Your favourite Macallan?

[Admiral]

Which Macallan have you enjoyed the most?

[Deactivated Member]

For me it's the 18 Year old Macallan, but I won't say no to the Fine Oak aswell.

Cheers,

Erik

[Tom]

absolutely the 25, it is one of the very best whiskys for me personally. i find the 18 less open for everyone.

[Tom]

you know what, i compared some notes, and actually, no whisky has ever rated as high as the mac 25, so there you have it, so far my best whisky ever is the 25. i tasted it again 2 weeks ago so im not basing this on a note i wrote 5 years ago or something. however i did hear there are plans to stop making it. mostly due to the fine oak series and the price of sherry casks. certainly hope this is a rumor that is based on nothing but imagination.

[Lawrence]

I really like the 25 especially if somebody buys me a dram.

[Deactivated Member]

Lawrence,

I'll buy you a dram of the 25Y old Macallan, when I'm Canada ofcourse someday.

Cheers,

Erik

[Lawrence]

Very kind of you.......

[richard]

the 18 year old especially the 1976 the 25 year old is to rich for my palate to much sherry

[Deactivated Member]

The 18Y old 1976 Macallan Richard mentions here was indeed extreemly good and that goes for the 1974 aswell.

[Admiral]

Of the distillery bottling 18yo vintages, I unfortunately haven't tried any of the vintages before 1981.

I have a 50ml miniature of the 1976 - maybe I should finally open it after all these years?

Alternatively, does anyone have a 700ml bottle of 1976 they'd be prepared to swap for something (or some things) comparable?

Cheers,
Admiral

[Deactivated Member]

Admiral,

There are still some shops who will sell a bottle of 1976 Macallan. Sometimes they have a couple of these bottles left, but those are only the specialist retailers who sell such items. Or alternatively check E-bay from time to time. Because I get the feeling that no one will swap such a lovely Macallan from 1976.(at least I wouldn't )

Cheers,

Erik

[Rudy]

Hi Admiral,

there are some shops in Europe that have the Mac OB 18yo 1976.

Price range EUR 150-EUR 180.

Not familiar with shops in your neigbourhood, sorry.

Happy hunting,

Rudy.

Almost forgot: best tasted so far are the 8yo OB, 12yo OB HKDNP (bottling from the 70's or 80's) and the 18 yo OB 1977.

[Lawrence]

Ruday, can you let me know what 'HKDNP' means?

[Rudy]

Hi Lawrence,

it stands for Hong Kong Duty Not Paid, meant for tax free shops.

In the Netherlands some 1 litre bottles came on the market for a very short period: Macallan 12 OB, that lay in some warehouse forgotten or whatever. The boxes were dirty and the labels on the bottles were 'worn out' by time. I've been told that these bottles have been laying there for decades, so it was the Macallan product from long time ago. No wonder it sold out within days. Tasting this 12 yo proves that the Macallan character has changed over time. And to my taste, not for the better. Some may think otherwise, but hey, it's my taste...

[Ian Fraser]

I would have to say the standard 18 yo.
The 25 y.o. is not too bad either but not really too impressed with the latest offerings in the newer barrels.
It simply lacks some of that wonderful full flavours.

[Lawrence]

Thanks Rudy, that's a interesting bit of Macallan history.

[Lugarteniente]

Why isn´t mac 30 in the poll?

For me Mac 25 is the best

[Admiral]

At the time that I created this poll, (almost a year ago now!), Macallan 30yo was no longer being exported to Australia, and indeed many other countries.

Given that it was in a restricted market, plus it was at a price range well outside most regular contributors' budget, I elected not to include it.

Cheers,
Admiral

[Lugarteniente]

Year ago and only 7 votes???

[Deactivated Member]

Goes to show how big polls are around here! We'd rather just gab.

[Lawrence]

Maybe somebody should commission a poll asking if people would rather gab or take part in a poll?

