This month we have a little bit of a carry-over from our previous gathering’s Sherry theme with our star whisky, but the main theme is “95”. That is, the rating of 95 from Jim Murray’s 2008 Whisky Bible.  All three of our tasting candidates scored at this rarified level, as nearly perfect single malts.  Our three this month are The Macallan 18-year old, 40%ABV, Glenffidich 15-year old, 43%ABV and The Macallan Fine Oak 15-year old, 40%ABV.

The name Macallan is most likely derived from two Gaelic words, ‘MAGH’ meaning a fertile piece of ground and ‘ELLAN’, meaning ‘of St Fillan’, an Irish-born monk who traveled widely in Scotland spreading Christianity during the eighth century.

In 1824, Alexander Reid, a local farmer, acquired a license to distill whisky legally at Easter Elchies and The Macallan was born. Almost 70 years after the distillery was first established (it was originally called Elchies Distillery), Roderick Kemp bought The Macallan. In the years following 1892, he set about establishing the Macallan’s reputation for outstanding quality across a wider market. As a result, throughout the first half of the twentieth century, The Macallan witnessed increasing sales and a major expansion of the distillery took place between 1951 and 1963.

As of 1999, The Macallan is owned by Edrington and William Grant and sons, (Glenfiddich and Balvenie owners) with 70% held by Edrington, 30% by the Grants and in a separate company, Suntory owns 25%.

In 2004, because of the scarcity of good quality Sherry casks, and increased demand, The Macallan Fine Oak series was launched.  This allowed more whisky to be marketed even though Sherry consumption is/was dwindling. Fortunately the Bourbon industry is growing, which is the primary source of barrels for the Fine Oak series. The Sherry casks that are used in making The Macallan are both European Oak and American Oak, which are filled in Jerez, Spain with aged Sherries for up to two years, emptied and shipped to Scotland.  Some “virgin” European Oak casks are also used.

The Macallan Sherry Oak line consists of: a 10-Year Old, Cask Strength 10-Year Old, Cask Strength (unspecified age), 12-Year Old, Elegancia 12-Year Old (aged in both Bourbon and Sherry casks), 18-Year Old, 25-Year Old and a 30 -Year Old.

The Fine Oak series consists of: an 8-, 10-, 12-, 15-, 17-, 18-, 21-, 25-, and 30-Year Old.

The Macallan Fine oak is triple cask matured in a combination of exceptional oak casks; European oak seasoned with Sherry, American oak seasoned with Sherry and American oak seasoned with Bourbon.

The Macallan line is not colored but is chill-filtered and is bottled at the lowest legal limit, 40%ABV.

The creaminess of Macallan is in part due to their short fat stills.

AWARDS

The Macallan Sherry Oak Series

Best Malt in the World

The Macallan 18 years old, Whisky Magazine, June 2004

Gold Medal

The Macallan 18, 25 and 30 years old, International spirits challenge, March 2004

Best New Duty Free Product 2004

The Macallan Elegancia 12 years old, Duty Free News International

Best Whisky, with a perfect score of 100/100

The Macallan 25 years old, The Beverage Tasting Institute of Chicago, October 1999

The Macallan Fine Oak Series

Best New Scotch Brand

The Macallan Fine Oak range, Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, 2005

Best Whisk(e)y of 2004

The Macallan Fine Oak 15 years old, Paul Pacult, Spirit Journal, 2004

Drinks International 2004

The Macallan Fine Oak range was the only single malt to feature in the ‘DI Dozen’ – the top 12 liquor brands of 2004 as selected by the editor of Drinks International.

Best New Product 2004

The Macallan Fine Oak range, Duty Free News International, 2004

Top score – with 94 out of 100

The Macallan Fine Oak 17 years old, Malt Advocate, Buyer’s Guide Section

REVIEWS

As mentioned above Murray rates both the 15-year old Fine Oak and the 18-Year Old Sherry Oak a 95.

Describing the 18-year old he writes of the nose, saying, “compelling, crystal clear sherry notes with not a single blemish; massive fruitcake character fortified by a dry olorosso theme”. For the palate he says, “there are several layers working in tandem here: there is the dry olorosso forming the backbone, there is sweeter malt flirting butterfly-like around the palate, and lighter, fresher, grapey notes lighten the entire load. The whole almost overloads the taste buds and senses”.

