Macallan Whisky Maker's Edition

Aroma - A pleasant aroma with hints of stewed apples and prunes, a touch of chocolate, and a whisper of ginger spice. Taste - Toasted apple cider, with a slightly metallic, syrupy sweetness of prune/dark raisin, ginger spice, white pepper heat, burnt orange rind's fruity bitterness, and a burst of golden raisin sweetness at the end. Finish - A lingering light metallic bitterness with apple/grape juice sweetness, the ginger spice remains, and the white pepper heat persists. Score - 84/100 Final Thoughts - I really enjoyed this. I was a bit hesitant about the unusual 42.8% ABV, but the aroma was quite pleasant, and the flavors were much more potent than the proof suggested. The flavors were fairly well-balanced between light and fruity with a dark and bold sweetness, but the metallic taste I detected was a bit off-putting. It was slightly distracting as it appeared mid-palate and then lingered into the finish. I believe if the metallic notes weren't present, this would receive significantly higher marks, as it somewhat ruins the experience, making it seem as though it had been left sitting forgotten inside a metal flask for months before being discovered and tasted.

This spirit appears to be made for the travel retail market. It's bottled at 42.8% ABV and has a lovely Russetmusscat color. (Or you could just call it red, lol) The main aromas I detected were: Cherry Cola, Tobacco leaf, almonds, and grapes. On the palate, it was hot from the oak, with a bit of citrus and a touch of bitterness, plus notes of pepper, liquorice, caramelized apples, and spent fireworks (like ashes). The aftertaste is hot, but in an agreeable, manageable way. The finish and body are both medium. Overall, this Macallan earns a 79 out of 100 from me, though it's an odd score because it felt like more, but my rating broke down like this: 19 for the nose, 21 for the palate, 19 for the finish, and 20 for balance. Cheers.

Curious. After trying Port Askaig 16 peated, I sampled this and perceived an inner rubber bicycle tube aroma, followed by liquid honey on the initial taste. Then came currants, raisins, Christmas pudding fruits, toffee, orange zest, ginger, and more. Quite nice. Unfortunately, the burnt caramel ethanolic bitterness intensifies at the end, as with most Macallans I've encountered, which detracts from it. I don't notice it at the beginning, but toward the end of the dram, it becomes more apparent, similar to many Macallans I've tried. Without that issue, it would easily be a 4.25, but it drops to the 3.5 to 3.75 range. I wouldn't purchase a bottle, but it's a quality dram, albeit a bit overpriced at $120 USD here.

Nose: Heavily influenced by sherry, with a slight sulfurous note. Raisins are very prominent. Dark fruits, figs, a hint of oak, caramel, and toffee. Palate: Pleasant sweetness with a touch of pepper. Quite viscous for the low ABV. A little too overpowering with the alcohol. Finish: Moderate length. The oak and spicy notes stand out but perhaps are overshadowed by the alcohol's presence?

Aromas of orange, plum, allspice, vanilla, sherry, and mocha chocolate. The taste offers a brief spicy jolt, a ginger kick with a superb coffee ground flavor, and allspice. On the finish, I detect wine tannins with a bitter dark chocolate, and a subtle hint of mint. What a wonderful surprise!

The aroma is spicy, sweet, and fruity, with notes of cloves, freshly ground pepper, toffee, apples, raspberry, and a subtle wood undertone. The taste is fresh and very spicy with a light body. The finish is medium and pleasant, with wood and fruit notes. A nice, easy-drinking whisky.