Slainte-Mhath
Macallan 12 Year Sherry Oak Cask
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
June 11, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)
There are many associations when it comes to Macallan, the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of single malts. Natural color and quality sherry casks. Golf clubs and tumblers. Outrageous prices and pioneer of NAS expressions. You get it, I have mixed feelings. Creamy cherry yogurt, chocolaty raisins and mild spices (cloves) compose an elegant but fairly simple nose. On the palate, you get orange marmalade, barley sugar and dried fruits with prominent, zesty wood tannins in the aftertaste. The quality of this 12-year-old classic is still there - but it's diluted and stretched thin.
RATING: 3.7/5.0 stars ≙ 85 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [+]
80.0
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At least we get the 43% version here in the States. I agree that it wasn't anything special. It's a different sort of sherry profile, not as sweet as others.
I've never been a big fan of Macallan. I can see how some folks would like it but the house profile does nothing for me. I did, however, have a dram of this recently at a mate's birthday - someone had given it as a gift, but I was not impressed. Stretched too thin was my impression exactly.
No, the sherry casks from Spain are of superb quality. Obviously, the natural color survives dilution to the minimum 40% ABV better than the flavor does, which gets at least half lost on the way.
Yeah it's a weird one the 12. It looks the business i.e. first fill sherry casks but when you taste it all the flavor is muted. They say natural colour but I don't get how it can look so rich but the taste doesn't match? Cheaper ex sherry casks?