Name: The Macallan 18 – Sherry Oak Cask (2023 release)
Color: Dark Brown
Nose: Malt, light oak, sherry, fruit, vanilla-caramel
Taste: Malt, oak, fruit-raisins, spice, cream finish
The Macallan Distillery is in Craigellachie, Moray which is the Speyside region of Scotland. It was founded in 1824 and has numerous expressions and ages available to purchase with ages starting at 8 years and up to 72 years. The price ranges are from $65 to $500,000. The Macallan is one of those “gold standards” in scotch that people either know or have heard of because of product placement in television, movies, and seeing it on the shelf.
The Macallan 18 – Sherry Oak Cask (2023) is aged “seasoned oak casks from Jerez Spain” and is then bottled at 43% abv. The label states it is natural colored, but no mention of non-chilled filtering. From my research I learned that the sherry casks were “seasoned” which can mean that the cask had sherry added to them to give them the sherry flavor. They might have not used actual sherry casks from Jerez. I am not able to confirm this from my research.
I would say, but cannot compare to the 2022 release that I reviewed last year, that the 2023 is slightly smoother, but little lower in quality. There is just something missing in the taste profile, but is still very good. I should have saved a dram of the 2022 to compare in 2023. I will be purchasing The Macallan 12 Sherry Cask finish and comparing them side by side.
This expression is a true sipping whisky to be enjoyed for special occasions like celebrating a 30-year friendship. My friend Sam was visiting, and we went right to work enjoying this expression.
Priced around $400 per bottle and worth it if it works with your budgets.
If you like it, drink it! – Chris
If you like it, drink it!
