The Macallan - 16 May 2008 @ 7pm GMT

[Ryguy]

That 30 yo Fine Oak sure does sound yummy Treacle!!!!

[arkle]

Hi all,
just reading through the postings,I only have the sample from Matt(which I have tasted) but can you tell me the difference in flavour between sherry and wood?ie is the bitter taste the wood?

[TheShrink]

The Macallan 15 yr old Fine Oak

Colour : Again, a glorious warm amber. Although it's spent 50% longer in the cask than the sherried 10 yr old I just tried, it's appreciably paler.

Nose : Again, I get sherry. The 43% alcohol lifts out sweetness as before but also a more typically whisky aroma, and unlike the sherried 10 YO I get a hint of cut wood. The hint of sweet fruit (ripe peach) in the 10 YO has shifted to a more restrained sweetness (raisins?).

Palate : Chewing gives tingles up the middle of my tongue, almost to both sides. Very smooth again, somthing that's very inviting and entices me to sip more, I could easily enjoy this all evening! There's still the sherry flavour and buttery/creaminess but also more of a malt/barley thing going on, too.

Finish : Again, a long and pleasant finish. Really long, it's taking an age to get to the end of the finish to see what's there! Sweetness and a hard woodiness combine, shifting from raisnis/sherry tones in to wood, through the finish.

Just for the record although we're up from 40% to 43% I still (as is my wont) drank this without water.

Sadly, although a more complex and arguably a "better" malt, I much prefer the sherried 18 year old Macallan. Although simpler, what it does it does so well, such that I even favour my sherried 10 year old over this. Ho hum!

[Willie JJ]

Arkle wood can offer a bitter taste; maybe like coffee grounds, but it can have vanilla notes, or be spicy or very dry too. It really depends on how it presents itself in the dram. Not tried the 30 yet so can't be specific. Will get there soon.

[TheShrink]

Re : The 15 year old Fine Okak

After the tasting and writing below I read what Michael Jackson and Dave Broom thought, I can see why Dave Broom gets "hot sawdust" from, even though I don't get anything like that vivid.

[Ryguy]

Hi all,
just reading through the postings,I only have the sample from Matt(which I have tasted) but can you tell me the difference in flavour between sherry and wood?ie is the bitter taste the wood?

arkle, without a dram in front of me, this may be hard to explain. I'm going to try though. The wood tastes in Macallan I get are more like a whisp of wood smoke, on the palate. The sherry is definitely the sweeter tastes, with mixed fruits/spices etc. I suppose either could be the bitterness you're getting though. Drink lots of water to cleanse your palate and try again. Sometimes depending on what I've ate for dinner etc, the sherried malts taste different. I hope this helps.
Ryan

[arkle]

Thank you, I'll give it a go and try again!

[mikeymad]

Thanks for your notes on the 10yo Willie, and thanks for not saying Sherry. When I have Macallan, I don't really think Sherry, I think of all the components. Cooked oranges, spices, cinnamon, cooked apples, raisins. It is like when I have sherry and wine, I don't say, yep, tastes like Sherry, tastes like wine....

Cheers,

[Matt2]

Hi Arkle, I often find wood to be more of a mouthfeel than a taste as such, but quite often a bitter note. Although some woods come across quite sweet. Hope that helps

[TreacleSponge]

Hi Arkle. I'm not so good at articulating flavours as this lot, but the big difference between the 10 and 30 I found tonight is that the 30 is much drier & spicier, the 10 sweeter, so maybe that's the wood?

[Ryguy]

Thanks for your notes on the 10yo Willie, and thanks for not saying Sherry. When I have Macallan, I don't really think Sherry, I think of all the components. Cooked oranges, spices, cinnamon, cooked apples, raisins. It is like when I have sherry and wine, I don't say, yep, tastes like Sherry, tastes like wine....

Cheers,

Great explanation Mikey! Good to have a Macallan expert around!

