FOOD NEWS
Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old: The Ultimate Bottle Guide
BY REBECCA RIDDLE
History
Macallan has been making scotch since 1824 and was one of the first Scottish distilleries legally allowed to make it. It takes influence from Spain and North America.
Barrels are important in any aged spirit, and Macallan takes its barrels seriously. It even has a designated "Master of Woods" to oversee the selection of barrels.
Taste
Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old is quite mild for a single malt scotch. It lacks the in-your-face woody, earthy flavor that often deters people from this type of spirit.
This bottle is heavy on ginger, honey, and citrus notes, but they're still relatively subdued compared to flavor notes in other bottles. It also has a thinner mouthfeel.
Manufacturing
Besides carefully selecting barrels, Macallan also carefully identifies trees in Spain from which the barrels are made to control the scotch manufacturing process.
Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old uses sherry-seasoned American oak and sherry-seasoned European oak barrels to age scotch. They're matured at the distillery and then blended.
How To Drink
Enjoy Macallan, like most scotch, by sipping and savoring it straightforwardly. Drink it neat, on the rocks, with ice cubes, or add a small splash of water.
Adding water can even help open up the flavors and allow you to pick up on some of the nuances the "hotness" might have otherwise hidden.
Cost
Though there's variation, a Macallan 12 bottle costs $82, which is reasonable if you compare it to other similar bottles. For example, Glenlivet 12 costs about $85.
Among the Macallan collection, this bottle is a relatively cheaper option. Macallan 12 Sherry Oak costs almost $100, while Macallan 15 Double Cask comes in at about $175.