Macallan 10 Year Old Fine Oak

I have to admit being very circumspect when the fine oak series were released by Macallan. The contrast between these malts and their previous almost exclusive use of unbroken Sherry casks is stark, they represent in essence an entirely different malt.

The nose is somehow fresh with champagne like notes, sandal wood, vanilla and some white fruit. There is a surprising amount of body to this dram given the lightness of the spirit and the 40% abv. More white wine like flavours with a touch of herby bitterness (parsley?), vanilla and almonds play minor parts. The finish brings back the freshness from the nose, with a kind of tangy tingly effect a bit like after effects of bitter lemon, it’s much the best part of this malt and a bit of a surprise feature at the end.

I’m a little shocked it’s scored this high, as I can’t remember being impressed on previous tastings. Often these light malts can pass your taste buds almost unnoticed if you don’t have a pen in hand to jot down their salient features.

Picked up a bottle of this for $43.99 at Aggie Liquor in Fort Collins. Dull golden appearance. Toasted oak, vanilla frosting, honey, butterscotch nose. Definitely some light fruits (apple/pear), honey, creamy vanilla flavor. Yeah, the flavor is kind of fruity. A little bit of cedar on the finish. Kind of fun.

Soft sweet fruity and malty arrival develops a short spicy balanced finish. Good beginning scotch for people who need to fill their cabinets due to a bottle shaped empty space.

This is my first taste of Macallan after hearing many great reviews about it. A good friend of mine who actually introduced me into the world of whisky is a great believer in the quality of this particular distilleries products. This is one of the first things in this field I must say I disagree entirely with him about.

Nose: Strong scent of vanilla and toffee with a touch of oak. No complexity here though which is rather disappointing

Palate: A sweet and buttery sensation engulfs my tongue. The body is smooth and very light lacking any real sustenance.

Finish: Short finish which I must say was kind of expected after a taste. The body just doesn't hold up long enough.

The lack of complexity in this whisky has really disappointed. Its a relatively expensive scotch and my personal view is that it rides on its distilleries fame and the reputation of its older brothers.

One thing I must say for this dram is that it is very very drinkable. It goes down a real treat and was much appreciated after a hard days work.

This was something new at the backyard pub i frequent so of course i was willing to try it. Nose: Honey, citrus, vanilla, butterscotch, cherries, something faintly creamy. Palate: Honey, citrus, vanilla, butterscotch, cherries, and spice. Finish: Honey, citrus a wisp of vanilla, cherries and a hint of spice.

In a word amazing, i do not enjoy young single malts in my eyes 10 years it too young but Macallan proved with a deft hand that they know what they are doing. I would put this above their 12 year old expression any day of the week and even so far as to say i enjoyed it over their 18 year old the lightness was refreshing and not bullying in the least.

Nose: Sweet with honey, vanilla and butterscotch. A hint of citrus fruits and barley before the oak.

Taste: The sweet theme continues with vanilla and then light spices mixed with the oak.

Finish: Dry... very dry but delicious. The sweetness is still there with caramel mixing with light spices and oak again. Maybe just a hint of coffee at the very end.

Balance: Smooth, sweet and superb. The sweetness carries all the way through without ever becoming too much. There's a constant reminder of the name with the oak and some light spices always just bubbling away under the surface.

Macallan have given up their age statements so it will be interesting to see what one thinks in a few years with the Macallan Gold the replacement for the 10 y.o. Fine Oak. This is certainly an enjoyable whisky.

Trevlig instegswhisky från säkra Macallan. Krämig och med bra bett trots endast 40% styrka.

I picked this up for just under £20.00! A very special offer indeed and far too good to walk past, so it 'accidently' fell into the shopping trolley.

This whisky is triple cask matured in (their words) a unique, complex combination of exceptional oak casks. European Oak casks seasoned with sherry, American Oak casks seasoned with sherry and American Oak casks seasoned with bourbon. This triple cask combination delivers an extraordinarily smooth, delicate yet complex single malt.

The Macallan's curiously small and uniquely shaped copper stills help to concentrate the flavour of the 'new make' spirit.

