Macallan 12 Years Old Double Cask (2018)

Macallan has a variety of ranges, of which the Double Cask – consisting of this 12yo and the Double Cask Gold – is one. You could see it as a diet version of the Sherry Oak range. Because although its whiskies are fully sherry matured and no ex-bourbon casks are used like in the Triple Cask Matured range, a higher proportion of American oak is used for the Double Cask.

Macallan 12 Years Old Double Cask (40%, OB, 2018)

Nose: Slightly metallic, hinting at a touch of sulphur, with hints of raisins, Gouda cheese, mocha and sandalwood. There’s a whiff of chalk too.
Taste: Fairly spicy (clove, pepper) with tannins and slightly underdeveloped, modern sherry notes. Decent, but I find it hard to believe this is actually 12 years old.
Finish: A tad bitter and dry, and pretty short.

Score: 75

A very modern, somewhat generic whisky that doesn’t do any favours to Macallan’s reputation.

Thijs Klaverstijn

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.