Macallan The Harmony Collection Intense Arabica

So, Macallan in 2022 introduced a new travel exclusive range, called "The Harmony Collection", which is a significant environmental statement, as they are repurposing husks of coffee and Cocoa to create the spirit boxes. The Harmony collection consists of 4 single malts, 2 Arabica coffee expressions and 2 cocoa expressions. Naturally, no coffee or cocoa was utilized in the production of the spirit, but they have been designed (by employing suitable casks) to evoke those kinds of flavors and aroma profiles. Intense Arabica is one of these releases. Bottled at 44%abv. It has a beautiful red copper hue. On the nose, it begins with red fruits coated in chocolate. Raisinets, cinnamon and sawdust. The aroma became quite faint after a couple of minutes. Strawberries. After the initial taste, I detected moka coffee and subtle dark chocolate notes. Cherries. On the palate, again this red fruits juice. It feels so "red fruity" that one might say it possesses Antioxidant properties, lol. Ginger. A little rough, sugary water. Milk with sugar. Aftertaste, felt young. Ginger, pepper. Sugary and bitter. Dry. Overall, this initial expression did succeed in featuring coffee notes, but those were not the most dominant characteristic of this single malt. Having said that, this, like most recent Macallans I've sampled, is below average. It lacks strength, layers of complexity, and the aftertaste is disappointing. My rating for it is 77 out of 100.

An appealing sweetness hits the senses, reminiscent of Sweetarts but without artificiality. Fruity notes of sherry and orange are present. The ending is brief, yet the taste is packed with character. This Scotch differs greatly from other Macallan expressions I've encountered. It's truly a remarkable dram.

The bottle from the wedding! Likely the finest Macallan bottle I've had, though it's still a Macallan. Nose: Lovely caramel/honey scents with a hint of pepper Taste: Great texture, peppery, caramel/honey notes Finish: Peppery, brief ending

Aroma: Heather and honey. Palate: Earthy undertones with a grassy character, complemented by well-balanced creamy top notes. Finish: Medium and well-balanced. Comments: I typically don't care for Macallan, but this was the best I've had from them so far.

Roasted nuts. Roasted dark chocolate. Popcorn. Roasting is noticeable only on the nose. Very appealing. Unpleasantly bitter when diluted, inconsistent with intense arabica.

Surprisingly coffee-like while retaining the expected Macallan character. Intriguing, but not my top choice.