Review #098 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 48.6% Comments: NAS, comprised of spirit from 1st-fill Tevasa butts and hogsheads, 1st-fill HMM hogsheads, 2nd-fill refill butts, and 1st-fill Vasyma butts Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Mahogany color. Swirling reveals a thin line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 18/20 Very sweet and fruity, full of Rainer cherries, ripe plums, and sticky figs. There’s also some freshly ground coffee and milk chocolate, accompanied by even more subtle hints of ginger and cinnamon. Really enjoyable! Palate: 35/40 It starts sweet again on the palate, but very little fruit this time, instead it’s brown sugar, sweet pastries, and dark chocolate. There’s some cinnamon, oak spice, walnuts, and orange peel to balance it out, flavors which become more evident on subsequent sips. Finish: 34/40 Long finish. Starts with a sweet dollop of berry jam and orange citrus, slowly becomes less sweet as a little chili pepper heat arises, along with the flavors of walnuts, oak spice, and toasted bread emerge. Yet it retains an interesting creamy sensation throughout. There’s a moment just at the end where I’m tasting buttermilk waffles! Finally it ends on a stony mineral note. With Water: A few drops of water brings out some fresh floral notes on nose. Not much change to the palate, but on the finish I’m tasting a little fresh ginger, and the ending note has been replaced with cough syrup. Total: 87/100 Final thoughts: This is an exceptional representation of what Macallan is capable of. I really like the spirit they produce, especially in a good sherry maturation at a +46% ABV, such as this. The problem is they don’t generally release anything that checks both boxes, especially not at anything close to a reasonable price point. I’m incredibly glad I purchased this bottle when I found it a few years ago, in fact at the price it was selling it I should have grabbed a second. Unfortunately now this limited edition bottle is a collector’s item. While it’s really good, and I would recommend and would buy below $200, it’s simply not worth the $400-500 I see it going for nowadays. Price: $185 Would recommend: maybe Would buy: maybe Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.