The Macallan
The Speyside malt that became famous for sherry casks. Everything about the difference between Double Cask and Sherry Oak, the ages, the taste and the glass in which to taste it.
A Speyside malt that owes everything to its casks
The Macallan is a single malt whisky from Craigellachie in Speyside, the heart of Scotland's whisky region. The distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid and was one of the first to receive an official licence. It is known for its strikingly small, curved stills, which produce a rich, oily spirit.
The secret lies in the wood. Macallan has its casks filled with sherry in Jerez, Spain, first, so that the whisky becomes full of dried fruit, orange, spices and chocolate. Sherry Oak matures exclusively in European oak, while Double Cask combines European and American oak. In 2018, the brand opened a spectacular new distillery hidden beneath a sweeping grass roof.
In brief
What types of The Macallan are there?
Two ranges define the selection: Sherry Oak (European oak only) and Double Cask (European and American oak). Above these are Rare Cask and the limited editions.
Double Cask 12 Years
The entry-level bottle and the best-selling Macallan. Soft and sweet: vanilla, honey, orange and a hint of sherry.
Sherry Oak 12 Years
European oak from Jerez only. Fuller and darker than Double Cask: dried fruit, ginger and chocolate.
Double Cask 15 Years
Three extra years of maturation and slightly more strength. Richer and spicier, with caramel and dried fruit.
Double Cask 18 Years
Eighteen years in sherry casks: deep, rounded and long, with burnt orange, plum and spices.
Sherry Oak 18 Years
The house's icon and one of the most sought-after whiskies in the world. Rich in sherry, dried fruit and oak.
Rare Cask
Blend of rare sherry casks, selected for flavor rather than age. Intense and complex, in a luxury box.
Start with Double Cask 12: the smoothest introduction to the Macallan style.
Rich, rounded and full of sherry
Dried fruit & orange
Raisins, figs and orange peel, with vanilla and honey from the American oak in the Double Cask.
Full and sweet-spicy
Soft and syrupy, with toffee, ginger, cinnamon and dark chocolate. Barely any smoke: Macallan is a sherry malt, not a peated whisky.
Long and warm
The spices and oak linger for a long time. The older the bottle, the longer and drier the finish.
The Macallan Double Cask 12 flavor profile. Sherry Oak is darker and drier, while the 18 Years are deeper and longer.
How to drink The Macallan
A whisky of this caliber should be drunk neat, from a glass that concentrates the aromas. Ice is fine with the 12 Year Old; with the older bottles, it's a shame.
Neat
Pour 30 ml into a tulip-shaped tasting glass, let it stand for a few minutes and smell with your mouth open. Take small sips and let the whisky roll over your tongue.
Glass: tasting glass →With a drop of water
A few drops of room-temperature water open up the whisky: the fruit and spices come forward and the alcohol becomes softer. Especially with the 43% bottles.
Glass: tasting glass →On the rocks
Double Cask 12 over one large ice cube in a heavy tumbler. The ice makes it sweeter and fresher, but also dulls the aroma; save the 15 and 18 Years for drinking neat.
Glass: tumbler →Cocktails with The Macallan
Macallan is meant to be enjoyed neat, but Double Cask 12 comes surprisingly into its own in a classic stirred cocktail.
Old Fashioned
Whisky, a sugar cube, bitters and an orange zest over a large ice cube. Rich and fruity with Double Cask 12.
Godfather
Whisky and amaretto over ice, 2 to 1. Two ingredients that enhance each other: sherry malt and almond.
Rusty Nail
Scotch and Drambuie over ice. Honey and spices alongside Macallan's sherry sweetness.
All whisky cocktails
From Manhattan to Penicillin: all whisky cocktails with the right glass for each.A tulip-shaped tasting glass for tasting neat and a heavy crystal tumbler for on the rocks or an Old Fashioned. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
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Everything you still wanted to know about The Macallan
Can’t find your question? Check out our cocktail recipes or contact us.
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