Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak

This Speyside single malt is matured in Sherry oak casks from Jerez, Spain, for a minimum of 18 years. This spirit has been the staple of all luxury hotel bars, upscale dining establishments and corporate elites. This bottle was distilled in 1996 at 43% ABV. The nose foreshadows the whips of sweet toffee and chocolate notes that are to come. The scents of the seemingly perfectly aged oak and vanilla step forward. The amber spirit is as smooth as expected, with a growing, warm, caramel flavour; a touch of sweet honey, dark chocolate and espresso. Later on fig jam and milk chocolate linger to the finish. Viscous,, creamy, delicious. It is perfect on it's own. Enough said. Score 95/100.

Elegant, $$$, delicious, vanilla, milk chocolate, oak, honey

Macallan has been getting quite o bit of criticism for developing No Age Statement (NAS) 1824 Series of releases in order to keep up the the ever increasing demand for their high quality product., and they produce a lot. In my opinion much of the criticism is undeserved as they are doing what any business would do to maximize profit. As a consumer we drive production so we can chose to buy or not to buy. I can say that the Series is excellent. More on this in future reviews. What you need to ask yourself is coughing up the serious amount of $$$ worth it... that is, if you can find it.

The Macallan distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid and was operated from the original buildings of Macallan farm. At the time it was named Elchies distillery after a nearby estate. The distillery changed ownership a number of times during its early days and stability came only when Roderick Kemp took control in 1892; under Kemp the distillery was renamed Macallan-Glenlivet. The Kemp family retained control of Macallan until 1994 when it was sold to a consortium of the Japanese Suntory Group and the Highland Distillers Group. In 1999 the distillery became part of the Edrington Group who are the current owners (except for the 25% share held by Suntory). In 1980 the distillery’s name was changed to Macallan and the decision was taken to concentrate on producing premium quality single malt whisky rather than whisky for blending purposes. Many in the whisky trade thought this was a mistake but as we all know the decision has proved to be a great success. The 18-year old Sherry Cask version was first launched in 1984; this particular expression was bottled in 2012.

The nose, in one word: WOWEE!! Rich and fruity flavours assail you from the very start, dark fruits, raisins, overripe pears, plum jam, everything is very fruity and soft at the same time. Later, notes of dry oak make an appearance. Classic Macallan!

The palate is medium-bodied and sweet but gets just a little bit spicy towards the end. Soft and silky on the tongue, this is again dominated by dark fruits, cherries, plums, and hints of chocolate and orange peel.

The finish is long, warming, and a little bit spicy. There is rubber (in a good way), and lots of plum jam. A mouth watering finish if there ever was one.

This was and remains my benchmark for sherried single malts, although I must say I was even more impressed by the older bottlings from the 1990s. Still, this is – pardon my French – damn good stuff! The rich and lush nose, the fruity and well balanced palate, the mouth watering finish… honestly, who would not like this? Then again, looking at what the guys at Macallan are doing to their core range makes your heart bleed. NAS bottlings all over the place. Whatever has happened to the good old distilling tradition at Macallan??

For the 1994 bottling.

Nose: Purple grape & sugarcane, at first. Then adds cocoa, as fine and dry as cinnamon powder... and with a punch as sharp as orange zest. After more time, vanilla and butterscotch round out the spices, and the grape seems more like strawberry.

Palate: Enters as a dry woody oak, just rounded out by faint grapy sweetness. Then it becomes a serious very dark chocolate, just on the edge of bitter but never tipping. (I might also call this almond or walnut skins, or something like lavender.) Then the palate doesn't change too much for a spell, but adds a little spicy hot ginger. (If held in the mouth longer, soft caramel arrives followed by strawberry rhubarb pie.)

Finish: Oak and ginger. Then a further impression of that very dark chocolate. If you're looking for it, there is purple grape (or plump raisins) floating in the background.

This is a beautiful whisky, even though my first impression was that it was too dry and lacked the fruitiness I had come to expect from sherry finishes. This is a drier sophisticated expression, I would think for lovers (like myself) of very dark chocolate that is almost too bitter. If you are looking for something as fruity as the nose promises, then you should turn elsewhere (the 10 or 12 year old, or an Aberlour, etc.).

