Macallan Estate Reserve 1824 Series

My initial experience with the Macallan 12 wasn't impressive. It looked the part but lacked character and complexity, leaving me uninterested in savoring it. The price was also a factor. I set that aside for a whisky gathering. This Estate bottling is my second attempt. A sip led me to think it was decent, not mind-blowing, and I assumed it was one of their more affordable options until I saw the $220 USD price tag! What?! The positives: a pleasant, mildly oily sherry wood flavor, though less pronounced than I prefer, and the alcohol felt slightly astringent, bitter, and eventually artificial. The aftertaste was negligible. I had the Aberlour 18 earlier and now feel so-so about it, and I preferred that at one-third the cost. I had to confirm I was reviewing the same whisky that many others praise. Perhaps my sample was flawed, or maybe the mild curry drumstick I consumed beforehand affected my taste buds. Alternatively, I might have recently sampled too many exceptional whiskies at a fraction of this one's price to rate it highly. For me, Macallan, like Dalmore, relies on marketing, hype, and disappointment. It's a 3.5 at best, and considering the price, no more than a 3.

This is an excellent whisky, and the bottle design is also quite striking. The label and packaging feature a galaxy image, as this is a limited release honoring a space photographer. Bottled at 45.7% ABV. The nose is very captivating, with notes of burnt caramel, vanilla, herbal pine, some classic Macallan aromas, raisins, chocolate with raisins, cream, and blackberry jam. It would be perfect if it weren't so muted. The palate is not as outstanding but still a very pleasant whisky, offering notes of clove, grapes, raisins, aged orange peel, and perhaps some cabernet sauvignon characteristics. The finish is wonderful and seems to last forever, being the highlight. It has notes of clove, ginger, and pepper. Overall, this is a solid score of 94 out of 100. It's a $500 bottle, which I feel would be reasonably priced between $170-200. Cheers!

Nose: Deep ripe plums, a peculiar sour note, hints of wood, and a nutty undertone. Palate: Sweet spices, that peculiar sour note reappears (though less intense than the nose suggested), medium body. Finish: Quite long, dry, woody notes, slightly warm. Overall: This is a rare find, but it doesn't inspire me to seek out more. The flavor isn't particularly exciting. For the cost, I'd rather buy several entry-level bottles from Campbeltown or Islay (different profiles, of course, but I'm the one tasting!). It bears some resemblance to Macallan's Select Oak, which is a third of the price. Interesting.

Abundant aromas and flavors, with no single element dominating. Deep amber orange color, with cinnamon and ginger. Caramelized bananas accompanied by dried apricots, figs, and raisins. A nice hint of orange and lemon with a pleasingly long, smooth finish. Outstanding!

Better on the nose than the palate. Flan, pan cotta on the nose, not vanilla. Smoother than oily, warm, spicy, better texture than taste. Was not stunning. Very nice bottle design though. Ginger aftertaste. Black tea, tanning on the tongue

A fine single-malt, exhibiting a creamy/thick texture with a significant Oloroso Sherry cask influence. It deviates from the typical Macallan profile, offering a character more akin to Glenmorangie 18, which is half the price and widely available, not just in duty-free shops.