PRICE: $450-550 INFO: Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from the Macallan distillery. This has been aged 21 years in 3 different casks: Spanish oak ex-sherry, American oak ex-sherry, and American oak ex-bourbon. Bottled 43% ABV. This review is for the 2004 bottling (gray display box). The latest offering is the 2011 bottling (wood display box). NOSE: 92/100. Definitely fine. Fine oak is never as powerful as the sherry oak series. Very rounded, balanced, and complex. No dominant notes. But there’s butterscotch, vanilla, apricots, passion fruit crème Brule, sultanas. On second nosing, there’s orange rinds and even a little smokiness. PALATE: 96/100. I had to say “WOW!” with this more-expensive-than-heroin liquid still in my mouth, and almost spat some out. Immediately, there’s the sherry. But it’s got so much more game than the sherry oak. A fucking dancer on the tongue. Spinning and moonwalking. Guava, papaya, just tropical and playful behind that rich sherry. Bourbon sugar and citrus elements on the back end. Thick and oily. Don’t add water. FINISH: 90/100. Yeah, just hold this shit in your mouth forever. Swallowing is going to be a bummer. It’s medium in length and old wood spices. All that delicious tropical fruitiness fades. So smooth. And you just want another sip. OVERALL: Macallan to Mercedes Benz analogy. Mercedes is obviously passionate about making great cars. You can get an awesome Mercedes for $120,000. Their passion is behind those cars. You can get an overpriced shit Mercedes for $35,000. Their need for money by appealing to the lowest common dominator is behind those cars. I understand why Macallan is so revered after trying this exquisite dram. I had this side-by-side with a Balvenie 21 port wood, and it made the Balvenie feel like a drooling infant. MARK: 93/100. VALUE FOR MONEY: The goodiness is in the box. The only question is, are those spare $ in your bank account?