I can think of a few similar malts with this prominent tannic cocoa sensation, all of which add some creamy character relative to the Macallan. The first to come to mind are Glenfarclas 25 & 30, which are nuttier, whereas the Macallan has more wood/grape/zest. I enjoyed the Macallan just a bit more, perhaps because it came across slightly fuller, especially on the entrance-- but (today) the Mac is 50% more costly. Glenmorangie's Sonnalta is also similar but has more sweet grape/vanilla influence, whereas the Macallan is drier. I rate them about equally, but would open them for different situations. Luckily, the Macallan seems more available, for now. I look forward to trying the 1995 vintage too.

This is from a half bottle of Macallan 18yo. I believe it was a 1989 vintage. These late 80’s vintages are not generally thought to be as good as early 80’s or earlier vintage Macallans. I have tried a few of these from a friend in Nashville about 10 years ago, but I can’t remember a blessed thing about them – other then that it seemed extravagant to be drinking a bunch of old vintage Macallan 18yo in one sitting. Here are my notes from this half bottle. I have compiled them from three tasting sessions. In one session I put it up against the Glenfarclas 1974. In a second session it went up against Glenlivet 18 and Glenfiddich 18. The third session it went up against Talisker 18 and Highland Park 18. The scores went (in that order) 86, 88, and 87.5. I was not aware of how I scored it prior. So I can conclude that no matter what I put it up against my score of this malt seemed quit consistent. My scores are achieved by adding up 5 different categories (so it is not like I simply give it one number) of a whisky.

Nose: A bit musty at first, but it gives way to a brilliantly high sherry assault. This sherry is a stout soprano in tone, but her voice is fading and it can’t quite hit the high notes with ease as it once did. Rather, the tone is darker and more subtle, but still a soprano. Oranges, apples, pears, and dates followed by brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. This is truly a fruitcake – sickeningly sweet and all. Then, a little honey and sharp cut grass comes through. With time the grassiness really comes to the fore (especially compared to the Glenfarclas). Now I’m getting coffee cake like my mother use to make. WOW that is buttery brown sugary goodness! Time really allows this soaring soprano sherry to calm down into a sweet delight. Not quite my type of soprano tone, but I can recognize something great when I hear (smell) it. With water the grassiness dies down but is still prominent. The sherry also is subdued.

Taste: Sweet sherry interacting with pepper, brown sugar, and a lemony-citrus-grassy-thing.

Finish: Nice rich and velvety. It starts off with a huge intake of breath and then oozes out a sweet fire of sherry and grass. Now there are elements of the grass and the sherry interacting with the oak. So a blast of pepper and sherry followed by an intake like the tide but with no crashing wave. Instead it is the long rolling waves of sweet sherry playing against sour lemon, salt and spice vying for dominance. Medium finish that is the definition of smooth with zero burn.

Balance, Complexity: Very interesting balance of the grass, sherry, and oak. I can certainly tell that this guy is aged a bit. Everything seems so smooth and refined. It gets points for complexity and balance – but I’m not blow away with complexity for the price.

Aesthetic experience: Nice deep amber color. Full bodied. The Macallan certainly carries some weight. The 18 year old use to be a legend. But these days Macallan really seems to be slipping and has lost its grip on what made it legendary. It seems that as the bottles have gotten more elegant the product has gotten more mundane. I think this is a sexy bottle with a sexy color to the liquid. And in many ways I think this bottle set the bar for 18yo scotches.

Conclusion: This is a fine bottle. My big problem is the price. When you compare it to other 18 year olds (like: Glenlivet 18, Glenfiddich 18, Talisker 18, and Highland Park 18) it is clearly a cut above the crowd (with Talisker coming out on top for me – surprise, surprise). However, it is nearly twice the price of these other four bottles, and clearly doesn’t have twice the taste or twice the quality. In fact, I think I would have paid the same amount for a full bottle of this as I did for my bottle of Glenfarclas 1974 (31yo) . . . so I’m glad I only got a half bottle (which cost about the same as a full bottle of the other four). Personally, I wouldn’t buy either bottle again: but if you force me I would take the Glenfarclas over the Macallan – even though I think I enjoyed the Macallan a hair more because it was less sherried.

