Best Macallan Whisky

Last Updated on: 22nd April 2024, 04:38 pm

Written by: J Highland

Discover Macallan’s premium single malts with insights from whisky expert Neil Coleman, showcasing their unique flavors, aging processes, and Sherry Oak cask influence.

Choosing the Best Macallan Whiskey

For the New Macallan Explorer:

• Macallan 12 Sherry Oak: Easy-drinking and approachable with a touch of sweetness thanks to sherry cask influence.

For the Value-Conscious:

• Macallan Double Cask 12: A balanced introduction to sherry-matured Scotch at a more affordable price point.

For the Sherry Lover:

• Macallan Sherry Oak 18: Considered the pinnacle of sherried whiskies, offering a rich and complex experience with dark fruit, chocolate, and spice notes.

For Those Who Like it Rich & Smooth:

• Macallan 15 Double Cask: More complex and balanced than the 12 Double Cask, with a rich and smooth taste profile featuring caramel, dark chocolate, and oak.

For the Adventurous:

• Macallan Edition No. 3: A unique Speyside dram that leans away from typical Macallan sherry and fruit notes, featuring oak, licorice, ginger, and dark chocolate.

For the Spice Enthusiast:

• Macallan Estate: A complex dram with ginger spice as a defining characteristic, offering notes of citrus, caramel, and oak.

For Those Who Want a Powerful Dram:

• Macallan Classic Cut 2022: Exceptionally rich and flavorful with a high proof, offering a mix of ginger spice, orange, vanilla, and oak.

For Those Who Like Their Macallan Fruity:

• Macallan 15 Triple Cask: Bursts with fruit on the nose and offers a smooth and spiced taste with ginger, honey, vanilla, and chocolate.

Looking for Something Different?

• Macallan Edition No. 5 (Rich & Spicy): A higher-proof option with a richer and more complex flavor profile compared to the core Macallan range.

The Ultimate Luxury:

• Macallan Rare Cask: An exceptional Macallan showcasing complex flavors despite lacking an age statement. Features intense chocolate notes and is a favorite among Macallan enthusiasts.

Quick Note: Running a pub and liquor store provides me ample access to various spirits, in addition, I moonlight as a spirits distiller. I assess them using customer feedback, expert opinions and online research.

The Macallan 10: A Promising Nose

• Nose: Vanilla, honey, date, plum, oak
• Palate: Apple, vanilla, caramel, honey, oak
• Finish: Oak, baking spice
• Alcohol content: 80 proof (40% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

The Macallan 10 intrigues with a nose of vanilla, honey, and dried fruit, hinting at richness. Light-bodied and simple, it offers generic notes of apple, vanilla, and oak with a short finish.

A tad warmer than the typical Macallan aiming at those who enjoy a bit of a bite on their sip, states whiskey expert Neil Coleman.

Macallan Edition No. 6: Speyside Scotch with Rich Aromas

• Nose: Chocolate, orange, baking spice, honey
• Palate: Caramel, vanilla, dried fruit
• Finish: Chocolate, caramel, oak
• Alcohol content: 97.2 proof (48.6% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Macallan Edition No. 6 offers a rich nose of chocolate, orange, and spice. The taste features caramel, vanilla, and dried fruit with a smooth oak finish. Crafted with American & European sherry casks, but lacks an age statement.

This final edition in the series might leave some wanting more flavor complexity for the price.

Macallan Edition No. 4: Sherry Richness

• Nose: Sherry, dates, prunes, citrus, honey
• Palate: Sherry, oak citrus, oak spice, chocolate
• Finish: Oak spice, chocolate, sherry
• Alcohol content: 96.8 proof (48.4% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Macallan Edition No. 4 offers a sherry lover’s dream nose with dates, prunes, and orange. The taste follows suit, with sherry and oak alongside hints of chocolate, spice, and citrus. The finish is warming with lingering sherry, oak, and chocolate notes.

While well-balanced, some may find it similar to the popular Macallan 12 Sherry Oak Cask, especially considering the Edition No. 4 lacks a unique character and carries a higher price tag.

