The 1824 Collection of four Macallan expressions – Select Oak, Whisky Maker’s Edition, Estate Reserve and 1824 Limited Release – has been created by Macallan’s own whisky maker together with John Ramsay, who was linked to The Glenrothes. Both distilleries are part of the same Edrington group.

The Macallan Estate Reserve was matured in sherry seasoned hogsheads and like the others it doesn’t have an age statement. It is bottled at the old 80 UK proof strength.

Macallan ‘Estate Reserve’
(45,7%, OB 2009, 1824 Collection)

Nose: a sweet sherry theme with dried fruits, ginger cake and quite some cedar wood. Also a classic combo of chocolate and oranges. Nutmeg. Fresh and rather modern, lacking a bit of thickness though. Mouth: good balance between the original spirit and the sherry. Plenty of oak again, all kinds of spices (ginger, nutmeg, clove, pepper). Really spicy this one. The sherry sweetness fades away which leaves only the spices and hints of slightly bitter oranges, as well as some dark chocolate. Finish: quite long, still very spicy (especially pepper and nutmeg) with some woody dryness in the end.

The sherry seasoning influence in this Macallan works pretty well, but the wood is rather loud. Overall a tad too focused on oak and spices for me. Around € 140.

Score: 82/100