What is the difference between MacElegancia and Macallan 12?

Related whiskies : The Macallan 12 Years Old , The Macallan 12 Years Old, Fine Oak , The Macallan Easter Elchiles Cask Selecttion 12 Years Old , The Macallan Elegancia , The Macallan Gran Reserva

by **Nibnub** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:33 pm

Can anyone describe the differnece between theese two Macallans? Is Macallan Elegancia a whisky for it´s own, or does it remind of any other Macallan´s?

-Thank You!

by **Paul A Jellis** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:24 am

Macallan's own tasting notes for their 12yr old:

Colour: Rich Gold.

Nose: Vanilla with hints of ginger, dried fruits, sherry sweetness and wood smoke.

Palate: Deliciously smooth, with rich dried fruits and sherry, balanced with wood smoke and spice.

Finish: Sweet toffee, dried fruits, lingering wood smoke and spice.

And for their Elegancia:

The Macallan Elegancia is selected from a unique combination of sherry casks, which have previously contained both fino and Oloroso sherries.

Colour: Bright Gold.

Nose: Light citrus with vanilla, sweet toffee, spice and oak.

Palate: Spice and citrus, balanced with a nutty maltiness.

Finish: Sweet toffee, with spice and light oak.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Paul

by **Nibnub** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 1:36 am

Thank you so much for the info Paul.

Cheers!!

by **Admiral** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 4:21 am

Elegancia was released for the duty free market a couple of years before the Fine Oak range was launched.

As the tasting notes above state, the Elegancia contains whisky matured in fino casks, not just oloroso.

The Fine Oak, of course, contains whisky matured in ex-bourbon casks.

Cheers,
Admiral

by **bernstein** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:55 am

I'd a faint memory that Macallan Elegancia was some kind of predecessor to the Fine Oak range and just reread what Jim Murray wrote about the 1990 vintage:

Whisky Bible 2005, p.137 wrote:"Struggles to get past the sulphur. Ironic, considering this is the only Macallan bottled by the distillery that contains bourbon as well as sherry casks."

QED.

by **Tom** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:14 pm

True, but it is the new Elegancia 12Y old that is a marriage from Fino and Oloroso casks.

The '90 was indeed bourbon/sherry.

The Elegancia 12 is a great whisky btw in my subjective opinion. lots and lots better then the '90

by **bernstein** » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:14 pm

That's interesting, Tom. I didn't know that. So they've changed the recipe essentially over the last couple of years. Yuiiey!

Related whiskies : The Macallan 12 Years Old , The Macallan 12 Years Old, Fine Oak , The Macallan Easter Elchiles Cask Selecttion 12 Years Old , The Macallan Elegancia , The Macallan Gran Reserva