Macallan Edition No. 3

Highly desired, with market prices that are too high, and opinions split on its quality and worth. This is my initial encounter with one of these, though I plan to try others later. Let's see what the fuss is about. Nose: Quite strong. After learning that a master perfumer was involved in its creation, I had high hopes for the aroma. The scents I detect are more like the Fine Oak range than the traditional line. It's sweet and fruity, with prominent orange, honey, green apple, vanilla, and toffee. Beneath that, there are notes of date, plum, fig, grape, and date. Apricot and honeydew are also present. It has a new leather smell. A trace of caramel, likely from the significant use of bourbon barrels. Much less than I anticipated given the high proportion of ex-bourbon aged malt. Heavy, heavy oak. A slight nail polish scent, which I could do without. But otherwise, it's good. Palate: Darker than the nose. The sherry undertones from the nose, like poundcake, plum, fig, date, and leather, are now primary. I still get apple, apricot, and toffee. A fruity tartness with some white chocolate and vanilla ice cream. And again, it's very oaky. Black pepper spice as well. While that sounds appealing, I have to search for those flavors. The palate is solid but doesn't match the amazing nose. Finish: An oak overload. It's surprisingly bitter, with heavy plum and raisin notes. Milk chocolate and orange zest. Beyond that, it's mainly cinnamon spice, likely due to the 48.3% ABV. A medium-long finish. So, my conclusion? The nose is very impressive. Aside from the artificial nail polish aroma, it met expectations. However, from there, I was underwhelmed. I wouldn't call it bad, but the palate and finish were inferior to the nose. I'm here to drink, not just smell. This will negatively impact the score. This seems like it was designed primarily around the aroma. The master perfumer certainly delivered on that aspect. But this was not worth $100. If you want to spend that on this brand, stick with the 15-year expression. This is only worth buying if you're a dedicated collector. That said, I respect the effort put into this. They provide detailed information about the aging process with great transparency. You can find the specifics on their website, as I won't be transcribing paragraphs of data. The main point is that many distilleries release subpar, overpriced, non-age-statement annual products without a second thought. But here, there was a clear and significant attempt to create a top-tier blend. It just didn't quite work out. The result is a great nose, and otherwise an average spirit. However, I sense the effort, so I won't be biased against future releases from this brand. Edit: Tasted again the same night. Have been sampling it more. With more time in the glass, the palate improves considerably. The flavors are the same but become much more distinct as it sits. Increased the score from 3.25 to 3.75, where it will remain.

Whisky Battle #1: Macallan Edition #2 vs. #3. Both are non-chill filtered, contain natural coloring, and have high ABV (48.2% and 48.3% respectively). Review Date: 6/12/2018. Nose: 90/100 for #2 and 91/100 for #3. Edition 2 has abundant dark fruit, chocolate, and ginger notes. Edition 3 has a completely different aroma profile – more vanilla, sweet cream, and oak... and a gentler fruit aroma. Palate: 90 for #2 and 91 for #3. Edition 2 is a sherry bomb with ginger and spices... very rich and flavorful. Edition 3 has a creamier texture and taste... less sherry and more creme brûlée... and a very light, gentle smoke in the background. Finish: 90 for #2 and 89 for #3. Edition 2 lingers in your mouth longer with a spicy and sweet finish. Edition 3 has a slightly shorter finish, but a pleasant and smooth ending. Overall Experience: Edition 3 gets a slight edge (91) over Edition 2 (90). Most people prefer Edition 2, but I guess that's how the world works. Value for Money: Both editions are expensive for non-age statement expressions ($100 USD each), but they are delicious, full of flavor, contain high ABV, and are produced in limited quantities, making them worthwhile purchases.

