Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2020 70cl 43% abv Speyside

Introduction

Macallan is one of the most popular single malt Scotch whiskies on the market today. As with all great whisky brands, Macallan has an incredible story behind it that dates back to its founding in 1824. The distillery was built in Craigellachie near Elgin by Alexander Reid and James Stewart in 1824 at a time when many Scottish farmers were moving into distilling as they saw whisky as a safer investment than farming. This resulted in several new distilleries opening up around Scotland between 1820 and 1860 including Glenfarclas, Springbank and Benriach. You can learn more about this period of time here

Built around four key pillars: exceptional oak casks, natural colour, the rarest whiskies and peerless spirit.

The Macallan is a distillery that uses only the finest oak casks and casks from some of the most exclusive bodegas in Spain. It is one of the few distilleries that still produce whisky by hand, with each bottling being checked and signed by a master blender before it leaves the premises.

The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak combines four key pillars: exceptional oak casks; natural colour; rarest whiskies; peerless spirit

Colour: Rich Mahogany

The colour of this whisky is Rich Mahogany. The colour of whisky is a result of the ageing process and the type of wood used for ageing. As time passes, alcohol evaporates from the barrels while they are stored in warehouses where they are exposed to light and other elements that affect their appearance and flavour. The amount of time a whisky spends in these warehouses determines how dark or light it will become when bottled.

The age also has an effect on how dark or light it will become after bottling as well, because older whiskies tend to have more pronounced flavours that can affect their appearance if you look closely enough

Nose: Sweet orange, vanilla and wood smoke, balanced with dry fruit and ginger biscuits.

The nose is a complex combination of sweet orange, vanilla and wood smoke. The palate is focused on the spicy wood notes with a hint of dry fruit and ginger biscuits. The finish has good balance with sweetness – ripe red apples, green apple skin and cocoa powder – but there’s also some dry oak tannins that linger in the background.

Palate: Fruitcake and oloroso sherry notes balanced with spicy oak, ginger and nutmeg

The palate is the middle of the tasting experience. This is where you get all of your flavour, texture and finish.

The palate comprises four different parts: appearance, taste buds, flavour and texture.

Finish: A long finish filled with marzipan and orange zest.

Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2020 has been released as a replacement for the older What is the price of Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2020 matured in European ex-sherry casks, with the new one using American ex-Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez. As you might have guessed, this means that there’s more sherry influence on this whisky than before.

The nose is dominated by rich notes of raisin and dried fruits like date and fig, alongside some rich caramelised toffee sweetness. There are also some lighter floral notes emerging through time. The palate brings out these same flavours with even more intensity and complexity—hints of vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate and coffee liqueur come through alongside darker fruits such as blackcurrant jam or blackberry compote. Moving into the finish we get a hint of smoky peat from its time spent in American oak barrels during maturation; at first it feels quite light but then builds up over time until it becomes a warm embrace around your senses as you drink down your dram

This is a new release from Macallan for 2020 replacing the older Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak matured in European ex-sherry casks, with the new one using American ex-Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez.

This is a new release from Macallan for 2020 replacing the older Buy Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2020 online
matured in European ex-sherry casks, with the new one using American ex-Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez.

Whisky connoisseurs should be familiar with this distillery as it is famous for its single malt whiskies which are produced in Speyside and thereby have a distinctive taste.

Sipping this whisky reveals a nose of stewed fruits with hints of vanilla and nuts. The palate offers hints of chocolate with some nutty flavours, before finishing off with sweet caramelized sugar notes.

Conclusion

The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak represents the pinnacle of sherry maturation in whisky. It is a bold and complex whisky that is balanced with fruity notes, spicy oak notes and a warm, smooth finish.