Whisky: The Macallan 10 Year Old (Fine Oak)
Producer: The Edrington Group
Distillery: The Macallan Distillery
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Whisky Type: Single Malt (100% malted barley)
Age: 10
ABV: 40%
Aged in Cask: American oak, European oak, ex-bourbon.
Price Range: $$
Alexander Reid obtained a license to distill in 1824, but the Elchies Estate (the spiritual home of The Macallan) had already been distilling whisky illicitly way before that year. The original name was The Elchies Distillery, changing its name to The Macallan Distillery in 1980.
The Macallan name comes from two Gaelic words, Magh, meaning “fertile piece of land”, and ellan, or “of St. Fillan”, an Irish monk who traveled across Scotland in the eighth century to spread Christianity.
The Edrington Group purchased the distillery in 1990 and successfully positioned The Macallan as a luxury brand, making it one of best selling single malts in the world. A new distillery opened in 2019 with an eco-friendly design and visitor experience near the Macallan Estate.
The Macallan has a competitive advantage over distilleries that go to the open market to purchase European oak, which has become quite expensive after Spain declared in 1986 that all sherry must be bottled within its borders. Hence, stopping the transport of sherry casks to other countries.
The Macallan has put sherry maturation and seasoning at the forefront of its production process and marketing strategy. The Edrington Group has secured a continuous supply of European oak sherry casks by contracting directly with Spanish tolenerias (cooperage houses like Tevasa) that assemble casks and send them to a Sherry Bodega (i.e., Gonzalez Byass) for filling. Casks are typically seasoned from six months to two years before being sent to Scotland. The purpose of cask seasoning is to change the flavor compounds of the wood and remove harsh tannins that could negatively impact the flavor of the whisky.
The Fine Oak Range
The Macallan’s Fine Oak range launched in 2004, focusing on single malts aged in three types of casks. Sherry-seasoned American oak, sherry-seasoned European oak, and ex-bourbon casks. The core range included single malts with the following age statements: 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 21, 25, and 30.
In 2018, The Macallan renamed the Fine Oak Series with the Triple Cask Series, showcasing new packaging and stylish design to align with other premium series. However, The Macallan Triple Cask range has been discontinued, except for the Triple Cask 12 Years Old.
Tasting Notes of The Macallan 10 Year Old Fine Oak
Nose: Floral, grassy, yeasty nose. A nose reminds me of that of Irish Whiskey.
Palate: Soft, floral, slightly sweet, and malty. Adding a few drops of water brings a subtle bitter note from the oak, but not unpleasant. The sweetness also increases and is not dominant.
Finish: Short, subtle notes of oak, fruit.
Conclusion: This enjoyable and not overly complex malt is suited for those who enjoy delicate floral flavors. Great for an everyday sip. Those who like this light style might want to explore a grassy superb Irish Whiskey such as The Tyrconnell from Kilbeggan Distillery. Slainte!
Score: 3.25/5⭐
You can check out more reviews on Scotch whisky here, and if you’re a fan of The Macallan 10, don’t miss my review on The Macallan Quest Collection, where you will find a comprehensive story about the brand, its values (known as the Six Pillars) and tasting of three expressions.
For more pictures and stories about all that is related to whisky and distilleries from around the world, don’t forget to follow me on my Instagram account!
Legend
$50 or less $
$51-$100 $$
$101-$150 $$$
$151 or more $$$$