[arkle]

Interesting,I tried again after copious amounts of water and the flavour was different;sweeter and less bitter. Then after a couple more sips it was different again,losing most of the bitterness except right on the finish;but is this just habituation?
I like it much more on the fourth tasting than the first.

[Willie JJ]

Dram number 2; the top comes off a bottle of the Fine oak 10yo.

Fine Oak 10
Brand : The Macallan Expression : Fine Oak
Nose : Apples and pears. Porridge. Horlicks. Palate : Very oily, slightly linseedy. Creme caramel. Spicy, tatses of cardboard. Finish : Much shorter and less interesting than the sherried 10. Still cardboardy. Comment : Not bad, but I prefer the sherry. Colour : Bright gold Score : 0
Age : 10 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 40% Bottler : Distillery	Type : Single Malt Region : Speyside Water : no Ice : None Glass : Tulip Nosing Glass Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Matt2]

Good point Treacle about being drier. I've just had a sip of my other older ones and they all have a dryness to them. Wood influence = Dryness and loss of sweetness ?? Where are the chemists when you need them

Did you find the Lochside sample dry?

[Matt2]

It is like when I have sherry and wine, I don't say, yep, tastes like Sherry, tastes like wine....

When I have a sherry I usually say 'Oh it's like that Macallan 15'

[Willie JJ]

Yes that drying is typical of older and more woody whiskies. When they get past it it can be like chewing pencils.

[Ryguy]

Willie, I agree there. I prefer the sherried Macallans, but I can still appreciate the Fine Oak ones as well. In the 15yo FO I have, I can't help but getting a wicked bourbon finish. It's a good thing though, I enjoy bourbon. I don't know if that's because I'm reading into it too much or what. My Brother said the same thing before I even mentioned it, and before I let him read the label.

[TreacleSponge]

Good point Treacle about being drier. I've just had a sip of my other older ones and they all have a dryness to them. Wood influence = Dryness and loss of sweetness ?? Where are the chemists when you need them

Did you find the Lochside sample dry?

Dry and peppery. And there was something dusty about it, like a rack of old suits in an attic or a barn of straw bales.

[arkle]

The Macallan
Brand : - Expression : Fine Oak
Nose : spirity nosewith a hint of playdoh,hazelnut,cinnamon,vanilla and a hint of acetone? Palate : Marzipan,ginger bursts in,fizzy ;then sugared almonds,then bitter almond Finish : Bitter finish,drying,bitter marmalade and hint of dark cocolate Comment : Found it astringent/bitter on first taste, but have warmed to it on 5th tasting!I need to keep re visiting this I think Colour : amber Score : 0
Age : 30 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : -	Type : - Region : - Water : none Ice : None Glass : Blenders Glass Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[mikeymad]

When I have a sherry I usually say 'Oh it's like that Macallan 15'

That is more like it...

Well played... wish I could try a bit of the 30FO. That and the 8yo I think are the only ones in the FO series that I have not had.

Cheers,

[TreacleSponge]

And there was something dusty about it, like a rack of old suits in an attic or a barn of straw bales.

Or maybe the dust just fell of the Lochside into the sample bottle

[Dram fine idea]

Hi folks

I'll pop in later tonight - so far I've enjoyed the comments posted

Cheers
DFI

[Ryguy]

Hi folks

I'll pop in later tonight - so far I've enjoyed the comments posted

Cheers
DFI

DFI, Hope to see you later, I'll be back around 9pm EST. And some of the guys on the West coast will be around later as well.
Ryan

[Willie JJ]

No bottle opening here. A nice sample of 30yo Fine Oak. Thanks Matt.

