Macallan 25 Years Old Fine Oak New Label 43% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (85)

Colour: dark straw.

Nose: ah, it’s getting better and better. Again a nice balance, more on fruitcake, orange peel, tangerine. Lots of ginger too. Quinquina. Develops on lavender, fresh nutmeg, fir honey. I like it! It makes me think of Highland Park… Wait! Highland Park? Hmmm, Highland Park belongs to Edrington Group, just like Macallan, and we always wondered where the Macallan people could have found all these ‘new’ bourbon casks and… and… Hey, I’m joking! Anyway, this 25 yo has got a very, very nice nose.

Mouth: balance is the word here, even if the attack is just a little watery. But the 'spirit' arrives after ten seconds, and then this 25 yo gets most enjoyable. Freshly squeezed orange juice, spices (clove), all sorts of dried fruits, ginger, pepper… Hints of Grand Marnier. And again a very nice balance even if, between us, they could have bottled these high-end malts at 46% instead of 43. You’re right, and why not the youngest ones as well? The nose was still nicer than the mouth, which has a quite weak and rather short finish, on orange peel. Too bad! But it’s really a nice malt…