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!

Tasting Notes:

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.”

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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!

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The Tipperary 10 Year Knockmealdowns is made by the The Tipperary Boutique Distillery. It is newly released in May 2017 and is one of the limited editions of the Irish distillery’s Mountain Range series. This single malt comprised of only 6 barrels, aged in ex-bourbon barrels. The Tipperary Boutique Distillery takes pride in their non-chill filtered whiskies and this expression is no different. We are confident that this beautiful single malt will be snagging awards pretty soon!

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Pale Gold
ABV: 47%

Nose: Both fruits and grass come through the nose, with fennel and vanilla cream coming on strongly. Follows closely by honey, pineapples and lemon curd topped with cinnamon. Pretty much like a dessert buffet with some fennel as a side dish. (16 points)

Palate: A sweet mouthful of tropical fruits, dried mango and lemon drops with hints of white pepper and oak spice. Pleasantly sweet with just a little spice to make it exciting. (16 points)

Body: A well-balanced body with the sweetness of tropical fruits. Hints of spice adds to the complexity of the whisky. (33 points)

Finish: The finish is medium with notes of hay and tobacco leaves, making your breathe feels fresh and lively. (15 points)

Total Grade: 80 points

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This Australian whisky is made at the New World Whisky Distillery in Victoria. Founded by David Vitale in 2004, the distillery has been gaining global recognition with their whiskies. Diageo has even invested in the distillery recently, making the brand even more popular. The Starward New Malt whisky is the first release of the distillery. It is made using Australian malted barley, Australian water, and aged in Apera (Australian fortified wine) casks. As these casks are relatively similar to sherry casks, this whisky is comparable to a sherried cask whisky.

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Light Amber

ABV: 43%

Nose: The aroma of a candy shop is evident with the first nose, followed by fresh fruits such as pears, green apples, golden raisins and of caramel cream spiced cake. The sweetness is not overpowering and relatively pleasant. (16 points)

Palate: The sweet liquid rolls thickly on the tongue, just like golden syrup on a malty gingerbread. Notes of cherry jam, liquorice  and nutmeg are also evident. (16 points)

Body: Sweet and slightly spicy, the whisky is fresh and well-balanced with its complexity. The pleasant warmth coming through towards the end adds a plus to the whisky. (30 points)

Finish: A medium finish that is sweet and fresh. Hints of minty chocolate shavings ends the experience really well. (15 points)

Total Grade: 77 points

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August is upon us and one of the most exciting day of the year for all Singaporeans is coming very soon! That’s right – Singapore’s National Day is coming and what’s better than celebrating this wonderful day of independence with a dram or two? To celebrate Singapore’s 52nd birthday, Whisky Butler has curated an international collection of whiskies to showcase the extraordinary skills of whisky makers from different countries.

The August Whiskies

1. The English Whisky Company – Chapter 14

August starts with a whisky from a historic distillery in Norfolk, England. The English Whisky Company from St Georges Distillery in Norfolk is England’s first distillery for over 120 years. Set up by father and son James and Andrew Nelstrop in a major barley-producing region that is blessed with good, clean water, The English Whisky Company Chapter 14 made a great impression on us!

2. Starward – New World Malt Whisky

Next up is the Starward single malts from The New World Whisky Distillery in Australia (Dieageo invested in it recently!). Founded by David Vitale in 2004, Starward specialises in young whiskies made using 100% Australian barley and matured in 100% Australian wine barrels. This is the distillery’s first release to the world.

3. Three Ships 10 Years Old

The Three Ships whisky range is made by the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington and considered to be the most notable South African whisky. Led by Master Distiller Andy Watt (a one-time pro cricketer who later trained in whisky-making), Three Ships have created international award-winning whiskies.

4. Tipperary 10 Years Knockmealdowns

Last but certainly not the least, the Tipperary 10 Years Knockmealdowns is created by the Irish Tipperary Boutique Distillery and is the first of its limited edition mountain range whisky. The distillery is owned and built by the Ahearn family and the whiskies are all made using water from their Ballindoney farm. They are also proud of their non-chill filtered methods which produces a delightful Irish whisky!

In our next few posts, we will share more about the individual bottles and what we think of them.

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