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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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May 18, 2025 |
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The Time Warp Sessions,
today Macallan 2 x NAS + 1961
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This isn’t the first time we’ve done this with Macallan, and it’s probably not the last either. The idea here isn’t to determine which period is the best — that would be too obvious, even a bit far-fetched — but rather to try and trace a kind of lineage in the style of the famous Speysider. You’ll note that the idea came to me as I was walking past the unmissable Macallan shop at Shanghai airport last week, with its striking candy-pink neon lights… |
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Macallan ‘Green Meadow’ (40.2%, OB, The Harmony Collection, travel retail, +/-2023) 
A little NAS in collaboration with Stella and Mary McCartney. These collaborations sometimes make about as much sense as a tomato with wheels, as Lord Blackadder might have said, but let’s be honest, we’ve a soft spot for the whole McCartney clan and there is, indeed a 'story'. Oh, and if you thought all the meadows were necessarily green, think again—there was also an ‘Amber Meadow’ we rather liked back in the day (WF 85). Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is discreet, rather elegant, on nougat, praline and herbal tea, say chamomile, then fresh hay and a touch of sherry, with walnuts and raisins. It’s truly elegant, and the very low strength isn’t bothersome (even though that extra 0.2% does make us chuckle). Mouth: this is where it turns a bit thin, grassy—but we can’t really fault it, as it’s called Green Meadow—and lightly dusty. Unsweetened herbal tea, no honey, a little tobacco, marzipan, orange zest, pink grapefruit peel, but all this merely whispers. Finish: a little short, with a few raisins and still those herbal teas. Comments: it’s not bad at all, there is a certain elegance, but everything comes in little dabs, which is a tad frustrating, especially north of €200.
SGP:441 - 83 points. |
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Macallan ‘Vibrant Oak’ (44.2%, OB, The Harmony Collection, 200th Anniversary, 2024) 
Another rather unlikely collaboration, this time with Cirque du Soleil, though I’ve heard very favourable opinions about this baby raised in sherry. Colour: gold. Nose: this is lovely, with polish, beeswax, black tea with vanilla and wafts of liquorice and violet, then a pack of menthol cigarettes. Truly a lovely nose, rather complex, very well put together. I fear it casts quite a long shadow over poor little Green Meadow. Mouth: good presence, less precise than the nose but still well built, rather on green peppercorns, grape pips, dark chocolate and very oaky tisanes, quite marked by cinnamon. A few bits of walnut, then it turns more herbal, a touch bitter but in a good way. Raw cocoa powder. Finish: medium length, still rather dry. Liquorice wood, black tea, cinnamon, fir honey, lemon marmalade and green pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: I think this is a very successful composition this time.
SGP:451 - 87 points. |
So, let’s now take a leap back more than 50 years… |
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Macallan-Glenlivet 15 yo 1961 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail, Pure Highland Malt, Co. Import, Italy) 
We did, of course, rather adore the 1960 and 1962 versions by Campbell, Hope & King for Rinaldi, but this wee 1961 from G&M doesn’t immediately ring a bell. For now... Mind you, these bottles can be heavily forged, but this one’s entirely authentic—we’ve our ways of telling, you see. Colour: pale gold. Nose: best remain seated! We’re immediately greeted by that grandeur—those delicate smokes, citrus jams, every kind of honey one could dream of, this nose of bee pollen, then the fractal development, on camphor, furniture polish, a hint of tar and natural rubber, overripe apples, sultanas, dried figs, and old Sauternes... Must have been pure golden promise. Mouth: menthol, praline, sultanas and honey, then all the variations and developments of those four major flavour groups. We’ll stop there, if you don’t mind, even though the 43% vol. pose no issue here, as it’s the ‘congeners’, not the ethanol, that brings the power. Finish: almost long, on tobacco, mint, maple syrup and honey, then it dries out with elegant restraint in the aftertaste, with returning hints of polish, that famous chamomile, and even verbena and white pepper. Comments: always a joy to taste these Macallan vintages that helped make the name what it’s become.
SGP:551 - 93 points. |
In conclusion, the Vibrant Oak really held its own next to the 1961 and was far from looking out of place. We’ll be doing more Time-Warp Sessions with Macallan very soon, that’s a promise. |
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