Macallan Fine Oak 15 Year

My wife’s son bought this for me for Christmas. He was the only one of my family and friends who bought me whisky for Christmas. He gets me! I know Macallan gets a bit of a bad rap for being overpriced and maybe deservedly so. This bottle averages $105 online, a bit over my normal price range. The Macallan 12 yr was one of the first scotches I tried that I really liked and this one is very good as well, so maybe their prices aren’t completely out of line. But on to the tasting. This dram is aged for 15 years and matured in three types of casks: ex-bourbon, European ex-sherry, and American ex-sherry. It’s bottled at 43% ABV and is a nice natural color of dark straw. It produces nice long legs when given a spin in the Glencairn. The nose is floral barley and sweet sherry: berries, honey, oranges, and chocolate. The American oak and bourbon cask shows up in vanilla notes. Really enjoyable. I like this better than the big sherry bomb style like Glendronach. In the mouth its classic malted barley, sweet honey, vanilla, hints of chocolate and cinnamon. A slightly thick mouthfeel, it also has a bit more heat than I would expect for a 43% 15 yr old. That’s not all bad, just a little unexpected. The finish is decently long with warm oak and spice, dried fruit. It hangs around just long enough to make you want another sip. Overall I really like this whisky. Would I put out $105-110 to buy a bottle? I don’t know, but I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to enjoy it. 4/5.

I had the good fortune of sampling this one very early in my whisky drinking days. At that time, this stood out as a sort of gold standard for Scotch. Fast forward a couple years and exposure to a host of comparable options, and I’ve got a bottle at my disposal to put this highly-touted malt to the test. Nose: Very sweet. Heavy honey and floral notes. A tad oily. There is also orange and citrus. White grape that is reminiscent of white wine. I’m no expert here, but it reminds me a bit of a Sauvignon Blanc. Caramelized apple, pear, apricot. Golden raisin. Toffee. Sherry is detectable but for less than in any other Macallan I’ve had. Some oak spice in the background, as well as white pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Damn good nose. Palate: Initially it is very creamy and buttery; however, it quickly becomes dry. The orange and citrus are still present, now accompanied by plum, raisin, and vanilla. True to its name, oak is prominent throughout. White grape, apple, pear, and apricot. Chestnut and toffee. Upon pouring a second glass, I detect some chocolate in the background. Cinnamon, oak, and white pepper. Solid plate. Finish: This is the highlight of the Macallan 15. Here, the whisky best delivers on the promise displayed on the packaging. The finish begins with orange zest and rich milk chocolate before a sharp but welcome transition into oak spice and cinnamon in what amounts to a moderate-to-long finish. There is chestnut and plum skin mixed in as well. With hindsight, I can understand why I thought so highly of this one. I still do. It is above average at every turn and boasts a superb finish that makes a lasting impression. It certainly is well-balanced. It is rich and complex and so I have no complaints with this one. I will say that it is a bit overpriced at $100. Furthermore, it does not truly excel until the finish. I'm back to add to this 2 and a half years later. Ironically, this bottle is one of the older-style 15s, while the one from my first review donned the same packaging the 15 has today. Whether it's that I have a more refined palate now or the fact that Macallan was better before the adoption of the modern packaging (and the advent of the Double Cask Series,) I'm getting a much better balance between nose, palate, and finish. I also detect more sherry than I did back then. Chalk it up to 2 and a half years of extra whisky-drinking experience, or the fact that the product of the past may simply have been superior; either way, I feel strongly about boosting this from my original score of 4 flat to an improved 4.25.

향 : 플로랄, 꿀, 오크통, 맛 : 가벼운 꿀, 가벼움, 피니쉬 : 어느정도 깊은, 균형감, 살짝 오크 에어링 : 꿀, 플로랄 확올라옴

Very, very sweet. I think it would be better over a large ice ball to chill it and decrease the syrup consistancy

sweet, smoky, and peaty upfront and floral finish.