Macallan's flagship expression is one of the most widely recognized whiskies in the world. It was the second single malt I had ever tried, and the first that allowed me to truly appreciate the genre. A few years later, let's see if it holds up. Nose: This one is a heavy sherry bomb. It has a tart sweetness. Lots of dark fruit, especially plum. Cola and cinnamon. Surprisingly hot at 43 ABV. Palate: Similar to the nose. Heavy sherry influence. New car leather is dominant. Plum is still very prominent, as well as dark fruits, and maybe some prune. Slight cinnamon still lingers. Finish: Moderate length. The sherry is dominant from start to finish with this one. Now, the cinnamon is at the forefront. In the background, I get the plum and dark fruits, as well as leather. Very spicy. After all this time, it holds up. There are better sherried 12 year single malts, and there are certainly worse. Where it lacks complexity, it succeeds for being well-rounded and enjoyable from nose to finish. Overall, it's above average across the board. The traditional Macallan 12: it's affordable, it's balanced, and it's reliable. If I want a solid single malt, I can always count on finding this on the menu. Some swear that it's the best whisky around, others say it's severely overrated. I say it's as good as it needs to be to keep me buying.