Macallan Fine Oak 15 Year

I had the good fortune of sampling this one very early in my whisky drinking days. At that time, this stood out as a sort of gold standard for Scotch. Fast forward a couple years and exposure to a host of comparable options, and I’ve got a bottle at my disposal to put this highly-touted malt to the test. Nose: Very sweet. Heavy honey and floral notes. A tad oily. There is also orange and citrus. White grape that is reminiscent of white wine. I’m no expert here, but it reminds me a bit of a Sauvignon Blanc. Caramelized apple, pear, apricot. Golden raisin. Toffee. Sherry is detectable but for less than in any other Macallan I’ve had. Some oak spice in the background, as well as white pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Damn good nose. Palate: Initially it is very creamy and buttery; however, it quickly becomes dry. The orange and citrus are still present, now accompanied by plum, raisin, and vanilla. True to its name, oak is prominent throughout. White grape, apple, pear, and apricot. Chestnut and toffee. Upon pouring a second glass, I detect some chocolate in the background. Cinnamon, oak, and white pepper. Solid plate. Finish: This is the highlight of the Macallan 15. Here, the whisky best delivers on the promise displayed on the packaging. The finish begins with orange zest and rich milk chocolate before a sharp but welcome transition into oak spice and cinnamon in what amounts to a moderate-to-long finish. There is chestnut and plum skin mixed in as well. With hindsight, I can understand why I thought so highly of this one. I still do. It is above average at every turn and boasts a superb finish that makes a lasting impression. It certainly is well-balanced. It is rich and complex and so I have no complaints with this one. I will say that it is a bit overpriced at $100. Furthermore, it does not truly excel until the finish. I'm back to add to this 2 and a half years later. Ironically, this bottle is one of the older-style 15s, while the one from my first review donned the same packaging the 15 has today. Whether it's that I have a more refined palate now or the fact that Macallan was better before the adoption of the modern packaging (and the advent of the Double Cask Series,) I'm getting a much better balance between nose, palate, and finish. I also detect more sherry than I did back then. Chalk it up to 2 and a half years of extra whisky-drinking experience, or the fact that the product of the past may simply have been superior; either way, I feel strongly about boosting this from my original score of 4 flat to an improved 4.25.

It sure smells nice: woody, spicy, and very fruity. The Sherry presence is quite clear. The palate is on the mild side, but there is a fair amount going on. Plenty of cherry is there, but it isn't overwhelming. Floral notes from the barrel are apparent. There's a nice mild wood flavor throughout and some of that nice cherry syrup adding some sweetness and viscosity. There's something nice about how the vanilla interacts too and the richness backing the drink is quite good as well. It's a delicate drink that is not overwhelmed by the alcohol in any way. It definitely has that strong sherry presence with a bourbon backing of vanilla and cinnamon. It reminds me a lot of a cross between Highland Park The Light and Highland Park The Dark, though it isn't quite as good as either. This is a fine sipper that solidifies the complexity that the Macallan 12 Sherry hints at, making a delightful experience from beginning to end. While it isn't a masterpiece for the ages, it is a very tasty and well-executed drink. Smells pretty standard : wood, fruit, and not super old. There's a bit more going on here than in either of the Macallan 12s, though it is a big step down from the Glenmorangie Signet. This has a lot of nuttiness though, which I absolutely love. Almond and coconut are dominant in the finish. There is some cherry, but also some orange. Dark chocolate adds richness. There is the tiniest bit of toffee hanging out with the vanilla to make this thing sweet. The complexity is great and it mostly covers the alcohol. The spices tend toward baking spices, so it doesn't burn too much. Even mid hints of sea spray dart through. I would put this right up there with the Macallan Rare Cask because it has so much complexity even though it is not as rich. It's great, but still a bit costly for the price. Maybe get some highland Park 18 and Glenfarclas 25 instead as a bump up in quality?

My wife’s son bought this for me for Christmas. He was the only one of my family and friends who bought me whisky for Christmas. He gets me! I know Macallan gets a bit of a bad rap for being overpriced and maybe deservedly so. This bottle averages $105 online, a bit over my normal price range. The Macallan 12 yr was one of the first scotches I tried that I really liked and this one is very good as well, so maybe their prices aren’t completely out of line. But on to the tasting. This dram is aged for 15 years and matured in three types of casks: ex-bourbon, European ex-sherry, and American ex-sherry. It’s bottled at 43% ABV and is a nice natural color of dark straw. It produces nice long legs when given a spin in the Glencairn. The nose is floral barley and sweet sherry: berries, honey, oranges, and chocolate. The American oak and bourbon cask shows up in vanilla notes. Really enjoyable. I like this better than the big sherry bomb style like Glendronach. In the mouth its classic malted barley, sweet honey, vanilla, hints of chocolate and cinnamon. A slightly thick mouthfeel, it also has a bit more heat than I would expect for a 43% 15 yr old. That’s not all bad, just a little unexpected. The finish is decently long with warm oak and spice, dried fruit. It hangs around just long enough to make you want another sip. Overall I really like this whisky. Would I put out $105-110 to buy a bottle? I don’t know, but I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to enjoy it. 4/5.

You know i am not a great Macallan fan, but this one was an spectacular dram. I had read somewhere that when you try any of the fine oak expressions, you have tried them all since they are similar... what a false fact that was. This has nothing to do with the 10yo. Bottled at 40%abv On the nose is amazing: fresh lemon peel and lemon pie. Vanilla plant and Honey. Its aroma is super nice, well made. On the palate is amazing. There is this macallan typical profile but much more peppery. Dry grass notes too. DELCIOUS. Finish is short but pleasant, this is where it lost some points. This is a very delicious and balanced dram, that is why i give it a 91 over 100.

You know i am not a great Macallan fan, but this one was an spectacular dram. I had read somewhere that when you try any of the fine oak expressions, you have tried them all since they are similar... what a false fact that was. This has nothing to do with the 10yo. Bottled at 40%abv On the nose is amazing: fresh lemon peel and lemon pie. Vanilla plant and Honey. Its aroma is super nice, well made. On the palate is amazing. There is this macallan typical profile but much more peppery. Dry grass notes too. DELCIOUS. Finish is short but pleasant, this is where it lost some points. This is a very delicious and balanced dram, that is why i give it a 91 over 100.

So I really like this version of Macallan. Long before I became an American Whiskey fan, I dabbled in single malt (without really learning too much). Macallan 12 was my go to. (perhaps the Maker's Mark of single malt) Aroma is very fruity, some sultana (tribute to Ralphy) but all kidding aside, I did smell some grape notes. Vanilla and oak notes come out as it opens. Flavor is much more vanilla than the Aroma hinted. Like a vanilla cream with nice oak notes. This had an element of chocolate added later. Becomes a little toasted on the finish, which is nice. This will continue to have me explore whiskey from that side of the pond..