Yet another random sample I grabbed from my shelf before I went on holiday last week. On the label there was only the vintage and the ABV, so at least I knew I didn’t want to start with this one.

What I didn’t know was that it was ‘only’ 12 years old, which is not a bad thing to be oblivious about. It saves from some preconceptions you might get about older Macallan.

So, at 12 years old, from a sherry cask, you can go either way. Although, with older vintages, you’re generally in the good era for Macallan single casks. Not the epic or brand-settling era, but the good era.

Image from WhiskyBase

Sniff:
Big sherry, with some pickled walnuts. Strangely, not uncommon with older Macallan. Big on the Oloroso, candied orange, creamy with citrus bavarois.

Sip:
Strong and sharp, as the ABV promises. Bread, oak, alcohol with lots of fruity sherry. Lots of sweet orange and candied pomelo.

Swallow:
Lots of epic sherry, with fruit and European oak. A long and fruity finish.

Based on assumption, i.e. the fact that it was in my collection, and not since 2003, I guesstimated this to be 20-something years old. The complexity and big flavors made me go for that guess too. However, this is only 12 years old. The ABV should have sent me there, but it’s not the first time an older whisky has the spirit of a younger one.

In short, this whisky is more or less everything you want a Macallan from 1990-ish to be. Big sherry, bit flavors, absolutely gorgeous stuff.

91/100

Macallan 1990-2003, 12 years old, Sherry cask 8747, 57.6%