Macallan Vertical (Finally)

We've been wanting to do our Macallan vertical for quite a while now but haven't been able to find the suitable occasion to do so. The opportunity presented itself when one of our good friends, GC, decided to pack up and leave for London to do an MBA. When asked to come over for the Macallan vertical, his reaction was a very subtle 'Why not?' Macallan is very well marketed as a premium whisky in Asia so let's see if it lives up to the hype. Tonight, we are attempting to be a bit ambitious and sampled 4 whiskies: Macallan's 1851 Inspiration, Fine Oak 18 Year, 25 Year and 30 Year.

The Review

Taste Profile

The Scoring

We were uninspired

Macallan's 1851 Inspiration: A very disappointing watered down Macallan. Absolutely not worth drinking at all. Stay away if you can!

Macallan's Fine Oak 18 Year: Sharp vanilla flavour and sherry on the nose. Apricot notes and hint of peat round up this fine whisky. A delightful whisky for any occasion. Worthy for rich yuppies and towkays (slang for boss in Chinese). Word of caution: Do not mix with Coke. I've seen it done before and it was painful to watch.

Macallan's Fine Oak 25 Year: Vanilla, pear, oak and a hint of peat. A wonderfully complex whisky that brought a tear to our eyes. Sensational in every aspect. A must for every collector!

Macallan's Fine Oak 30 Year: Strong flavours of bitter chocolate and leather. You can chew on the wood for ages. This whisky has a mature taste and a long, constant finish.

Verdict: The 1851 Inspiration was uninspiring to say the least. Nuff said. However, we feel that the Macallan Fine Oak series is an excellent range and an interesting change from the regular 'sherried' Macallans. I bet there are a few Macallan aficianados out there who would be willing to challenge me on this. Here is an article that I found that explains the Fine Oak Series more in detail. Enjoy!

The Macallan Fine Oak - How Fine Is It?