Macallan Special Reserve 1st Edition 1985

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (86)

A rare early NAS bottling by the owners, still wearing a screw cap. We’re having this baby first because of the lower strength, but not totally sure that’s a very good idea, given the colour… Colour: dark amber. Nose: sherry galore, and that would rather be figs, dates, Corinthian raisins, mocha, and dark chocolate, then smoked ham and touches of flints, plus a little coal smoke. No, quite a lot of coal smoke. There’s some old Macallan in there for sure, the smoke gives that away. Tends to become more and more armagnacky (!), with even more raisins but also prunes. Mouth: it still roars, and it’s definitely not a smooth, lazily rounded Macallan. I’d even say it’s a little rough around the edges, with some plum eau-de-vie in coffee, as well as a gritty, slightly drying tannicity. Like in 80%-chocolate. I’m not quite in awe, some sides remind me of the old 10 yo circa the same years. Something feels ‘young’, but it’s very good sherried whisky, no doubt about that. Finish: I like the finish better, it’s very prune-y and chocolaty. Marmalade and ginger in the aftertaste. Comments: I utterly loved the nose, and found the palate just a little more mundane and rawish