A 7 year old Macallan I tried some years ago in Ghent, when my wife took me there as my birthday present. When in Ghent, as a whisky lover, you have to visit Bob Minnekeer’s Glengarry pub and since I was rather overwhelmed with their selection I asked the staff for some recommendations.

Not sure why, but we were on a budget then so we didn’t get to try the Black Bowmore (1cl for € 50) or any whisky of that level. I did take it up to taste the old 30 year old Ardbeg, which was awesome. Also, this little baby.

Giovinetti & Figli is an importer in Italy that is apparently a bit name in whisky over there. I’ve seen their name popping up on several official bottlings, so they tend to do some cask selection as well. Good for them, and if this whisky becomes available to us, good for us too.

I picked up my bottle in Sint Oedenrode, at The Old Pipe. Huge was my surprise to find it after just tasting it in Ghent. Bigger was my surprise to find the bottle only costed € 35 back then. Of course, those times have gone and you have to get out € 100 extra now.

Macallan 7yo. Image from Passie voor Whisky

Sniff:
Lots of raisins from the rather active sherry cask. Some malt, oak and a hint of dried plums. Sweet, but also a little bit spirity (it’s only 7 years old, after all). It does get a bit more spicy after half an hour or so. Cinnamon, and fruit.

Sip:
Here, it’s more spirity than on the nose. Juniper berries and slightly genever-like. Malt, copper, peach, raisins and barley. The spirity flavour is a good one in this case.

Swallow:
The finish is spicy at first, with the spirit shining through again. Also a tad dry. It does become sweeter with raisins and peach again.

Of course, this being a really young one, isn’t the best whisky you’ll ever have had. On the other hand, for a 7 year old it’s a really tasty dram. I’m glad I ran in to it when I did!

Macallan 7, released in 2004, 40%, OB for Giovinetti & Figli Import, € 130 at Passie voor Whisky