[Don]

18 year old, the definite Macallan's, from the standard setting distillery.... Don

[Admiral]

18 year old, the definite Macallan's, from the standard setting distillery

Yes, Macallan have certainly set a few standards, but I'm not sure they'd be too proud of some of their more recent ones!

"Worst PR exercise with replica bottlings"
"Greatest spin on recent change to cask regime"

Just a few that come to mind!

Cheers,
Admiral

[Deactivated Member]

Now Admiral, be gentle--the fellow's new here.

Welcome aboard, Don. Are you by chance on Macallan's payroll?

[MacLover]

I love both but taking into account price I have to say the 18YO.
Price not included as a factor I would say:
1. I prefer the 25YO compared to most of the 80's 18YO distillations, especially from 1984 when they moved from a single distillation year to a distilled in XXXX and earlier years. I am not articulate enough to describe what I felt was lost but there was something different with the 80's 18YOs as compared to the 1970's and the late 1960's distillations I have tasted. The best I can describe it is "flatter" tasting.

2. 1970's and late 1960's- hands down the 18YO.

Haven't been fortunate enough to sample the early 60's and the 50's distillations so can't comment.

[nicholtl]

What I still don't understand is why there are so few votes.

[MacLover]

Possibly too many Ardbeg fans in the forum?

Have to be honest, I am one of them, but still love the Mac!

[Admiral]

I am not articulate enough to describe what I felt was lost

Anyone who can start a sentence, "I am not articulate enough..." is instantly qualified and articulate enough to state their case!

What I still don't understand is why there are so few votes.

1. Not all expressions are available in all markets, so not everyone feels qualified to answer.

2. Some regulars here are not fans of polls, and deliberately choose not to vote.

3. Many regulars here have repeatedly stated that they are not fans of Macallan in the first place, so they too are unlikely to vote.

Cheers,
Admiral

[MacLover]

I actually stole that line from someone so I could try and pass myself off as some what more intelligent that below average .

[Deactivated Member]

Well done! Now if you can fake sincerity, you've got it made!

I vote for all three of those, Admiral!

[Frodo]

I'm chewing over a possible Macallan purchase - a 14yr old Provenance bottling for C$100. Makes sense when the 12yr OB is C$78 at the LCBO.

I'm thinking that if I can't appretiate a D. Laing bottling, I probably won't like Macallan. I did try a non-sherried Mac from Provenance. Impressed! Didn't think I'd like it.

[nicholtl]

On the subject of Macallan, I recently tried several drams of their 15 year Fine Oak, and was not impressed. The taste was thin, acidic, somewhat medicinal in it's aftertaste, sharp, had had a sort of sting, or bite at the finish, if you will. It also had a very weak, albeit mellow, nose.

For the price of the bottle (something close to $90 US), I'd rather fork over another $30 and get a Mac 18.

[Admiral]

Well, at least one of those reasons was typed out with you in mind, Mr T!

Cheers,
Admiral

[Ed]

Hello All,
I haven't had very many Macallans, just two in fact. The 12 yo and the 10 yo Cask Strength. I haven't finished the bottle of 12 yo that I bought sometime ago. I went back and forth on it. "I really like it." to "It's okay." and sometimes "It's not really my cup of tea." I finally decided that I quite like it.

I haven't been in the mood for malts for quite some time, I been drinking bourbon and straight rye mostly, but the other night I noticed the Macallan 10 CS waiting patiently for me to notice it again. I had had a few pours when I bought it a couple of months ago and liked it well enough. It seemed a bit harsh then, if memory serves. I had a pour and was Saturday and was blown away! Wow! It was so good! Powerful sherry, of course, with a tobacco leaf note. I think I saw a bottle of this on the shelf at a very reasonable price the other day. I may go buy it this afternoon to back up my still mostly full bottle.

Oh, I vote for the Macallan CS 10 yo abv 57.7
Ed

[Danny]

I like the 15 year fine oak the best with the regular 18 year old a close second.