, hint of sweet wet tobacco, light bitter oaky spice on the tongue, faint butterscotch like sweetness. (w/ water) Tones down the syrupy sweetness a bit, less tart, adds a milk and dark chocolate component, ups the sweet tobacco notes a bit, lightly drying but less bitter oak spice feeling on the tongue. Finish - (w/o water) Lingering dark dried pitted fruit sweetness, hints of freshly oiled leather on the back palate, warm and lightly drying throughout the mouth. (w/ water) Tones down the dark fruit sweetness a bit and makes it more like a dark cherry and strawberry gummy sweet, very pleasant lightly drying and oaky bitterness like a dried cherry dark chocolate. Score - 95/100 Final Thoughts - So even though there is no official age statement on this bottle, this is one amazing Scotch. The sherry influence is very prominent but very well balanced. It might be a bit sweet to some, but adding a few drops of water really opens this up and tones down the sweetness a bit by opening up what I find to be more chocolate notes. I hate to add to the hype train, but I will be savoring this bottle since it is a discontinued offering.