I understand that the 'Fine Oak' series caused a bit of a kerfuffle when it was first introduced in 2004. Macallan had always used sherry barrels exclusively for ageing their whisky.The Fine Oak series didn't.

The nose took a while to tease out at first. Macallan state the nose is 'complex' and I agree with them here. Stick with it and it will come. Initially very dry, almost dusty and cereal like, but eventually the vanilla, honey and a hint of fruit shows through. Soft and creamy on the palate, very smooth. The oak and fruit marry together well, and it is really enjoyable dram. The finish is quite refreshing with sweet vanilla.

I don't think you can go wrong with this, but maybe I'm easily pleased ?

This is in our festive pack.

Dom's notes: A master class of elegance and sophistication Nose: A warm and welcoming mix of clean, fresh and sweet barley, cedar wood and orange Palate: the whisky equivalent of an elegant ballerina and a study in elegance, subtlety and balance. The sweet barley core is pepped up by some spice and citrus notes. Finish: Not the longest but no matter. Makes reaching for another even more tempting

The pack is 5x50ml samples for £20+postage. Others are Highland Park 12, Laphroaig QC, Ardmore Trad and Glenrothes select reserve, which we have already reviewed here.

I also tasted this one over the weekend.

Nose: Vanilla, clean and crisp, some caramel.

Taste: Sweet and malty. Vanilla. Taste of sea salt and a hint of smoke.

Finish: Long and warm

Nose: delicate and fruity, peaches, apricots, grapes, a hint of oak.

Taste: sweet, with all of the fruit flavours listed above expressing rather strongly and quickly. The oak is clearly present and develops more strongly into the finish.

Finish: the peaches and apricots last moderately, then fade, with grapey flavours continuing longer and oak is what you taste strongly at the end. At the time of this review the finish is quite quite long.

Balance: this is a very pleasant and very fruity little whisky. At the time of this review the reviewed bottle has been open almost a year, and the flavours seem to me to have become more assertive and to have lasted longer than they did in my earlier tastings of it. The balance is nice overall, and I would agree with those who comment that this would make a great aperitif whisky, and also a lovely warm-weather fruity sipping refresher.

The distillery The Macallan is a guarantee for especially smooht and complex whiskies, even if they say so themselves. I can only concur. I recently tasted three in their Fine Oak series and each and everyone was wonderful.

The Fine Oak series was launched in 2004 and matured on three casks : first Spanish sherry casks, then American sherry-flavored casks and finally American ex-bourbon casks.

The nose satisfies the expectations, being (somewhat) complex with honey, heather and white fruits.

On the palate these tones are nicely balanced with the malt and oak wood. This whisky is very smooth indeed!

I had hoped the finish to be a bit longer, but it's still very pleasant.

This is a very accessible whisky for a good price (approx 32 EUR). A soft, everyday Speysider.

This bottle I picked up after reading about how many people that enjoyed The Balvenie Dbl Wood also enjoyed this Macallan 10 year Fine Oak. I would agree its in the same lines as The Balvenie but all together a different animal, with less body than The Balvenie, probably due to the slight difference in age. The Balvenie feels more complete to me, more refined, but with that aside...on the to review.

The nose of this bottle is very delightful, its oaky with a touch of what I would call sweet vanilla, rounded out by ripe rich fruit. Its a very interesting nose that leaves you in doubt about what to expect, and I like that.

The body is very light and complements the color very well, much like a red wine I would say.

The palate is also very interesting, it begins with oaks of the tree different casks this scotch makes its journey through as well as some malt like flavors, grains, and wheat but its still sweet and light. As you swallow the alcohol bites the back of your throat but not unpleasantly and the last hints your left are a dark chocolate like sweetness and again that great oak undertone that just gives that last little expression.

If I had to give one stand out flaw of this scotch it would be that its possibly too light and that hurts the finish, it doesn't linger like it should and make you want to take another sip. Maybe the 15 year would be a bit better in that category.

This fruity oak whisky has a nice smooth balance