Dram of the Month               

April, 2008

Macallan 18 year old

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Alright everyone, enough with crazy wood finishes, ridiculous names, and whiskies that you need a college degree to make sense of. This month is about good, old-fashioned, honest-to-goodness Scotch. And what could be more “honest” in a Scotch glass than Macallan? As one of the first Scotch whisky distilleries, Macallan has a reputation for integrity and consistency in all their drams. And while their bottlings are too numerous to count, they all seem to focus on the theme of just good, unadorned whisky – letting the whisky do the talking.

More complex than the 12-year-old, with a nose that explodes onto the senses: mild, sweet, with peach pits, heather honey, wet, tanned leather, vanilla, orange peel, and just the faintest hint of peat(?), this nose just sets-up the whole dram. A chewy, full-bodied mouthfeel precedes a taste/finish of toasted oak, more vanilla, sherry, and light spices. A little short, but this expression is exceptionally well-balanced.

Cheers,
Brett