Nose: Citrus, lemon zest, grapefruit juice, cereals - this is a very bright nose. A little hint of malt and oak and some vanilla, but the citrus washes over everything. Curiously, the dry-glass aroma is full of honey with not a trace of citrus. Palate: A soft but mildly tannic arrival that develops into a palate dominated by citrus flavours, particularly lemon zest. There is a mix of inherent sweetness and oak tannin and it's hard to decide whether it gives balance or is just an odd combination. There are some subtle cereal flavours in the background that are emphasized slightly by water. Finish: Medium. More lemon and a flor-yeast flavour, it's bread-like and drying. It seems short at first but lingers. I found this more interesting than enjoyable as it's not a style of whisky I particularly like. A teaspoon of water improves the nose, giving it breadth and making it less strident - quite pleasant and almost fruity-floral, in fact. Unfortunately, water does not improve the taste as much. Some extra notes are revealed, but mostly it just dilutes it and eventually makes it fall apart. If this was bottled at higher proof and could take the water more gracefully the palate might fare much better with dilution, allowing some desperately needed complexity to emerge from the cereal component. I tasted it from a 30ml sampler and have no desire to purchase a bottle, particularly considering the price. However it is well made and better than average - just quirky. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)
About this bottle
Not afraid of the shortage that concerns many Scottish distilleries, Macallan has invested in new facilities and, more importantly for us willing to drink now, created a new range in 2012: the 1824 series. At its core, we have four colors for four ways to play with the wood. So, what about this Macallan Gold? Simple, you get more American oak and a higher proportion of 2nd fill casks and you get a lighter taste and color. Tasty? Just read below!
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 50 parsed reviews.
[Troon, Scotland. 8/16/18] Off to play Championship Course at Royal Troon on Friday. Starting golf trip off on world class course; might as well couple this with world class distillery. The Macallan 1824 series is a grouping of NAS expressions predicated on color and not age. This whisky‘s name is a good indication of such, and it consists of sherry aged product having slept in a combination of American and European oak for 9 to 15 years. The nose is elegant with a constrained measure of sherry. The palate is also balanced with proper levels of both fruitiness and sweetness. A medium finish is smooth and satisfying. Macallan fans will not be disappointed in this offering, but neither will they be inspired. I would rate this at a high 3 to 4 with our current venue giving them the extra nudge. :)
It is not bad, but it is not great. Even the famous Macallan profile is lost in this one. On the nose you get vanilla, toffee, oranges, almonds and medicinal woods. On the palate you will find a simple, straightforward almond and oak taste, with a short finish, which overall taste is hot but not too hot, spicy but not too spicy. I believe this is a Whisky to have with friends in a not so special night, and by far is the most mediocre Macallans i have tasted so far. Having said that, there are worst whiskies, this is not bad, it is just... regular
This is my favourite Macallan from the 1824 series. It's simple, elegant, and it's the best "bang for your buck". From the first sniff, you can really grasp the aroma of an orange peel, which then mixes well with the taste of a sweet, vanilla/cinnamon/almost like a toasted apple taste. The finish is very smooth and just the right amount of "sweet". If you're just getting into nice whisky's, or you want a go-to whisky for after a long day at the office, this is your bottle.
COLOUR Burnished Gold NOSE Lemon citrus, then orange peel and an interlacing sweetness that softens but doesn't eliminate the zest. A quiet note of vanilla is followed by dark chocolate with lingering floral and light oak notes. PALATE Citrus and boiled sweets rule the palate, along with hints of ginger and cinnamon, while soft oak tones reveal toasted apples. FINISH Medium sweet, malty and slightly dry.
Light yet classy and aromatic. Unfortunately the flavour profile was lacking and the finish fails to linger on one's palate. Great for easy drinking though! NOSE: Oak, caramel, toffee, confectioners sugar, oranges, hint of grape PALATE: Oak, syrup, marzipan, ginger FINISH: Oak, barley, candied pineapple, raisins, slight tang Rating: 77/100 Grade: C+ Average - not good, not bad, just is.
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