Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 41.3%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry and seasoned, American and European
Chillfiltered: Yes
Added coloring: No
Owner: Edrington Group
Average price: € 95.00
Official website: www.themacallan.com
Vote: 65/100
After the bottling bearing the same name, we return to the Quest series, four NAS bottles produced in late 2017.
In keeping with the theme of travel, this bottling is intended to represent the bridge that unites the new and old worlds, America and Europe, with the casks used originating from both continents, all former Sherry either aged or seasoned (i.e. having contained sherry for a short period before receiving the spirit).
Tasting notes
On the nose, the sherry presents itself in a tart version: berries macerated in lemon, strawberry grapes (with impressions of must), apple. Over time it softens, but not too much, you have to dig a little into the aromas to find toffee, trifle, sugar paste. Overall, rather flat and monotonous.
The bizarre gradation of the bottling is rather lively at the mouth, translating into an ephemeral sprinkling of spices (pepper, ginger and cinnamon), which consistently introduces berries in an acidic (but not lysergic) version, albeit with less personality, a mishmash of bright and sharp notes that don’t do justice to Macallan’s elegance. Apple, nuts and custard timidly emerge from the sea of tartness, but in the long run dryness and tannins triumph.
The finish is quite short and dry, of liquorice, wood, lemon and nuts.
It may be me who has a problem with Macallan’s (relatively) cheap NAS, but while I generally find them lacking in personality but all in all pleasant, here the experience was really problematic, with the casks disintegrating the distillate’s iconic loveliness. Of course, it’s always a matter of taste (always good to reiterate), but I think it’s difficult here to find the balance of casks that you might expect from such an emblazoned label.