Review 172: Macallan 18

Here it is: the scotch people order when trying to impress others, or the whisky formerly known as Macallan 18. Is it actually worth the price?

Macallan 18

Color: Amber +1

ABV: 43%

Aroma Neat:
Heathery Oak (very rich), Cooked Malt, Rolled Oats, Tawny Port, Plump Raisins, Cake Batter, Molten Vanilla, Fresh Caramel, Darkest Honey (orange/clover), Coriander, Clove (slightly), Dulce de Leche, Hot Copper.  

Seems a bit closed, but there are lots of hints towards a voluptuous richness. Definitely heavy and "fatty" as Macallan is typically described. Not as complex as I would have hoped initially.

Aroma Water:
Orange/Heather Honey, Vanilla Cake Batter, Smyrna Figs, Fresh Oak Pulp, Brandy/Old Rum, Fatty/Meaty Sherry, Muscovado Sugar, Caramel, Orange Peel (some potpourri), Rolled Oats, Juicy Raisins, Leather, Old Books, Malt Barley Grist.

More open than neat and indeed quite rich. Sherry hasn't been allowed to take over and the spirit is more interesting for it.  

Taste Neat:
Rich Honey, Oily Cloves, Caramel, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Black Pepper.

Chewy and heavy. Not bad, but I had a hard time picking out many notes. There don't seem to be any surprisingly flourishes of flavor in this whisky, just a consistent, rich arrival.

Taste Water:
Gunpowder, Earthy Sherry, Fatty Steak (seriously!), Sweet Raisins, Golden Dates, Honeyed Tea (weak tea), Cinnamon, Coriander, Cloves, Toasted Oak/Woody Vanilla.

Ah, much better than neat. Quite even handed and smooth, though no longer so simple. Lots of spicy flavors, but these are somehow bounded within the smooth confines of sherry and oak.

Finish:
Meaty Sherry (some gunpowder, earthy), Kilned Malt, Oily Tar, Sweet Smoke (distantly), Clove Oil/Black Pepper.

Satisfying finish that is substantial and sticks around for medium duration.

Conclusion:
Rich yet balanced nose.

Moderated and smooth palate, but with a lot going on.

Satisfying finish.

Rating: 86/100

Macallan 18 is a really nice whisky all around (just add a few drops of water to get the party started) and certainly will impress people who haven't really drank much nice whisky. It's heavily sherried, but is not overdone and retains its identity as a malt whisky, meaning purists like myself are happy too. My only problem with this is the high price (my ratings don't take price into consideration, as much as I can help it). Frankly, I'd pay maybe half of what is typically asked of a bottle of this. The price is too marked up. It's not that much better than say, the recently reviewed Glenfiddich 18, which is far less than half the price in the US.

Josh