Another warning to sherry cask lovers: take my reviews of sherried malts with plenty of salt. I’m biased. Still, you might find it useful. “If @Nock hates a sherry malt I will probably like it.” It is a great bottle to have if you want to pay a lot of money for a top notch aged whisky with strong sherry influence.

I've tasted Macallan 18 year old sherry oak many times and this ain't it. So what is it? Well, I might conservatively call it attractively colored golden sputum masquerading as a fine scotch.

Buyer beware: Avoid the 50ml "Macallan 18" at all costs.

The nose smells like Bushmills' Irish whisky (which I happen to hate due to its lack of sophistication and bitter alcohol-laden palate). This little bottle of "Macallan" also tastes quite a bit like cheap Irish whisky. I don't even detect any scotch flavor here.

What a complete and utter rip off. I bought seven little bottles and they are worthless as Christmas gifts to anyone who has even a rudimentary appreciation of fine scotch.

The box is attractive and the cork is classy. In other words, this 50ml looks great and tastes like cheap Irish whisky. It is the perfect Christmas gift for someone who will never open it, much less taste it, or for a person who has no taste at all to speak of and will be impressed by name only.

Macallan 18 year old is by all means not a bad whisky. It just was a small disappointment for me. It is smooth like a whisky in that age should be, but it is a bit dull.

It reminds me of the movie Avatar, which was great to watch 3D in movie theaters but when looking it from my TV, it just leaves you cold. Macallan 18 has potential but it lacks in character. Just like Avatar lacked in the script.

It's funny how all from the Macallan sherry oak range make me want to avoid sherry cask whiskies but for example Glenfarclas offers me a new insight on 'em. Maybe someone wiser than me can explain the possible reasons for me.

Nose: Toffee with lots of sherry and dry fruits saturated in alcohol.

Taste: Soft and creamy. Bit spicy with dried fruits.

Finish: Fruity and spicy with hints of wood. Soft and kinda quick.

Balance: Balance is pretty good but it lacks in character. A bit lame for my taste but very easy to drink. I noticed this has gathered lots of praises so an easy conclusion is (especially when looking my "track record"): Macallan isn't for me.

So there's an interesting story behind this. At a local pub with a great Whisky selection, I asked the bartender for a Highland Park 18 (which I later got, and will review shortly). When I got the dram and brought it to my nose, I was shocked. Nowhere close to what I was expecting. So I asked the bartender what she poured me, and she poured me the Macallan 18 instead.

So! Reapproaching the dram in a different state of mind, I was very pleased.

Nose: Warm, plum, definitely big on the sherry, with a twist of vanilla and oak. This nose is loaded with fruit, from rasberry to strawberry and back again. Mmmm.

Palate: Fantastic. Very, very good. Smooth, plum again, obviously huge on sherry, licorice and oak. This body is fairly complex and a lot of fun to explore. A hint of tobacco and smoke, very subtle, comes through at the end.

Finish: Warm, heavy, fairly long. The flavors that come through here were a little hidden on the palate, and I love that, with a touch of chocolate and dried red fruit giving this dram a desser-like feel at the end. I love it.

A beautiful dram. Not what I had hoped to order, but truly thrilled and pleased with this. A go-to for those that love a sweet, heavy sherry.

Heavy spice fruit arival followed by warm spicy fruity slow woody balanced medium finish. Absolutely worth the price.

This was the 1991 bottling.

nose: the nose has a rich depth to it, opening with a bouquet of red fruit and berries, turning to a heavily oxidative monster, and finally giving way to a balanced mix of butterscotch, thin caramel, fig, and rich strawberry scones. young sherry.

palate: a little underwhelming compared to the nose. subtle caramel and apple pie.

finish: develops into full strawberries, rhubarb, some vanilla, minor oxidative note. straight-forward and easy-sipping sherry influenced whisky.

Sometimes I forget just how good this one is, and it's easy to take for granted. Some years have been misses, but this was another good Macallan. I just wish that it wasn't so expensive!

