![buy macallan whiskey buy macallan whiskey](https://www.just-whisky.co.uk/206242-thickbox_default/macallan-edition-no1.jpg)
![buy macallan whiskey buy macallan whiskey](https://www.just-whisky.co.uk/226632-thickbox_default/macallan-50-years-old-the-red-collection.jpg)
Massively complex fruit qualities are a regular abundance, green, glazed, tropical and dry fruits with dusty mineral, honey and phenolic qualities are usually present along with full-on waxy tones. They were often matured in sherry casks that display the kind of aromatic perfection that has vanished from sherry wood in recent decades. Old Macallans from this era were all produced in the days before the distillery went into mega-production levels and still made whisky in a very old style at a much more leisurely pace. Whether this is true or not will probably never be known but if you get a genuine bottle of one of their expressions it will almost certainly blow your head off. Some would argue that the finest Macallans were bottled by the long-dead company 'Campbell, Hope & King', it is rumored that they always had the best Macallans because they added brandy to the casks. Stunning examples were bottled by Gordon & MacPhail during their time as the official agents for Macallan in a variety of ages and strengths, including several legendary editions for 'Pinerolo' in Italy. The more realistically 'tasteable' of these bottlings begin to appear around the mid-1930s and are available from several of the old famous bottlers as expressions aged from 10 all the way up to 30-40 years of age. While Macallan's intensity has been tamed somewhat in recent decades, there was a time when Macallan was responsible for some of the most stunning whisky bottlings ever released. However, Macallan's reputation remains built on a solid history of producing rich, flavoursome, wonderfully matured malts and there is still much to admire about this grand distillery.ġ900's-1960: Pre-War, Old Style and Amazing! Although these days a little peeking underneath the marketing veneer reveals a distillery with the third or fourth-largest malt production capacity in Scotland and a vast range of products. It has been available on shelves as a single malt for several decades longer than almost any other distillery and throughout that time it has slavishly nourished the image of itself as the 'Rolls Royce' of malt whiskies. I could have easily consumed much more than my one already generous pour, but I was wisely not allowed to.Macallan (pronounced: mac-AL-an) is the one whisky name that, perhaps above all others, conjures up an image of luxury.
![buy macallan whiskey buy macallan whiskey](https://www.champagneking.co.uk/images/products/medium-mac_2018_double-cask_gold_bottlecarton.jpg)
While not the most rare, it was in many ways the most distinctive, offering notes of black pepper, clove, and orange, with a warm finish that was almost chocolaty. Of all the Macallan offerings I was lucky enough to taste while visiting their offices, this one might have been my favorite. And while all of this is lovely and fascinating, the true star of this show is, of course, the whisky itself. Designed by Blake, the bottle’s label depicts a variety of the colorful characters who have defined Macallan’s history and the box that houses the bottle also includes a larger version of the artwork printed in scroll fashion, along with an overlay that explains the history and context of the people being depicted. This special single malt was created by Macallan’s lead whisky maker, Sarah Burgess, to commemorate Blake’s visit to the Macallan Estate located on the legendary River Spey. The Macallan has a long history of fruitful collaborations and this one, with renowned British pop artist Sir Peter Blake, is no exception. Even for a former bartender like me, the world of Macallan (and high-end whiskies in general) is as vast and deeply varied as that of fine wine - with price points to match. For anyone interested in going down the rabbit hole, learning about Macallan’s production - a process involving perfectly sourced and seasoned oak casks, small stills, artisanal techniques, and the lack of artificial colorings - is both fascinating and involved. Since then, the venerable company has turned the production of fine whisky into an art. The very definition of top-shelf, Macallan is the drink of choice for whisky connoisseurs the world over, and the elixir I poured most often for discerning drinkers who were willing to spend a few extra bucks for a premier single-malt Scotch.įounded in 1824, Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. AS SOMEONE WHO spent most of their 20s and 30s slinging drinks behind a bar (or perched on the other side of one), I have long been witness to the power and mystique of the Macallan Scotch whisky.