I heard from one of the stillmen at Macallan that they are cutting back production at the distillery and that they will now be dropping back to only working 5 days a week. Kind of makes you wonder why they spent so much money opening up the second still house again?
Worrying times as the whisky loch is growing again!
Showing posts with label Macallan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Macallan. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, August 04, 2008
Macallan Estate Eco-Friendly Whisky - Not!!
The Macallan has just launched a whisky proving how environmentally conscious they are with their new Estate Oak bottling. For Each bottle of the whisky sold an oak tree will be planted at the Macallan Estate to help the environment. Also the whisky does not come in wasteful packaging but instead comes just in the bottle with labels being certified by the Forest Stewardship Council what ever that means.
Now I must applaud Macallan for what they are trying to do here - after all we must all take responsibility for the future of the planet. However it is a bit hypocritical really from the company that brought us the elaborately overly packaged Lalique decanters!
The really daft point about this environmentally friendly whisky is that it is a world duty free exclusive so the only way that you can get it is by travelling on an aeroplane! Thank god it's environmentally friendly then eh!
Their quote from their press release is a cracker!
“We anticipate it will be a huge success with people wanting to make a difference to the environment,” said William Ovens, The Edrington Group’s global travel retail area director.
On another point linked to this Macallan had previously sold there Woodland Reserve bottlings where by you could buy a bottle and have a tree planted at Macallan with your name on a plaque. Having visited Macallan recently I noticed that probably around a quarter of these trees were dead, so is this new initiative just away of getting more pr for trees that you are having to buy anyway to replace the last lot that died?
Just a thought!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Macallan 18yo 1985 43%
Got my hands on a slightly old miniature of 18yo (sherry cask) Macallan tonight, ok the 85 - 18yo wasnt that long ago but (lets sound like an old boy) but it does't seem that long ago since the 18yo was a 1982 vintage and I think they have now released the 1989 vintage>
Ah well I say vintage..... I have been told that up until 1981 it was a true vintage but it changed to have older whiskies in it, recently as you See on this miniature it will say "the youngest whisky was distilled in wxyz year"
Anyway on with the tasting!
Nose: initially very big (is it to big?) obvious big sherry notes but meaty slightly sulphury notes. After giving it time it gets more Calvados like.
Taste: Again this is a big dram, huge sherry a touch of cream as well though - some slight orange notes and a touch of spice.
Finish: A touch of maple syrup in the finish and again big sherry.
Comment: Yes I like this - I like it a lot but actually when you come to scoring it there is nothing amazing about this due to the huge over influnece of sherry (maybe fine oak is a good idea!)
Score: 85/100
ps: will taste again some night when I haven't had 5 whiskies and three pints of guinness!
Ah well I say vintage..... I have been told that up until 1981 it was a true vintage but it changed to have older whiskies in it, recently as you See on this miniature it will say "the youngest whisky was distilled in wxyz year"
Anyway on with the tasting!
Nose: initially very big (is it to big?) obvious big sherry notes but meaty slightly sulphury notes. After giving it time it gets more Calvados like.
Taste: Again this is a big dram, huge sherry a touch of cream as well though - some slight orange notes and a touch of spice.
Finish: A touch of maple syrup in the finish and again big sherry.
Comment: Yes I like this - I like it a lot but actually when you come to scoring it there is nothing amazing about this due to the huge over influnece of sherry (maybe fine oak is a good idea!)
Score: 85/100
ps: will taste again some night when I haven't had 5 whiskies and three pints of guinness!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Macallan 1969 Duncan Taylor Cask 8373
Another old Macallan from DTC this one is at 44.6% so it had a year or so left. They have this on http://www.singlemaltsdirect.com/ at £211.00 a decent amount of money but when you consider the distillery bottling on http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/ is selling for £1700.00
Anyway lets try it:
Nose: Soft, sweet fruits and a touch grassy and oily. Tropical fruits, kiwi fruits and bananas. A great nose with a whiff of orange sherbet.
Taste: A little zesty to begin with, then deeper richer oily nutty notes with and a touch of parma violets briefly enters the mix. Then more typical chocolatey orange notes.
Finish: A hint of spice, orange peel and nutmeg!
Comments: An excellent example of an old yet vibrant whisky that hasn't been over powered by the cask. As they say in the Lilt adverts - A totally tropical taste!
Score 96/100
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Macallan 12yo 43% Bottled Circa 1996
Tried some of this yesterday - what a cracking dram - this for me is what Macallan was all about rich sherry at its very best - shame it seems to be a shadow of it's former self these days. (how many -'s can I use in one sentence)
Nose: Rich heavy sherry without being overpowering. Really rich like chocolate covered cherries and rich burnt oranges with a hint of spice.
Taste: Spiciness is more evident. Fades to allow more rich sherried fruity notes to enhulf your mouth. Very coating - thich and oily.
Finish: Long lingering thich sherry leaves a very moreish feel in the mouth. Spiciness adds a perfect touch of heat.
Comment: It is whisky like this that made The Macallan famouse - bring it back please!
Score 91/100
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Macallan 1979 Gran Reserva
Cracked open a bottle of this tonight - this was the original gran reserva bottling all of the first fill sherry casks and was bottled in 1997. Now I have a theory that off all the recent vintages of Macallan 1979 was one of the best years (although prior vintages were far superior - however for all the Macallan Gran Reserva bottlings I feel that the 1979 bottling was far better than the 1980 and 1981 bottling). This bottling has now been stopped by Macallan - probably due to the fact that they don't have enough sherry casks!! Ok so maybe that's just me being skeptical.
Anyway I am a big fan of sherry cask whisky but feel that the Gran Reserva is just on the level of as big sherry as you can go without the whisky being over powered by the sherry. Anyway well here goes the tasting notes!
Nose: Intense Sherry, bitter chocolate,meaty with an oily orange back ground and marzipan.
Taste: Again rich sherry, lots of heavy fruits figs and dates very oily and coating.
Finish: Very long and lingering, oily and with a long dry finish that leaves a real richness in the mouth.
Comment: If you like sherry cask whiskies then you will love this - just wish that they had bottled this at a minimum of 46% it could have been a really huge whisky but at 40% it is only big.
Score: 90/100 could have been a lot higher if it had been bottled at 46%
Anyway I am a big fan of sherry cask whisky but feel that the Gran Reserva is just on the level of as big sherry as you can go without the whisky being over powered by the sherry. Anyway well here goes the tasting notes!
Nose: Intense Sherry, bitter chocolate,meaty with an oily orange back ground and marzipan.
Taste: Again rich sherry, lots of heavy fruits figs and dates very oily and coating.
Finish: Very long and lingering, oily and with a long dry finish that leaves a real richness in the mouth.
Comment: If you like sherry cask whiskies then you will love this - just wish that they had bottled this at a minimum of 46% it could have been a really huge whisky but at 40% it is only big.
Score: 90/100 could have been a lot higher if it had been bottled at 46%
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