30 yo Fine Oak
Brand : The Macallan Expression : Fine Oak
Nose : This is more like it. A little of the painty/acetone smell that Arkle gets, but its not unpleasant. Surprisingly I get some real marmalade in this. Think the extra 3% ABV helps. Custard and vanilla. Palate : Definite spicy wood, but more of the Sandalwood type than old wood. Not at all musty. Very dark, slightly bitter chocolate. Less oily than the younger versions. Finish : Medium length, slightly drying. Some bitterness, but not unpleasant. Comment : The nose offers great promise but the palate doesn't really follow through. It's good but not as good as the nose suggests. A very pleasant dram though. Colour : Light orange marmalade Score : 0
Age : 30 Years Old Vintage : 0 ABV : 43% Bottler : -	Type : Single Malt Region : Speyside Water : No Ice : None Glass : Tulip Nosing Glass Notes : -
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ryguy]

Good notes Arkle and Willie on the 30yo FO. Sounds like an interesting one.

[arkle]

Willie, you mention 'oily',what is that? is it a mouth feel or a taste?,cos often people refer to Caol Ila as oily and Im not sure what they mean.

[Ryguy]

Willie, you mention 'oily',what is that? is it a mouth feel or a taste?,cos often people refer to Caol Ila as oily and Im not sure what they mean.

Typically when someone says 'oily' they are describing the mouth feel. A heavy/oily dram tends to coat your mouth well, and thus an 'oily' description. I hope this is helpful.
Ryan

[arkle]

More like the mouthfeel of some grain whiskies?

[Willie JJ]

Ok another bottle to open now. SMWS 24.78;

24.78 Mac
Brand : Scotch Malt Whisky Society Expression : Macallan
Nose : Chardonnay, linseed oil. Oranges and carbide. Yeast. Palate : Aak! Somebody just struck a match in my mouth. Really powerful. Where did I get this bottle? I seem to recollect that someone gave it to me. I think they must have had two. Hard to pick flavours out of this, but there is an underlying delicious stewed orange taste. Finish : The cordite comes racing back here. Strangely it isn't that unpleasant. Offers a lot of exciting sensation on the tongue. Hmm, interesting. The oranges seem to have had gunpowder sprinkled on them and then ignited. Once it settles the oranges return sizzling as they come. Comment : I would never have chosen to buy a bottle of this but it is really interesting and not unpleasant. I wonder if the power of the cordite will fade after the bottle has been open for a while. Colour : Deep gold Score : 0
Age : 12 Years Old Vintage : 1991 ABV : 57% Bottler : SMWS	Type : Single Malt Region : Speyside Water : No Ice : None Glass : Tulip Nosing Glass Notes : distilled Apr 91, Bottled Apr 04
More tasting notes by None Please do not reproduce or copy this tasting note without permission.

[Ryguy]

OOOOH Willie, that one sounds pretty interesting.
A bit of sulphur would you say??

[Willie JJ]

Willie, you mention 'oily',what is that? is it a mouth feel or a taste?,cos often people refer to Caol Ila as oily and Im not sure what they mean.

Typically when someone says 'oily' they are describing the mouth feel. A heavy/oily dram tends to coat your mouth well, and thus an 'oily' description. I hope this is helpful.
Ryan

Yes I entirely agree with Ryan. It is really about mouthfeel and Macallan typically has that mouth coating oiliness. None of the samples here have been exceptions to that.

[Willie JJ]

OOOOH Willie, that one sounds pretty interesting.
A bit of sulphur would you say??

Yes really sulphury Ryan, but it is that coal-gas/hot sand effect rather than the stinky marsh gas or rubbery kind.

[mikeymad]

Interesting Willie....

#24.78 title - Orange toffee and Jaffa Cakes

[Ryguy]

Definitely sounds interesting though Willie. I haven't had a bottle on the sulphury side yet I guess.
But your description was very good.

Well everyone, time to leave work then I'm heading to teeball (baseball for little kids) practice with my boys. Will be back later, hope to see some of you then.

Cheers,
Ryan

[Willie JJ]

Interesting Willie....

#24.78 title - Orange toffee and Jaffa Cakes

That's not on the bottle, but the orangeyness is definitely there. I guess the sulphur might settle down a bit now that its open.

Edit:
Actually it is starting to breathe a bit already and its coming on stronger like a really heavy marmalade. Mmmm.