Macallan 1955 Rinaldi Import 45.85% 1955

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (95)

Macallan 1955 (80°proof, OB, Campbell Hope & King for Rinaldi, Italy, +/-1970) Five stars

Colour: pale amber.

Nose: oh my! Probably a little less boldly aromatic than the 1959, and probably a little more phenolic and dry. Wet gravel, tar, soot, mint liqueur and bitter oranges. Superb notes of carnation, butter crème, honeydew, mint-flavoured tea… And big notes of morels. Wow. Espresso. Globally less sherried than the 1959 but maybe even more complex. The palate will determine which is our favourite…

Mouth: extraordinary. It’s got everything. A movie-malt that keeps changing while remaining extremely coherent. Dried fruits, herbs, jams, spices, leather, shoe polish (tarry and phenolic), tobacco… Oh well, please call the anti-maltoporn brigade!

Finish: amazingly long, dry, clean… Superb pepper. We’re close to perfection.

Comments: none.

Whisky Notes (95)

The mint liqueur, beehive notes and perfect sherry give this a heavenly nose. The palate was more heavily sherried than expected and quite chocolaty - needless to say it's perfectly faultless sherry. Oh my, what a delight. Hard to find these days and very expensive.
Nose
wow. Indeed it's the legendary combination of luscious sherry and faint phenolic notes. The sherry richness starts with all kinds of dried fruits (mainly figs, sultanas and dates but also quinces and raspberries) and goes to honey and beeswax (quite special, I associate this more with bourbon maturation). There's also plenty of mint liqueur and eucalyptus, as well as old furniture, old paint, old books, tobacco... All of this covered in a veil of ashes and the softest hints of tar. Balances between sweet and dry notes. Stunning complexity.
Taste
a lot of sherry. Especially the chocolate / coffee combo stands out, as well as jammy fruits, raisins and relatively soft spices and herbs (hints of cough syrup). Leather notes as well as a slightly metallic hint of shoe polish (OBE?). Mint again. Puffs of smoke.
Finish
long, fairly dry with dark chocolate and spices

BOW (95)