I personally think that one of
the many beauties of Scotch Whiskey is the amount of diversity this spirit has.
What I mean by that is that there is almost like a tree for it: two main types,
Single Malt and Blended. Then in those categories there are many styles like
Islay, Highland, Speyside and so on. Each one of these has their own distinct
style and taste, for instance Islay is more known for being smokier and has
more peat, while Speyside has more sweetish flavor. Another good region is
Highland, which has a more fruity and smooth taste. A good example I find for
an excellent Highland Single Malt is Macallan 12 year aged. Aged in Sherry oak
casks from Spain, I honestly think that this is a fine piece of what Highland Scotch
Whiskey is.
Nose
Once more, I am not a very good
judge on the aroma of many spirits. But with the Macallan, I found a lot of the
scents it advertised to be very present. Macallan claims that their Whiskey’s
aroma contains hints of vanilla, some ginger, fruit, sweet sherry and smoke.
The Scotch does contain a very sweet smell, a mixture of the sherry and
vanilla. It is a comfortable sweetness, and not too heavy in the nose. Of
course, I cannot find any of the ginger. There is a hint of smokiness to the nose,
and in combination with the sweetness it reminds me of tobacco. While that may
turn some off, I should note it is not a cheap tobacco smell, as with cigarettes.
Rather, it is a scent of fine pipe tobacco, something I find to reek of
quality, care, and a lot of comfort.
Taste
Being a 12 Year Single Malt, a
lot of times I have found that having a nice smoothness to it is nice, but not
always the case. But once more with the Macallan, it is surprising in its
smooth and comfortable flavor. Again, Macallan claim that the flavor contains a
rich note of dried fruit mixed with sherry sweetness. And once again, Macallan
delivers on this promise. What I found nice was that the notes of sherry and
dried fruit (both powerful and rich flavors by their own rights) were nicely
balanced. No one flavored dominated here, but both stood out on an equal
footing, creating a nice mixture.
Behind the flavors of fruit and
sherry is another thing Macallan advertised with its 12 Year: Smoke. Aged in
sherry casks, this flavor (in my opinion) was an unavoidable addition to the
Scotch. And like most Scotches, the smoke is a welcome thing. Unlike an Islay
Scotch, the smoke is not an overpowering flavor, rather a subtle background
note that adds to the overall experience. Smoke in Scotch is something I am
very used to, and enjoy very much, especially when I have to look for it,
because by searching for one flavor I enjoy the others more. Think of it as an
opposition that others are marked again, or rather a base control. When one
flavor is put against an opposite, it stands out more, and that is the case for
the smoke in the Macallan. The one note that I cannot find in the Macallan is
the spice that is supposedly matched with the smoke. Maybe it is because I am
looking too much for the smoke, or that it is too subtle a note against the
smoke. Either way, I think the Macallan works fine without it.
Finish
Being brief about the Macallan’s
finish, it is a fine and pleasant one. It leaves a sweet and
smooth aftertaste, retaining much of its dried fruit flavor. The smoke, already
a background flavor, diminishes even more, but with the fruit being so nice,
that is hardly a minus. Once more, the spice is non-existent, as well as the
other advertised flavor: sweet toffee. That aside, the finish is wonderful.
Conclusion
Macallan is a wonderful Highland Scotch
Whiskey. The best word I can think to describe it is comfortable, because so
many aspects of it are. Its aroma reminds me of a cozy, warm living room with a
wood fire sizzling in the corner. The taste, rich with dried fruit, is not an
unwelcome one, being sweet on a smoky backdrop. The finish does what all
finishes should do: make you just want to sit there for even longer and sip it.
This is an excellent Scotch, and for 12 Years old, its quality is something
brilliant. If you want to try a good quality Highland Scotch, look no further.
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