Haven’t enjoyed a Macallan for a while now. A mate of mine used to do their packaging and, not being much of a drinker, pass on the sample bottles he’d get sent. The Gran Reserva 18 year olds from 1980/82 (if memory serves) are still some of the best whisky I’ve ever had. The 18 yo was always a regular till the mid/late noughties when first the price went through the roof and then the quality started to dip badly.

@cascode - correct

@Evilbiochemist Is that G&M Macallan the 1998/2016 bottling sold as part of their Speymalt range?

@Generously_Paul damn, I hope not- I’m ADDICTED to their 18... it’s a freaking god sent - AND their cask strength is on par with ANY btac, pappy.. yadda yadda. Funny you say that; I recently bought a few 18’s in the same batch as one I liked the because I would probably cry if it was altered in any way shape or form. Oh and I forgot to mention - iv tried a bunch of glenrothes- all one note stuff in the same way dalmore hits the palate. Eeeek! Better buy more glendronach before the musical chairs executive money zombies taint them too.

@Evilbiochemist I’ve been saying to @LeeEvolved for a while now that I’m worried about the remaining stock at GlenDronach. Billy Walker did amazing things with all of their old stock leftover from before they were mothballed in the 90’s, but that’s not the same stuff they are making now. Back then they used direct fire stills and the casks available were surely much more accessible and at a higher quality level. Now that the new stuff that was made with their new steam heated stills is coming of age and the demand for premium sherry casks is likely at an all time high, will we see a drop off in the profile that they’ve built over the past years? I hope not, but I fear that we will, sooner or later. Just look at some of the bottlings under Rachel Barrie that aren’t a 90’s vintage...not very highly rated from what I’m seeing.

@cascode - they sell a magnificent version of the Macallan 18 at less than HALF the price.

@Evilbiochemist Gordon & MacPhail? What's the connection?

@Rick_M - excellent information- the pairing of revenue increase with a drop in material costs (using less refined juice, vating to mask lesser quality, NAS, and cheaper worn out casks) is a recipe for huge executive bonuses. Edrington is a private company that can do whatever they want, and the latest slew of Norman Murray’s Chinese quality releases are “brand protection” aka more shelf space for pretty boxes to entice new buyers with only a name- not the juice. I read their entire 2018 report - they often speak about strategy - never quality- unless it’s “Meeting our standards” - aka “lowest bar according to us” - liquorhounds comparison of the 80’s juice to now is an incredible illustration of why I will no longer be purchasing edrington products- (besides $20 famous grouse and Gordon mcphail) ...Go glendronach!

@ScotchingHard Good review and analysis. Sadly, Macallan is no longer the creature it once was, even just a decade ago. The last gasp was the 1824 "pole-dancer” series (Gold[ie], Amber, Sienna & Ruby). Since then everything I’ve sampled or bought has been lackluster at best, appalling at worst (don’t go anywhere the 12 year old triple cask). The Edrington Group has embraced marketing fluff and volume sales with gusto, while trying to maintain the “exclusive” image, to the detriment of their lines. I expect to see Highland Park on the slippery slope soon, followed by Glenrothes. Come to think of it, I’ve not seen a proper dated vintage Glenrothes for ages now … and there’s far too many NAS HPs for my liking.

"All the talk about Macallan had me looking over the Edrington Group’s financials: Highlights: 2018 Group Volume: 8.4m cases (100.8m liters). Volume increase of 2% over 2017. Revenue increase of 7% over 2017. Their explanation of revenue increase: “The growth in core revenue was faster than the 2% volume growth, reflecting an increase in the sales mix towards higher value products.”

Macallan is not drinkable because it is 1) bad, and 2) worth so much. Haha! Spot on Zinger.

@ScotchingHard I’d not purchase any new Macallans without seeing an overall consensus score here. It’s sad to say...buying a Macallan is like buying an unknown American craft distiller—-you just don’t know what you’re getting, so it’s not worth taking the risk to buy. To @LeeEvolved ‘s point, I’d stick with Tamdhu or Glendronach if I want a sherry cask

R.I.P. Macallan QUALITY. I tried this and the 12 black box - both were trash and I’d be kicking myself if I had purchased the bottles.

@Rick_M it’s definitely not the same casks. Compare a circa 2011-2015 12 or 18 year sherry oak to the new design boxes today. Complete trash casks being used now.

@ScotchingHard - Last year you rated the Macallan 21 Fine Oak at 5 stars. Can a whisky go from .25 stars to 5 with just 3 more years in the barrel? Personally, I think Macallan has a quality control issue. I know this to be true with their 12yo sherry oak having had it so many times over the years.

@ScotchingHard - great review, as usual. I’ve contemplated the 18FO on a couple of occasions, but after the 21FO I had last year I don’t want to ruin the line’s reputation as that was an amazing dram. I’ll pass on most all of the new stuff- especially the higher priced stuff. The NAS bottles have been 50/50 for me: Classic Cut 2017 and the Edition 2 were great, Classic Cut 2018 was a complete dud. I’ve made the decision that if I want a solid, sherry bomb I will stick with GlenDronach and Tamdhu. I’d buy those with confidence.

@Slainte-Mhath even then, I think the new version in the black boxes is trash. I’ll stick to the brown box sherry oak 12s. I don’t mind those at all.

@Richard-ModernDrinking that was a weird one. It left the biggest impression, for better and worse. I’ll talk about it next.

@PBMichiganWolverine agree completely. The older Mac 18s, even from the early 90s in the non-glossed purple bottles were amazing.

Great review, it gave me a good laugh. Except for the 12yo Macallan Sherry Oak, I am avoiding this overbranded and outrageously expensive distillery altogether.

Macallan has shifted who it’s trying to sell to, I think. No longer the enthusiasts. But rather made for corporate gift giving, luxury status resting on its laurels. The Macallan 18 from the 80s I tasted at @Richard-ModernDrinking was spectacular. These new ones don’t hold a candle to the old sherried ones

I hope the Ardbeg made up for it. I’ve been eyeing that one.

Wow, never thought I’d see such a scathing review of an 18 year old Macallan, Fine Oak or otherwise. I found the 15 and 17 FO to be lackluster and forgettable but not without merit. Environment does play a huge role in whisky nosing though. I can’t tell you how many times a dram has been ruined by my wife walking into the room eating a pickle or making some popcorn for the kids.