Fans of fire distillates must have heard about Macallan whiskey, or maybe even tried it. This drink makes you fall in love with the first sip. Its balanced delicate taste with the aroma of haze is unforgettable. No wonder the drink is called the king of scotch whiskey. And what is a long train of melted honey, cinnamon and espresso! But the consumer (especially in our country) is perplexed: there are bottles at a fabulously high price, but you can seem to find the same ones, but at a very reasonable price. Why such a variation in cost? Where does Macallan come from, how is it made and what brands are available on the market? How to drink this distillate and what is mixed with? We will try to answer all these questions in the article.
History of Macallan
Ireland and Scotland argue about the right to be called the birthplace of whiskey. The dust of centuries gone by hides the truth from us. But here “McAllan”, without a doubt, was born under the harsh sky of Scotland and “nourished” by water from mountain glaciers. The distillery itself appeared in the XVIII century, but received a patent only in 1824. The house has changed many owners. A distinctive feature of Macallan whiskey was given at the end of the 19th century by the next owner, Roderick Kemp. The fact that ... bequeathed production to daughters. Once in sensitive female hands, the drink became delicate and delicate. The Sisters Kemp got the smallest distillation cubes in Scotland. In addition, in the process they are used not two, as usual, but three. But, so to speak, in the old fashioned way, Mrs. Kemp adhered to a single-malt type of production. Before bottling, the drink was aged in white Spanish oak barrels, where the Oloroso sherry was previously stored.
Whiskey Macallan today
Kemp's daughters formed the Macallan Trust. But time does not stand still. And in 1965, the trust was transformed into a joint-stock company Kemp Macallan-Glenlivet Ltd. This inscription can be read on old bottles. Now the name of the manufacturer has changed - The Edrington Group. The plant produces six million liters per year. Why, with such a significant volume of production, "Macallan" is considered one of the most expensive drinks? Three and a half or four thousand rubles - this is the lowest cost of a bottle of twelve-year-old Macallan-whiskey. The price for more aged drinks is even higher: Estate Reserve - from 12,500 rubles, and Oscuro at all 32,000. And in 2007, Christie's bottle of 1926 Macallan Fine & Rare went for 36 thousand pounds . So the record for the price of whiskey was broken. At the same time, unscrupulous sellers will make you a fake McAllan, assuring you that the bottle was bought at duty free stores. Do not believe it. And don't put your health at risk.
Why pay that kind of money?
Single malt Macallan whiskey is made from a very capricious and low-yielding variety of barley Golden Promise (Golden Promise), which grows only in the valley Speyside (Scotland). We will not bore you here with a description of the whole long process lasting at least twelve years for the production of this whiskey. We only note that neither dyes nor caramel are added to it. Malt is dried - sprouted grain - over stoves in which Scottish peat is used as fuel. It gives the drink a light aroma of smoke. Sherry barrels are ten times more expensive than oak containers in which bourbon was kept. But the most crucial step in the production of McAllan is “marriage” - blending of alcohols. If the master is mistaken in proportions, the “marriage” will be unsuccessful, as a result, all the long work will go down the drain. Small copper distillation cubes give the drink oiliness, strength and pleasant fruit tones. And water, which is diluted with alcohols to the desired consistency, is taken from underground sources. This gives the amazing drink an extraordinary softness.
Company Products: Whiskey Macallan 12 years
The Macallan line offers distillates for every taste. And since the seventies of the last century, their products have become very popular. Affected fashion single whiskey malt. Previously, monosortic alcohols were made only for the production of blended whiskey. But since the sixties, the company’s management took a risk and began to bottle its products for sale directly to consumers. The success was overwhelming. Macallan 12 is currently the most affordable whiskey. This is a relatively lightweight version of the classic home product. It is soft, with herbal and spicy notes balanced. The taste is heard shades of fruit and mossy wood. The color of the drink is deep, honey-amber, with a touch of cherry wood. The aroma of sherry is palpable, but vanilla smell mixes with it. The finish is long, peat is felt in it.
Macallan Select Oak 12
This adhesive tape can be purchased in stores for 3600 rubles. The drink has a delicate aroma that gives it notes of prunes, cherries and creamy toffee. A well-balanced taste with hints of sweet spices seems to take you to the Christmas time. Soft warm vanilla, roasted nuts and fruit notes will create an atmosphere of comfort and hearth. The finish is long. The color of the drink is golden. This brand appeared only at the beginning of our century, but has already gained unheard of popularity. Macallan 12 Select Oak Scotch is aged in special oak barrels (as the name implies) from sherry and bourbon. Wood also plays a role. This is an American, European and Spanish oak. The result is an excellent drink that, once tasted, you will fall in love for life.
Macallan Fine Oak
There is a very interesting collection of whiskey series - Macallan Fine Oak. The first copy of this product was presented to the court of experts ten years ago, in 2004. And since then, bottles with this refined drink are valued almost worth its weight in gold. Mono-malt whiskey goes through a long - at least twelve years - ripening in three different barrels. European oak wood gives the drink notes of warm spices, dried fruit and chocolate. The scent of bourbon, which was once contained in a container, gives whiskey a floral aroma and the sweetness of vanilla. American oak sherry barrels add notes of iris, coconut and lemon. Whiskey has a rich straw color, has a fruity vanilla flavor. Its taste is perfectly balanced, with a long train in which shades of spices and oak are guessed. We can say that in the bottle with this scotch tape the spirit of Scotland itself is enclosed.
Eighteen-year-old Macallan
It is also single malt whiskey. But if the twelve-year-old “McAllan” can be called a cute teenager with a balanced character, then his mature brother is much more complicated. This is a charming macho, according to which, like the legendary Praysley, thousands of fans around the world dry. In 2004, Macallan, an 18-year-old whiskey, was recognized by the authoritative Whiskey Magazine as the best such drink in the world. Grain for it is grown exclusively in Speyside, a ripening drink in sherry barrels of Spanish white oak. Whiskey has a warm amber color with reddish sparks, has a caramel sweet aroma. On the palate, the drink is “viscous”, creamy, with a border of heather honey. It also heard a chord of citrus fruits, grapes, haze. A long aftertaste will delight you with hints of espresso and dark chocolate.
Macallan 1824
There is a very expensive - but justifiable - Macallan 1824 Collection whiskey series. In its production, the manufacturer departed from his rule - to use only one type of grain. In fact, three varieties of barley are grown on the fields of Macallan's lands - only for this collection. Of it, it is worth noting Estate Reserve. This whiskey has a milder taste and aroma than other samples of the Macallan line. It can be called a ladies' drink. But Oscuro is the strongest of the entire collection. It is created by “marrying” various alcohols obtained between 1987 and 1997. The strength of this whiskey is 46 and a half percent. The entire collection is characterized by warm aromas of homemade cakes, vanilla, ripe fruits, cinnamon, ginger and honey. Notes of citrus refresh this cozy idyll with explosive young sparks.
Gastronomic combinations
Experts assure that the unique taste of Macallan whiskey sounds best solo. Do not humiliate him by mixing with Coca-Cola and similar pops. Not for this, he was aged in sherry barrels for more than twelve years. Drink this whiskey is recommended slightly chilled. This drink is suitable for a friendly male company in a leather-covered office. Whiskey will alleviate tension during a business conversation. As for romantic dates, you can try to make cocktails for the girl with McAllan. This will dilute the strength of whiskey, but retain its excellent taste. Here's the easiest recipe - New Yorker. Mix forty milliliters of whiskey, half the amount of lemon juice and two bar spoons of Grenadine ( pomegranate syrup ) in a shaker. Pour into cocktail glasses.