Serge of the Malt Maniacs rates the 18-Year Old at an 85. He writes, “Here’s a grand classique, and many say the 18 yo is back on the tracks after a few ‘middle of the road’ vintages. The color is amber. The nose is quite sherried, but not overly so. Bitter orange, chocolate, vanilla, a little spicy. Good, but not thrilling. The palate isn’t as bold as most of the older vintages’ It’s astonishingly fresh, which is good news, but it lacks some oomph. Olorosso sherry, a little wood, vanilla, spices, chocolate, raisins. Sort of restrained. The finish is of medium length”.

Writing about the Fine Oak 15, of the nose Serge pens, “Over-ripe bananas on toast with freshly-picked spring grass as a side dish and plenty of floral notes to round it off: a sublime and probably unique official Macallan aroma!”  The palate he describes thusly, “The malt, complete with distant peat, simply dissolves in the mouth; beautifully weighted with the distinctive Macallan brown-sugar sweetness hitting the red zone for a while before it is pulled back by drier vanilla”.

Classic Sherry aged Macallan would fall into Cluster A of David Wishart’s Classifications (Full-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, Pronounced Sherry with Fruity, Spicy, Malty Notes and Nutty, Smoky Hints): Balmenach, Dailuaine, Dalmore, Glendronach, Macallan, Mortlach, Royal Lochnagar

                                                                       

Our third whisky is the Glenfiddich 15-year old (or as I saw it spelled on a menu in St. James, Missouri, ‘Glenfidick’, which is the way it is pronounced). Glenfiddich has recently undergone a repackaging which has altered their offerings and their bottles. Their range is now Special Reserve12-, Caoran (literally ‘peat ember’) Reserve 12-, Toasted Oak 12-, Solera Reserve 15-, Ancient Reserve 18-, 21-, 30-, 40-, and 50-year old. 

Glenfiddich has the distinction of being the first single malt marketed in the UK and the rest of the world, in 1963. The William Grant family continues its ownership of Glenfiddich and Balvenie, having established the Glenfiddich distillery in 1886. Balvenie was established in 1892.  Set in the heart of the Highlands, Glenfiddich means ‘Valley of the Deer’ in Gaelic. This Scotch has the honor of being the best selling single malt in the world. With 27 stills, they have the largest capacity to distill Scotch in Scotland.

A unique feature in the aging and bottling process is marrying of different batches of whisky in a Tun, a large oak barrel, which holds approximately 30 casks of whisky.

As no two distillations ever taste exactly the same, before bottling Glenfiddich performs one further practice not used by many distilleries today: marrying. To maintain a consistent quality of flavor, aroma and palate, the distillery combines or “marries” various casks, post-maturation, in a marrying tun.

Glenfiddich is the only single malt, which is still made using these oak Marrying Tuns. Their whiskies are married for up to nine months so that the different elements become unified into the special and distinctive taste of Glenfiddich. It is a dying art in the whisky world but the maker’s of Glenfiddich believe the time spent marrying is important because it ensures all the flavors of the whisky are in harmony and make the product even more unique.

RECENT AWARDS

GLENFIDDICH 12 YEAR OLD

    * 2007 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) Gold

    * 2005 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) Gold

GLENFIDDICH 15 YEAR OLD

    * 2007 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Best In Class Gold

GLENFIDDICH 18 YEAR OLD

    * 2006 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Trophy & Best in Class Gold

GLENFIDDICH 21 YEAR OLD

    * 2006 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Gold

GLENFIDDICH 30 YEAR OLD

    * 2007 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Best in Class Gold

GLENFIDDICH 40 YEAR OLD

•2007 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Best in Class Gold

    •2003 Voted best malt whisky in the world - Whisky Magazine: Best of the Best

REVIEW

Glenfiddich 15, a 95, by Jim Murray’s estimation, is described as,

“ Beautifully sculpted nose: barley is firm, the oak bourbony, the sweetness controlled”.

Describing the palate he says, “as intense as the nose suggests, again with compartmentalization.  Early spices flit about while the malt is in concentrate form. Again the sweetness is allowed to progress only so far”.

Glenfiddich would fall into Cluster G of David Wishart’s Classifications (Medium-Bodied, Sweet, Low Peat and Floral Notes): Arran, Dufftown, Glenfiddich, Glen Spey, Miltonduff, and Speyburn

“They say some of my stars drink whiskey. But I have found that the ones who drink milkshakes don’t win many ball games.” - Casey Stengel, Baseball Coach

Glenfiddich 15-year old (40%ABV)

The Macallan Fine Oak 15-year old (40% ABV)

The Macallan 18-year old (40% ABV)