People will buy pretty much whatever The Macallan releases. The minute the new The Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland went on sale, a frenzy ensued. Whenever a webshop put it up for sale it was never available for long. And unless you’re willing to pay a fair amount above the original retail price, you’re probably shit out of luck finding a bottle. Thankfully, someone opened their bottle and was kind enough to share a sample, so that I can now review The Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland.
But what is it about The Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland that makes it such a popular release? I can’t imagine people who bought it had very high hopes in securing themselves an above average, let alone high-quality whisky. And yet many folk on Whiskybase seem surprised at what The Macallan A Night on Earth in Scotland actually is: a pedestrian single malt with elaborate packaging.
This may come across like I’m unnecessarily bashing The Macallan here, but that’s not my intention. It’s just that anyone who has shown even a little bit of interest in Scotch single malt in recent years has to know that The Macallan is not where you turn to if you’re looking to get value for your money. Unless you’re flipping or investing, which is probably the main cause for the frenzy surrounding this release.
Anyway, what actually is the story behind The Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland? Well, it is a whisky “that provides an exceptional unboxing experience.” If that’s not something you’re interested in (and why should you be), then it might be good to know this Scotch single malt matured in sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, along with American ex-bourbon barrels.
The whisky was created by Sarah Burgess, Lead Whisky Maker of The Macallan. She drew on family memories of Hogmanay for this release. That makes The Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland a quintessential Scottish product (whisky) about a classic Scottish tradition (Hogmanay).
It might just be a nice whisky to enjoy with friends (hopefully) on New Year’s Eve. The Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland is an uncomplicated, decent enough dram and if you have friends that don’t regularly drink whisky, you’ll be sure to impress them with the elaborate packaging, if that’s what you’re after.
Seeing as you’re a reader of this blog, I suspect that’s probably not what you’re looking for in a whisky. And neither am I. It’d be great if The Macallan surprises with A Night On Earth In Scotland. But by asking £75 for a NAS whisky bottled at the lowest possible strength, they’re not off to a good start. Let’s keep an open mind though.
Macallan A Night On Earth In Scotland (40%, OB, 2021)
Nose: A touch of pickled oranges, vanilla and shortbread, as well as a whiff of mirabelles. Some cereal notes too, like dried husks and cornflakes, but also a sliver of copper.
Taste: Fairly creamy with plenty of vanilla, some burnt toast, black pepper and a whiff of ginger, as well as cinnamon and dates.
Finish: A touch of oranges and white pepper with finally some quince jelly.
Overall I’ve loved your content for years, so please understand I’m only trying to share constructive criticism…the pop-ups (on EVERY page…not just one) to enter your email, and the words over the main image of the review at hand…it’s very hard to read a review. I hope the search engine optimization and all that is working for you…but I find myself visiting less and less. It saddens me.
Hi Troy, Glad to hear you’ve been a longtime reader, but of course I would like for you to be able to keep enjoying my content. I tried to email you, but I get a delivery error. I had a few questions for you and email seemed a better way than the comment section. For now I will say that you shouldn’t be getting popups as often as you’re mentioning. I’ll have a look at it.