Latest News
Kitchen Chat and more…
Kitchen Chat and more…
The Macallan Rare Cask is a recent addition in the Macallan 1824 Master Series. Unlike all other Macallan branded whiskies today, this is actually smoky! This is the final product of the marriage of less than 100 casks maturing at The Macallan distillery. The Master Whisky Maker kept these casks hidden in the dark warehouse until he decides that they are fit to be released.
Smoky Macallan is rare by itself, coupled by the fact that the casks that make up this special expression will not be reused, the label ‘Rare Cask’ is certainly very apt!
Colour: Autumnal Leaves
ABV: 43%
Nose: An strong, intense smell of peat smoke gushes out of the dram. This is followed by the combination of the sweetness of dried fruits, dates and raisins, and the spicy ending of nutmeg and ginger. (15 points)
Palate: A dry smoky flavour immediately engulfs the palate, with the less intense sweetness of dried fruits. The oaky flavour takes over with taste of nutmeg and cloves. (14 points)
Body: A balanced body of smoke, sweetness of dried fruits and spices. Reasonably complex, considering this is a special make. (28 points)
Finish: The finish is medium long with woody smoke, and lingering sweetness of dried fruits. (13 points)
Total Grade: 70 points
Comments:
Geek Choc: “Definitely not as smoky as those from Islay. This is a well-crafted, special whisky from The Macallan, but the price does put me off. S$622.30 from DFS! Definitely can get a much better whisky at this price. Of course, if you are a hardcore Macallan fan, this is not to be missed.”
The Macallan 1824 Master Series showcases the distillery’s strengths of using top quality Sherry oak casks and the beauty of the whisky’s natural colour.
The Macallan Rare Cask is the entry level of this series. This expression boasts the combination of spirits from 16 different types of casks – butts, hogsheads and puncheons, from different producers (some of these producers no longer exists). Merging spirits from these Spanish and American Sherry seasoned oak casks, mostly first fill, explains the rich hue and woody flavour. These casks actually make up of less than 1% of those in the distillery, and this whisky is so rare that most of the spirits from those casks that are used will never be used again!
Colour: Mahogany Red
ABV: 43%
Nose: A rich, yet soft vanilla tingles the nose. The sweetness of raisins and chocolates delights the senses soon after, but not overpowering the fruity combination of apples and citrus flavours. The experience concludes with the spicy balance of root ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. (15 points)
Palate: The spicy taste hits the tongue, with hints of raisin sweetness, but the oaky flavour engulfs the palate soon after. This is ended by slight vanilla and chocolate. (14 points)
Body: A fairly balanced body with the sweetness of raisins and chocolates. Sadly, not as complex as expected. (25 points)
Finish: The finish is medium with notes of citrus zest and old oak. (13 points)
Total Grade: 67 points
Comments:
Geek Choc: “Not exactly a bad whisky, but I would expect something more, given the price of this whisky. It seems the rarity of the casks has pushed the prices up, not the final product itself.”
The Macallan 1824 Master Series is a luxury range within The Macallan portfolio. It showcase the top-notch quality of The Macallan’s use of sherry casks and each expression increase in rarity as you go up the tier. All the whiskies in the range are hand selected by their Master Distiller, Bob Dalgarno. The 1824 Master Series is a level up from the 1824 Series that we have shared previously. This Master Series starts with the Macallan Rare Cask, which is one tier higher than Ruby, the last of the 4 bottles in the 1824 Series.
The luxury range of The Macallan 1824 Master Series are made with first-fill, 100% sherry-seasoned casks. It showcases the 100% natural colour that The Macallan is so proud of, and the beautiful spectrum of colours brings to life the interaction of the peerless spirit and the exceptional oak casks. The Macallan’s unique Six Pillars are definitely at the heart of this luxurious collection.
The Macallan has taken time to release the 1824 Master Series, starting with the Rare Cask and the Macallan M, before releasing Reflexion and No. 6 to complete the series. The Rare Cask Black was later introduced to the market as a peated expression to contrast the Rare Cask. Each expression is housed in striking decanter, with the decanters getting more and more preciously beautiful as you go up the tier. The angled decanters in the higher tiers are specially made to reflect the “M” in Macallan. The exquisite details of every decanter is as amazing as the liquid itself.
The rarity of the series can be sum up in an auction house in Hong Kong, where the Macallan M was sold at a whooping USD$628,205!! That’s what we called opulent!
In Singapore, the 1824 Master Series was introduced through various mediums, including an exclusive launch of the Rare Cask where the public was invited to a tasting session. The whole series were introduced again during the Edition No. 1 launch in Singapore, where The Macallan hosted “Toast the Macallan” event at the Black Swan in 2016. In that event, both the 1824 Master Series and the Edition No. 1 were given equal priority. It was also during this event that they introduced the Rare Cask Black to the general public.
The exclusivity of the 1824 Master Series makes it hard for normal whisky lovers to have a taste of the exquisite whiskies housed in those precious decanter but getting to know the different expressions is in itself, a great experience.
Here’s a video that was posted on Vimeo by Macallan’s parent company, Edrington. Enjoy!
We will speak more of the individual bottles in our next few posts, so stay tuned!
11311 Harry Hines Blvd
Dallas, TX, United States
(555) 389 976
dallas@enfold-restaurant.com