I got points! Two days in a row!

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Heavy on the nose, with some leathery sherry and heavy spirit. Quite earthy, with baked fruits (blackberries, plums). With a big inhale there’s a bit of a minty note. Black cherries. Quite nice.

Sip:
Surprisingly sharp on the palate, with some definit peppery bite. Lots of black pepper and chili peppers. Some fruity sweetness to boot, and an oaky backdrop. Somehow I get a bit of a caffe latte flavor too.

Swallow:
Smooth and creamy finish, with fruit syrup. Quite warming and pretty long.

I didn’t guess the distillery since I don’t find this a typical Macallan. Especially the peppery palate was surprising for the brand. I also didn’t guess the age or ABV right. The ABV because of the palate, which I found rather sharp, and the age because I thought there were less wood notes than I’d expect from 18 years old.

Still, a pretty tasty dram! And 20 points for getting the region right!

87/100

Macallan 18, 1998-2016, 43%, G&M Speymalt.