Malt Mission 2008 #233

Macallan Fine Oak 10yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
£24
$59.45(CAD)
$40(USD)

Sorry for late post. Was in New York... for a night. Yes. Crazy, but whatever. It was fun. And necessary.

Naturally, I spent some of my free daytime hours cruising into a few liquor and book stores to see what they carried, prices, etc. In a book store there were several signed first editions of Kurt Vonnegut and Phillip Roth short stories as well as a first edition of MJ's Companion. Fascinating how THIN it was... how the whisky world has changed in less than 20 years! The liquor stores were a treat, too. I was totally blown away by how much the price could vary from one place to the next and by just how cheap some bottles were. It was amazing to see such large selections of quality bourbons and a great spread of incredible malts from the dirt cheap to the filthy expensive. I was then kicked firmly in the nuts when, having decided to hold off on any purchases until duty free, I saw the paltry display at DFA. I was shocked and amazed at how shit the selection was and how extortionate some of the pricing! A bottle of bourbon that I had seen earlier in the day for $24 was $38 at duty free!!! Litre or not, that is booooolsheeeeet. When street prices beat duty free prices you know you are in a wonderful country. America, putting the 'free' in 'freedom' and the 'doodie' in 'Duty Free'.

Today's whisky is from a line of Macallans that are not exclusively matured in ex-sherry casks like the 'standard' line. Launched in 2004, the Fine Oak range from Macallan is already #11 in top-selling single malts worldwide and has helped push Macallan into 6th position overall. Ken Grier at the Edrington Group says, "This has been the most successful new single malt launch from a major brand, ever." With 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 21, 25 and 30 year old expressions, the happy customers are spoiled for choice. Proof that when the restaurant is a success, it sometimes pays off to extend the menu.

For all Macallans had on the mission and more distillery information click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Cake mix, vanilla, wheat-y, flour-y, gristy. Apricots, jam, butter and crumpets. Boller. Although I am hungry and craving some of the aromas I am picking up, I am convinced these tasty treats are not just imagined. Thus, my next descriptor is "appetizing." Burnt sugar, hazelnut, permanent marker.

Sweet but waxy, like kissing a woman (man?) wearing lipstick. Sweet bread, challah, brioche, rhubarb yogurt. Getting drier and more bitter, like sucking a wooden spoon. Waxiness remains.

SUMMARY:

I suppose unlike more sherried Macallans, this expression cannot hit the youth of the spirit. The gristy, almost yeasty impression indicated that on the nose and the type of sweet/bitter mixture in the mouth showed that a few more years would add unity and complexity to a pleasantly sweet, fruity, malty spirit. Good and clean whisky though with a nice youthful fruitiness. Reminds me a bit of An Cnoc, which I have not officially tasted for Dr. Whisky but has passed my lips on more than one occasion. This is a positive comparision for both whiskies, I think.

Malt Mission #231
Malt Mission #232
Malt Mission #234
Malt Mission #235

Malt Mission HOME