The LCBO is keen to remind everyone that this expression was, at one time, so popular worldwide that stocks were virtually depleted. Well, fear not, for the intrepid purchasers at the LCBO have ample enough supply to see everyone through the next Global Macallan 18 Armageddon. Sadly, at $250 a bottle it rarely seems to venture much further than from its vaunted position in the vintages section.

I should not complain, though. This bottle was a gift from my brother on account of my fecundity. Smitten by Macallan 12, he felt that the 18 yo expression would be a suitable step up. Macallan 18 is aged exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez, Spain. That's exclusive sherry aging - not a sherry finish, or hint o' sherry, or tickled by sherry, or a hot sherry injection. So, if you are after a nice sherried whisky you could do much worse than this Macallan.

Nose: you guessed it - sherry. Definitely grapey, with lots of dark fruit, fruitcake, spice, orange, and hint of cream. A great nose.

Palate: quite silky and smooth, until the spice emerges. Sweet arrival, with grape and dark fruit emerging in the development. There is bitter orange, vanilla, and a drying tannic spice that is wonderfully balanced by the initial sweetness.

Finish: the hint of sweet grape and sherry devolves into a long, drying finish with a pleasant spice.

Overall, a wonderful sipping dram. I would never pay $250 for it, but I certainly wouldn't turn it away. This one of my first drams (my 'gateway' dram, as they say), so it was nice to be able to return to it and spend a little time getting to know it better.

So many well written reviews on this, I will just add that I found the "airplane bottle" mini at the local package store for $10 so I had to try it knowing its legend.

Already a fan of the orange-chocolate flavor profile (Toblerone, etc.), I certainly didn't expect it in a whisky. I sensed a little raisin sweetness, reminded me of the sherry my dad likes to toss back.

Nose: Soft Sherry , Christmas cake , Rich fruit

Taste: The most delicate of whiskies I have ever tasted , Soft mouth feel , Sherry , chocolate nougat, Pine nutes and slight citrus

Finish: gentle , balanced , delicate but not as long as one would like. Dry

Balance: What can I say it's Macallan.

Nose: Lots of toffee, lots of sherry, a fantastic eggnog note, cinnamon, brandy soaked fruits, black pepper, a hint of salt, sweet oak, vanilla.

Taste: Sherry, buttercream frosting, toffee, a bit of spice, deep and concentrated fruits like sweet juicy apples and cherries. There's a hint of dryness that keeps the dominating sweetness in check.

Finish: Fruity, spicy, with a good amount of wood.

What a fantastic Macallan. It's so refreshing since my last encounters with the Fine Oak range. The vintage on this one is 1989, and wow is it good. I'm interesting in trying the vintages from the 90s even though I've heard of some decline in those bottlings. This 1989 is worth seeking out.

Her dress is a deep amber with a cinnamon touch.

There is lots of condensation on the inside of my glass. It seems to prove that this whiskey needs time to stretch.

I'm trying out also a new glass for the occasion: a whisky nosing spieglau, available at vinum design .

Winey nose and lots of spices. The leg is fine, thin, but takes its time to descend. I cannot wait to feel this body.

It is pretty rich and dry. An frank arrival, juicy and fruity. Stewed fruit were all the flavors are mixed together: ripe oranges, grapes, rosehips butter and figs. On toast, lightly buttered. White grape jelly, like chardonnay. The wood is not too present: probably 3rd refill.

The finish lasts: nutmeg and concord grape jelly. And it grows in intensity.

A breakfast malt?

Ah! Or for a 4 o'clock tea with crumpets. Yes, that's it. I can easily see myself at the Empress in Victoria with this dram in hand. With dark chocolate from Roger's , which is only two steps away. Yes, gov'nor: To Hell With tea and cucumber sandwiches: bring me some macallan and croissants, by Jove!

A good balance between the wood and the spirit, age and youthfulness.

pretty nice

The Macallan 18 Sherry Oak has a complex nose, with dried fruit, honey, vanilla, apples, and, strangely, overripe bananas all perfectly balanced. After a dash of water and a few minutes nosing, I was looking forward to the taste. Boy was I disappointed. The palate was very simple, with a sherry oak cask theme and no distinguishing features. I could've been drinking an Aberlour 10 yr for all I knew.

