Somehow, Taiwan and Japan have made a pact with the almighty to receive the most sherried expressions ever. They have the incredible Glenlivet sherry matured (13 and 15yo) and now this Macallan 12yo Gran Reserva, that goes for a hefty price of $700, which is absurd for a 12 year old whisky... or maybe not. Macallan Gran Reserva is a collection of super sherried Macallans, which i have only heard about a couple of times. I have managed to obtain a sample; bear in mind my usual skepticism for any Macallan, since i find them usually overrated. Bottled at 45.6%abv, amazing chesnut color. On the nose it is from another galaxy. Blackberry marmalade, Macerated red fruits; Beautiful dark fruits. Hints of hazelnut. Figs bathed in dulce de leche. There is some spiciness that comes from the dark fruits; The nose got dimmer after the first sip. Glazed ham. OMG the hazelnut have mixed with the red fruitiness, it has become incredible. Pop tarts. It is an out of this planet aroma. A chocolate bar. I just can't stop nosing it.  Perfect score. On the palate, it is marvelous. A thick grape caramel, blackberries, oak spice, sawdust. Very winey. It is just a mixture of dates, blackberries and figs. Toffee for a second, then an amazing note of old grapes; winey profile that is just fantastic. It is like the heart of a fig. Aftertaste should be longer. Red wine, cabernet sauvignon, sawdust. A little short, very elegant. Grape peels. There is a hint of smoke and tobacco on the third sip that was outstanding. Red fruit peels. Overall, this is what Macallan should be. If this were their standard level of whiskies, it wouldn't be beaten by any other brand. This Gran Reserva is a fantastic piece of art work, but way too expensive and difficult to find. I have no doubt this is obe of the expressions that built the brand to make it what it is today. Regretfully, they don't do this whiskies for the normal consumer. I feel lucky to have tasted it, my score for it is a 98 over 100.