Macallan 18yo Fine Oak ‘Triple Cask Matured’
Triple cask matured? That basically means three types of casks were used for the Macallan 18yo Fine Oak. Which? Both European oak and American oak ex-sherry casks, as well as American oak ex-bourbon casks. From the taste of it, the latter make up the largest part of this vatting.
A Macallan with an age statement is a precious commodity, which is reflected in the retail price. You’d be hard-pressed to find it for less than 300 euro online.
Macallan 18yo (43%, OB, Fine Oak ‘Triple Cask Matured’)
Nose: Sweet and malty, along with honey, crème brûlée and traces of burlap and old books. Some fruitier notes also, with stewed pears and cherries. Pleasantly balanced. Warm and comforting.
Taste: Bitter oranges and charred oak. Pretty woody and fairly peppery, especially at such a low alcohol percentage. Now sweeter notes of raisins and vanilla. A step down from the nose.
Finish: A fairly fruity finish, with some raisins, but also lots of oak.
Rating: 83
What started pretty promising, turned into a bit of a letdown. By no means necessary is this a bad whisky, but the balanced nose is followed by an out of balance palate. Too much oak. Not worth the price of admission.
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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