Wonderfully near-perfect sherry nose and taste. Soft beginning with a tremendous spice character that smooths out to a nice clean finish. In my opinion worth the money over the 12 year. Have yet to have the 15.

I have tasted this whisky before, but I confess it was a while back. In addition, I tasted it while comparing it to the 12yr Sherry Oak, and probably others as well. What I'm trying to say is that my initial tasting was probably not the best, as it was clouded with other whiskies and before I had developed my palate (not that my palate is now "developed", but it was even more immature than it is now).

I found a miniature of the 18yr at a local package store for $8, and figured it was high-time to try this whisky again. So, here goes the Macallan 18yr Sherry Oak, round two:

The color is a pretty dark gold, maybe an amber gold? This bottle is 43% ABV.

Nose: Straight away I am getting sherry, oak, currants, and dark chocolate. Hmmm... This is shaping up nicely. Let's see what else I find in there! A little orange peel. Cinnamon, and a touch of crystalized ginger. The nose is truly delightful.

Body: Medium body with a rich profile.

Palate: Nice, spice coming into play. Warming, sweet, candied orange peel, dark chocolate, ripe fruits, dried berries. Not really ripe red fruit, or peaches or plums, but a nice sweet apple or pear. This whisky is exceptional on the palate. I could really hold this in my mouth for the whole evening. If only I didn't have to talk to anyone...

Finish: Smooth! Wow, that just slipped over the tongue like it was water! Nice, short-ish finish, with a bit of spice and chocolate again on the end. Ok, more spice this time. Nice. Again with the dark chocolate! Some could almost call that a whiff of java or smoke, but it reminds me of the really dark (72% cacao) chocolate. There is a sweet taste left in the mouth. Not winy at all. Just a nice taste of candied oranges. Wow. Really nice.

Well, I must say - this is a nice dram. I am quite enjoying this afternoon nip! I am VERY happy that I was able to find a 1/2 bottle of this whisky, and even more glad that I was able to find it for only $49! I only pulled 2/3rds of the 50ml bottle out for this tasting, so I can try it again in a few days. The 1/2 bottle will probably stay put up for a while, and wait on a special occasion to be opened. Quite nice, and I am sad that I wasted the first bottle on my youthful palate! At the time, I found it quite boring and only mildly smoother than the 12yr. Silly me...

Frankly, I'm not sure if this is really all that better than the Aberlour 15yr Sherry Finish or 16yr Double Cask. It is quite similar, both with a very nice sherry flavor and plenty of spice at the end. This is dramatic, as the 16yr Aberlour costs less than $60/bottle, and Macallan 18yr goes for $140-160/bottle. I will have to do some more tasting to be sure, but I think I stand by my original assessment that this is a nice whisky, but not worth the price. Still, a very good dram, indeed!

Similar to the 12 Year, but much more rich with added spice and the fresh grass in the finish lingers a lot longer. Pleasant, but still a little tame for me.

It is better than the 12 Year, but not $100 better : )

Nose: Wow. what a stunner this one is. Amazing nose on this Macallan. i really love it from first whiff : sweet dried fruit jump up your nostrils, followed by Chocolate , Spice, Sugar cane sweetness, and some prunes. This is one of the greatest noses on a sherry malt i’ve sniffed in a while. this is what you will see in the dictionary under “Rich” .Kudos.

Palate: Sweet, some oaky notes (dry). Chocolate, Sultanas , XMas cake (and thank you Jason from WHISKYhost). it’s sweet, it’s cuddly. it’s a perfect mouth for an Israeli winter night (not to cold mind you, i guess maybe 12 deg C- yes don’t laugh. this is winter here). Although i do like the nose an itsy bit more than the palate.

Finish: Sweeeeeet. Not very long, Medium i should say. but it leaves a tingly spiciness on the tongue after all the sweeties have gone. Strong Prunes influence (Sun dried prunes).

To sum things up:

A real charmer of a dram. Excellent for wintry nights, or when you are into a some sweet nose and palate. Heartwarming, and throat too. Very Good balance on the sweet/spicy stuff. Great work there Macallan guys.

Slainte!