Macallan Double Cask 12: Sherry & Oak Harmony

• Nose: Sherry, dried fruit, mixed nuts
• Palate: Baking spice, oak, chocolate
• Finish: Oak, dried fruit, oak spice
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Sweet sherry, dried fruit, and oak greet your nose with the Macallan Double Cask 12. The taste is rich with oak, hints of chocolate and citrus, and a warming finish of dried fruit and spice. Oak plays a prominent role, offering depth but potentially overwhelming some.

Enjoy neat or on the rocks, but skip the mixers due to the price. This balanced intro to sherry-matured Scotch might be perfect for those new to the style.

Macallan Sherry Oak 12: Smooth Sherry Delight

• Nose: Vanilla, dried fruit, oak
• Palate: Vanilla, dried fruit, oak, prune
• Finish: Oak, sherry
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 offers a smooth and inviting nose of vanilla, dried fruit, and a touch of oak. The creamy texture delivers a pleasant warmth with flavors of vanilla, dried fruit, prune, and gentle oak. The finish lingers with a balanced sherry note, leaving a lasting impression.

This easy-sipping Speyside malt is perfect for those who enjoy a touch of sweetness in their whiskey.

Macallan 15 Double Cask: Rich & Balanced Speyside

• Nose: Cinnamon, apple, raisins, oak
• Palate: Oak, caramel, dark chocolate, hazelnut
• Finish: Tobacco, chocolate, cinnamon.
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Neat

Macallan 15 Double Cask offers a nose of baking spice, fruit, and oak. The taste is smooth and rich with caramel, dark chocolate, and toasted oak, leaving a lingering chocolate aftertaste. Water enhances caramel and oak notes.

Compared to the 12 Double Cask, it boasts a more complex and balanced profile with less oak. Enjoy this Speyside single malt for its smoothness and satisfying taste.

Macallan 15 Triple Cask: Fruity & Gently Spiced

• Nose: Fruit, honey, caramel, oak
• Palate: Ginger, honey, vanilla, chocolate, fruit
• Finish: Medium, caramel, ginger, oak
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Neat

The Macallan 15 Triple Cask bursts with fruit on the nose, offering berries, apricot, and plum alongside caramel and honey. The taste is smooth and spiced, featuring ginger, honey, vanilla, and dark chocolate, all balanced with a touch of oak. The finish is warm with lingering ginger spice and oak. While enjoyable, some might find better value for the price.

This Speyside malt is a good option for those seeking a gentle dram with a touch of heat.

Macallan Edition No. 3: Unique Speyside Dram

• Nose: Vanilla, orange, chocolate
• Palate: Oak, licorice, ginger, chocolate
• Finish: Oak, vanilla, chocolate
• Alcohol content: 96.6 proof (48.3% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

The Edition No. 3 offers a delightful nose of vanilla, orange, chocolate, and subtle oak. The taste is rich and smooth with oak, licorice, ginger, and dark chocolate. The finish is short but pleasant, featuring oak, vanilla, and chocolate.

Unlike typical Macallan expressions, this one leans away from sherry and fruit notes. This complex and smooth Speyside dram boasts a high proof, making it a worthy cabinet addition for those seeking a unique Macallan experience.

Macallan Edition No. 5: Rich & Spicy Speyside

• Nose: Honey, caramel, orange, apricot, oak
• Palate: Baking spice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, walnuts
• Finish: Long, oak, chocolate, orange
• Alcohol content: 97 proof (48.5% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Macallan Edition No. 5 offers a sweet nose of honey, caramel, orange, and a hint of oak. The taste is full-bodied with a spicy kick of cinnamon and nutmeg, followed by vanilla, chocolate, and walnut. The finish is warm with lingering oak, chocolate, and orange.

Compared to Macallan’s core range, this higher-proof option boasts a richer and more complex flavor profile. While pricier, some find it a worthwhile addition to their collection for its unique character.

Macallan Classic Cut 2022: Rich & Powerful

• Nose: Vanilla, citrus, honey, dried fruit
• Palate: Ginger, orange, vanilla, honey, oak
• Finish: Oak, vanilla, baking spice, oak
• Alcohol content: 105 proof (52.5% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Macallan Classic Cut 2022 entices with a warming nose of vanilla, orange, honey, and dried fruit. The full-bodied taste offers a delightful mix of ginger spice, orange, vanilla, and oak, all balanced with a smooth, lingering warmth. Despite its high proof, it delivers a rich and flavorful experience. Water can tame the heat for some, but others may appreciate its full intensity.

