Luxury Drams: The Macallan Rare Cask Highland Single Malt Whisky

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Price: £200.00 (£180.00 for W Club Members)
ABV: 43%
Chill Filtered: Yes
Natural Colour: Yes
Supplier: The Whisky Shop

Description: Rare Cask has been crafted from Spanish and American sherry seasoned oak casks, a high proportion of them being first fill, including some of the most precious and scarce casks. Collectively these factors have given rise to an exquisite whisky with a splendidly rich and resonant hue, and an unmistakably woody whisky.

General Comments: I first tried The Macallan Rare Cask almost a year ago and frankly I was deeply unimpressed; here I'm enjoying it more as it is an interesting whisky. If you enjoy genuinely spicy whisky's; that is where the spices has come from the wood rather than an alcohol burn from poorly aged spirit, and you've got plenty of spare change to splash then I could recommend this whisky. However there are so many better ways to spend your money; if your research is good enough you can pocket a bottle of Glenfarclas 25 yr Old and a bottle of BenRiach 20 yr Old for this kind of money. Macallan made a mistake here not bottling the Rare Cask at a high ABV; that is if they cared about the quality of the product, rather than just making money of their hard earned name. One of the supposedly defining qualities of this whisky; it's richness is sadly missing, and it feels what it is, a watered down whisky. The spiciness is there in abundance though; but what this is ultimately is a good £60 whisky in a fancy box and nice looking bottle.

Without Water

Nose: Straight out of the bottle there is no doubt that the whisky has a pleasant nose as it wafts into the air; deeply sherried and rich; ripe plums, figs, cherries with a hint of blood orange. Nosing the glass, the oak is prominent, adding complexity. However there is an element of confectionery sweetness; slightly chemically; not astingent, not unpleasant, but not necessarily what you'd expect or want. Chewits; Tropical Fruit Chewits; or for the younger readers, a combination of orange and strawberry Maoams. The oak retains it's dominance; perhaps a note of dark chocolate coming in later.

Palate: On the first taste I immediately want too say rich; but that soon passes as i realise that the ABV of 43% has really taken away some of the impact of the casks. The extra water makes the whisky feel, well watery in the mouth and you feel that this really could have done with being bottled unchillfiltered at 46%. As for the other alleged characteristic; it certainly is a spicy whisky; in a good way. The alcohol burn is present, but fairly minimal and quickly dissipates from the tip of the tongue; the taste of black peppercorns, all spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and dark coffee beans however permiates all over the mouth, jumping out at you from the tongue, top gum line and inside of cheeks especially. In summary; not bad; but at £200 this needed to be unchillfiltered; possibly even cask strength to in any way justify the RRP.

Finish: Reasonably long; the finish reflects the pallate with the traces of those spices still clinging to the fleshy parts of the mouth; cloves are the primary spice flavour as the peppery kick has faded a few notched. I've realised I've barely mentioned fruits, but there maintains a general stewed fruit; in fact fruit compote flavour, reddish fruits, strawberries and peaches especially.

With Water

Nose: A few drops of water and ten minutes has not changed this whisky particularly; the nose is a little more settled too allow the rich fruitiness to fill the locale, along with a dense oakiness.

Palate: The water and time in the glass has upped the intensity of those spices coming through from the wood. Again the fruit takes a back seat on the palate but offers and pleasant stewed fruit compote buzz; I'm sticking with peaches. 

Finish: The primary change is that where the wood and dark chocolate came in before; though it still does, it comes with a a slightly more savory edge. Wilted spinach and rocket leaves leave an edge to the dark chocolate, oak and coffee finish; those spices still working away on the palate and that subtle background fruitiness as a constant. The sweet fruity element is always there in the whisky; but yo have to focus on it to recognise it; otherwise it just blends into the background, unperceived, like the Men In Black.

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