This seems to be a standalone NAS, not part of the order NAS line or the current one. If it sounds like a random purchase, that’s because it was. I vaguely remember trying it a whiskey tasting and putting it on my list when this came out several years ago. Well, here it is. Nose: Classic Macallan. Milk chocolate and orange citrus. Vanilla, toffee, and butterscotch. There’s almost a molasses sweetness here. Pencil shaving and tangerine come in light I’m going in pretty much blind in terms of backstory with this one, but I’m getting plum, raisin, fig, date, and red grape that indicates sherry. That’s expect of Macallan, but I know they’ve gotten away from their standard formula in recent years. Apple, pear, and apricot in the background, along with some oak. Palate: Milk chocolate, orange and tangerine citrus, and vanilla once again. It’s like fruit and cake for dessert. The apple, pear, and apricot are more at the forefront of the palate. Honey, toffee, and malt. More plum, fig, date, raisin, and plum. A touch of honeydew. Finish: Milk chocolate, orange and tangerine citrus, and vanilla once again. Toffee, malt, and honey. Golden raisin, fig, date, and plum. Ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Moderate-long finish. This is a nice, easy-going whisky. It is a good representative of the Macallan profile during the “Edition series.” It drinks cleaner than any of them, and while it doesn’t pop in any one direction, is probably the most balanced Macallan I’ve ever had. Now, I have to consider VFM. Judged purely on quality, this is an undeniably solid malt. But when I consider I can get three bottles of some top-notch Scotch for what this one ran me, I’ve got to take that into account. At $275, this is perfectly pleasant, but doesn’t stand out in any way. 3.75/5. It’s a 4.0 star whisky if I didn’t know the cost. It really is very good. Something you’d like to pour into a decanter to impress people that are—worth impressing—if you do that sort of thing. And for the most part, it delivered. Cost hurts this. Yet, it is undoubtedly a fine representation of the Macallan flavor profile. I wouldn’t buy it again, but it’s certainly worth a go if you can snag yourself a pour. Cheers.