This exceptional dram sets a high bar for future single malts.

Macallan Estate: Ginger Spice

• Nose: Ginger, caramel, lemon, cinnamon, oak
• Palate: Lemon, ginger, caramel, figs, plums, oak spice
• Finish: Long, orange, ginger, oak
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Macallan Estate offers a complex nose of ginger spice, caramel, citrus, and oak. The taste is lighter-bodied but packed with ginger, oak, citrus, and hints of fruit. The finish lingers with ginger, orange, and oak. Ginger is a defining characteristic, potentially overpowering for some.

Despite a slightly thin body, this whisky boasts a complex flavor profile that evolves with each sip.

Macallan Double Cask 18: Sherry & Oak Harmony

• Nose: Dried fruit, nuts, orange, ginger
• Palate: Sherry, honey, vanilla, oak
• Finish: Medium, oak, sherry
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Neat

Macallan Double Cask 18 entices with a nose of dried fruit, nuts, orange, and ginger. The smooth palate offers rich sherry and honey flavors with vanilla and oak. The finish is warm with lingering oak and sherry notes.

This complex yet easy-sipping malt boasts a creamy body, making it a great choice for Macallan fans who enjoy a touch of sherry sweetness. Enjoy it neat to fully appreciate its smooth and satisfying character.

Macallan Sherry Oak 18: The Undisputed Sherry King

• Nose: Dates, raisins, oak, cinnamon, clove
• Palate: Oak, baking spice, dark chocolate, raisin
• Finish: Long, tobacco, chocolate, dried fruit
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Neat

Macallan Sherry Oak 18 boasts a nose of dried fruit with hints of cinnamon and spice. The rich and oily palate features oak, dark chocolate, and raisin flavors with a long, warming finish of tobacco, chocolate, and dark fruit.

Enjoyed neat, this complex and full-bodied Speyside malt is considered by many the pinnacle of sherried whiskies, despite its premium price tag.

Macallan Rare Cask: Luxurious Sherry Scotch

• Nose: Oak, vanilla, raisins, citrus
• Palate: Sherry, citrus, dried fruit, chocolate
• Finish: Long, chocolate, ripe fruit
• Alcohol content: 86 proof (43% ABV)
• How to drink: Neat

Macallan Rare Cask offers a nose of toasted oak, vanilla, raisin, and orange. The rich and smooth palate bursts with sherry, orange, dried fruit, and dark chocolate. The finish is long and warm with lingering chocolate, fruit, and oak.

This exceptional Macallan showcases complex flavors despite lacking an age statement. While pricier, its intense chocolate notes and high quality make it a favorite among Macallan enthusiasts, even for those who typically avoid sherried whiskies.

Pricing Guide

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whisky	Price
Rare Cask	$400
Sherry Oak 18	$400
Double Cask 18	$370
Estate	$260
Classic Cut 2022	$160
Edition No. 5	$160
Edition No. 3	$120
Triple Cask 15	$140
Double Cask 15	$170
Sherry Oak 12	$90
Double Cask 12	$80
Edition No. 6	$190
Fine Oak 10	$60

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Macallan Considered a Top Whisky?

• Yes, despite its higher prices and association with luxury, Macallan is highly regarded for producing excellent whisky, known for its quality ingredients and meticulous production process.

How Was the Best Macallan Whisky Chosen?

• Expert Reviews: Opinions from whisky critics were considered.
• Taste Testing: Personal experiences with each Macallan expression.
• Consumer Feedback: Insights from whisky enthusiasts and drinkers.

What Makes Macallan Unique?

• Barley and Casks: Macallan uses high-quality malted barley and invests in sourcing the best barrels.
• Production Process: The distillery uses small copper-pot stills and a high “cut” during distillation, leading to a fuller-bodied and richer whisky.
• Estate-Grown Barley: Part of Macallan’s barley is grown on its 370-acre estate.