It's time to document my experiences with some of these newer Macallan NAS (No Age Statement) Editions. They have put out a bottle of this every year since 2015. They are all experimental batches trying different blenders, wood types, etc. Prices have stayed consistent on the retail market - about $90-100 for each batch. The secondary market has gone absolutely wild over Edition No. 1, though - with prices approaching $1000 for a bottle now. The clear answer to that is “No”. Let’s focus on the 2017 batch: Edition No. 3. This batch was influenced by a perfumer. The big players here are different styles of oak cask. It’s copper gold in color and forms large, watery droplets and fat legs when you swirl the Glencairn. The nose starts with lots of chocolate covered candies and vanilla caramel creams. Intensely sugary before transitioning to different barrel characteristics: fresh cut oak, sun-bleached driftwood and damp, ex-sherry casks. Some florals creep in as it breathes. The palate is surprisingly harsh and spicy. There’s a strange heat present even though it has a malty and thick mouthfeel. There’s some bitter chocolate and Christmas cake notes, too. The spice and coarse notes overpower any lasting impression. The finish is still spicy, but the heat doesn’t linger here. It’s medium in length while remaining oily and quite heavy. Macallan sherry notes finally make their entrance here, but it’s too late to save this dram for me. This is not the Macallan that I know and love. Overall, the nose is the star player here - if you want to give any credence to this dram. The palate and finish are too harsh and hot to tame. This one only gets 2.75-3 stars from me. I’m hoping the Edition 2 bottle redeems this series for me. Cheers.

This is the next in the Macallan Edition series, specifically Edition No. 3. A sample was provided by a friend. I'll bypass the marketing hype and get straight to the point. Bottled at 48.3% ABV, it's non-chill filtered and has a natural amber honey color. Looks promising so far. The aroma is very oaky and nutty at first, like roasted walnuts, with lots of nutmeg and allspice. Savory notes of brown sugar, toffee, and caramel emerge. There's a very subtle sherry presence, more like a raisin or date flavor than the typical Macallan sherry. Rich vanilla and chocolate are present, with slight fruitiness like baked pears, a little pineapple, and underripe banana. Green oak, but very light, with red apple skins and a slightly waxy feel. More sherry appears now, along with some pancake syrup. Grapes and light leather are also detected. Overall, it's sweet and savory, but not intensely so in either aspect. The taste has a solid, though not overpowering, oak presence. Plenty of vanilla, a bit musty, and some semisweet chocolate. It's quite palatable considering the higher ABV. Notes of bananas, spice cake, honey, and toffee. Grapes and a hint of maraschino cherries. It's a bit leathery, and the sherry that was almost absent on the nose makes an appearance, but it's fairly restrained with a hint of ginger. The mouthfeel is light to medium-bodied, creamy, and mouthwatering. The finish is medium-long to long with honey, weak black tea, light sherry, light oak, and blackberry jam. While this isn't the standard Macallan profile, it's still very well-crafted. I'm still surprised by the minimal sherry, but it's quite complex nonetheless. It also feels very light for its ABV. Not quite as good as Edition No. 2, but still a respectable Macallan. A solid 4. Cheers.

48.3% NAS Chill filtered Color added Nose: Vibrant and fruit-forward. Red apple; pear; a dark berry note I can’t quite place but my finger on; hint of vanilla and nutmeg. Palate: Full mouthfeel, creamy and sweet. A classic sherried and bourbon cask Macallan sweetness of dark cherry and plum; vanilla again developing into mild oak with a hint of clove and ginger. Touch of smoky sulfur and alcohol in the background. Medium viscosity. Finish: Medium length; citrus note of orange and a touch of lemon. Slightly floral as well; light oak and apples carry through. Value: limited release and becoming harder to find by the day. At $110-130 USD, a bit pricey given other options at that price point. Final thoughts: A solid addition to the Macallan “Edition” range, but not a world beater at the price and offering fewer surprises and complexities than the Edition 4. A dram for those who just straight up love their sherried Macallans without too many extras. 3.5/5 Recommend trying or buying a bottle at a good price

Macallan Ed No 3. This one is a journey and requires serious time and devotion. It's not a background whisky by any means; it demands your attention like a dressed-up starlet on the red carpet, and it will not be denied. At its core is classic Macallan, but it has been pampered at a spa, bathed in various oak spices and perfumes. Nose: richly perfumed. Perhaps the busiest and most complex nose on a whiskey I've encountered. Floral, heather, malt; like a flowering rock garden. Lemon juice and sweet tea, tupelo honey, cardamom, butter, and brown sugar. At the base is classic Macallan orange marmalade and tangerines. Palate: sweet and oaky, almost instantly drying, with a big burst of heat after swallowing. Black tea and honey, cinnamon, clove, oak vanilla, a slight savory note like soy sauce, serious barrel spice and pepperiness. Sherry dark fruit (plums and figs) and nuttiness. Vanilla almonds. Finish: quick, drying, pepper, leather, like a habano-wrapped cigar.