Macallan 12

One of joys of whisky is that you can share a dram with a person and chances are that person will get a different whisky tasting experience than you will. Everyone has a different pallet so when it comes to deciphering the tastes in a brand of whisky not everyone will taste the same notes.

I have experienced in more than one occasion instances where I’ve shared a dram with someone else and the notes I tasted were not the same notes they described. The reason I feel I have to explain that is because any whisky drinker out there will tell you that they have heard of Macallan, know that it has a huge following and is a trusted brand.  To start my Macallan experience I went for the Macllan 12. Many rave about this being their favorite 12 year old, but in all honesty, I don’t completely agree.

With its huge popularity and following as you can image I was surprised to not love this whisky.

My issue with it: 

• For a 12 year-old, this Speyside Scotch whisky wasn’t bad, but I’ve had better. Since it is matured in Sherry Oak casks there seems to be a significant sherry taste present.

The Experience:

Color

• Amber with hints of gold

Smell

• Sherry
• Woodsy

Taste (Neat)

• I first tasted the sherry, which was followed by spice and wood. I found it a bit harsh tasting.

Taste (Splash of water)

• The splash of water actually made this a bit smoother and the notes comes together, but the sherry was still prominent in the taste. Overall I did prefer and appreciate the smoothness of a splash of water.

For non-whisky drinkers this is actually not a bad whisky to get started with. It is affordable, but also a brand known and recognized by all. It has an ABV of 40% and the cost range, depending on where you buy, is $40-$60.

Aside from my initial issue with this whisky, I think I went into this tasting thinking that it would be amazing and completely worth the hype. I was unfortunately slightly letdown. With the huge following it has, I am sure the older ranges will make up for this 12 year-old. I am actually looking forward to tasting and sharing my experience with those older ranges.

Cheers!

Glenfiddich 21

If you’ve ever visited the Glenfiddich website you will notice that one of the site banners indicates that it is “The world’s most awarded single malt,” http://www.glenfiddich.com/. And if you aren’t a whisky drinker you first initial thought is to roll your eyes because you feel they are trying to get you to drink their whisky. For all those non whisky drinkers and those who haven’t tried Glenfiddich as a whisky drinker I can attest that that this statement absolutely holds true. Excitement can’t begin to describe how I felt when I got the chance to try this Glenfiddich 21.

You don’t exactly have to be a whisky drinker to truly appreciate and enjoy this whisky. Having been matured for 21 years shows itself in how smooth the whisky is. It doesn’t end with a burn but rather a nice smooth warming note that I would recommend to any whisky and non whisky drinker out there.

Glenfiddich 21 is matured in Caribbean rum casks. It has an ABV of 40%. This bottle can cost you about $120-$140. Please note that I also saw it for more and less than this price range so it does depend on where you buy. This whisky is truly worth the price you pay to drink it. I truly wish this was a bottle of whisky I had in my collection, but sadly it is not. I was happy to try it after the bottle was given as a gift to my boyfriend.

The color:

-          Dark gold

The smell:

-          Sweet

-          Woodsy

The taste:

-          A peppery taste was what first hit my palate

-          Followed by the taste of spices

The finish:

-          It is very warming and it’s ending spicy notes makes you keep coming back for more.

In my opinion and as a suggestion to non whisky drinkers, this whisky should be tried neat. If it ever gets to be too strong for you then you can add a splash of water or even an ice cube. Once you’ve tried it then you will definitively know why this is the most decorated single malt out there.

If you’ve been following my blog you would have noted that I have in previous write ups proclaimed to be an Islay girl, as most of my top favorite whiskies are from Islay. However, not all my top 5 favorites are from Islay as this one Speyside whisky does hold a very strong spot in that top 5. This whisky is truly a cut above the rest and I highly recommend one tries it.

Cheers!

The Glenlivet 15-year-old French Oak Reserve

When I first started this blog I knew I would eventually have to write about a whisky I didn’t love. To be honest I’ve been holding out on writing about The Glenlivet 15-year-old French Oak Reserve for that very reason. This range of The Glenlivet was given to me as a Christmas gift by my boyfriend. I’ve since forgiving him but am uncertain if this bottle will ever be completely finished by me.


The Glenlivet 15-year-old French Oak Reserve is a Speyside whisky and Speyside is in the northern part of Scotland within the Highlands region. Although a small area within the Highlands, Speyside does account for about half of Scotland’s distilleries.


I consider the 15 a very inexpensive whisky bottle at around $40. It has an alcohol content of 40% proof and has a nice golden color.


If you are an inexperienced whisky drinker and are looking to start whisky drinking, you may be wooed by the price of this bottle. I can certainly understand that but would hope that you consider tasting other whisky’s after trying this one. I will state that The Glenlivet 15-year-old is a cut above The Glenlivet 12. If you are going to try it, go for the 15-year-old.


After the pour I smell sweetness and caramel. It does have a nice rich creamy almost buttery taste. This whiskey is very light and nutty. One of the biggest things I don’t love about this whisky is the after taste. The after taste is what keeps me from wanting more. It has a great start but lacks in the finish. If that were ever fixed, this would actually be a good whisky.


It is a very inexpensive whisky that has potential but disappoints in the end.  That is why it is under my list of whisky’s I don’t love. You can try and judge it for yourself.


Cheers!