E-pistle #03/01 - An interview with Raymond 'Bladnoch' Armstrong
by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Q1 - First of all, let's establish if you are a genuine 'Malt Maniac' yourself. Raymond:
There are probably degrees of malt mania and I don't suppose anyone wants to think of himself as a maniac. We run whisky schools at Bladnoch and the people who attend could possibly be considered malt maniacs. Indeed at a recent school one of the members who had flown all the way from USA had been quite worried about his sanity. Only when he met everyone else did he discover that there were others who were probably even more intense about malt whisky than himself. He was not concerned that the whisky school might be a waste of money, only that he could think of no counter argument to the claim that he was crazy.
I like to think that I personally am not so much a malt maniac, just someone crazy enough to buy a distillery...
How crazy are you when it comes to single malt whisky?
Q2 - Well, buying your own distillery makes you an honorary malt maniac in our book. Raymond:
No, but I would have loved to have come to this industry aged 30. (I'm now 53.) In fact because of my Calvinistic upbringing in Northern Ireland I may just still have some guilt qualms about making whisky. I still own a small building and property company and some of our employees would say I have no expertise in that field either. Prior to that, as a surveyor I did bomb damage compensation work. I probably have quite extensive experience in that field but fortunately it is less necessary now in N.I.
Q3 - That sounds like a totally different walk of life. Raymond:
I have to smile to myself at the idea of finding "gainful employment" in the whisky industry. Buying a mothballed distillery and restarting production inevitably means the opposite of "gainful" employment. It all costs quite a lot of money, I like to think it is an investment or so I tell my bank manager, in other words there is at least a possibility of getting the money back.
Q4 - OK, point taken. But before we get into the intricacies of the whisky trade, we'd like to know a little more about your history as a whisky (or whiskey) drinker. Do you still remember your first dram? Raymond:
I sometimes ask this same question of people in the distillery and get a lot of different answers. Probably my first taste of whiskey was when quite young. It was out of a bottle that was kept purely for medicinal purposes for I was brought up strictly tea total. Drinking alcohol was a sin and enjoying anything, except two church services on Sunday was not permitted. Even later in my teens I don't remember the taste of alcohol making the earth move. My choice of whiskey rather than beer was probably because a whiskey glass (I live in Ireland) was smaller than a beer glass. I used to play rugby and the sight of several pints sitting in front of anyone after a match was daunting, so I chose whiskey. Very quickly I got to realise that if you are going to drink whiskey it might as well be one you enjoy. My particular choice was Redbreast a 12 YO Irish Pot Still Whiskey which was very pleasant. In fact I drank only Redbreast for quite a while until at one not to be forgotten party I mixed my drinks. Too much mixed with too many. I couldn't look at Redbreast for about 10 years.
Q5 - Ah, yes, I guess we've all been to these kinds of parties at one point or another. But apparently you've somehow managed to overcome these traumatic events. Can you describe your ultimate malt moment? Raymond:
I am perhaps a little bit unusual in that the times when I feel like drinking a malt might include for example when I am out for a walk, I love to find a wee miniature in my pocket which I planted earlier to "surprise" myself with, or when hill walking when I reach the top of a mountain and wish to reward myself - Beautiful. At lunch time if I'll have a beer with my lunch, the wee dram looks more inviting, but people sitting beside you might think you are an alcoholic.
The nicest dram you will every taste will be at cask strength on a cold January morning in a distillery cask filling store where the product is not just free from tax but free... and beautiful. Q6 - Yeah, right... Raymond:
I purchased Bladnoch in October of 1994. United Distillers had mothballed it in June 1993 along with Rosebank, Pittyvaich and Balmenach following the hostile take-over bid by Guinness of Bells and DCL. I was in South West Scotland looking for a holiday home and the distillery cottage was empty. Its location just 30 minutes drive from the ferry to Ireland was ideal. When I first asked UD to sell it they were a little surprised.
At the time I was able to justify the price which as usual I didn't have, by the possibility of converting some of the stone buildings into additional holiday accommodation to rent. I work as a Chartered Surveyor in the building trade in
Northern Ireland. The distillery land extends along the river for about 2 miles and we have fishing rights and planning permission for caravanning/camping. So it was sold to me as property not as a distillery. If the truth be known I got the
title deeds and my bank manager got the debt. One of the conditions of sale was that it should not be used as a distillery. Q7 - Is that so, Raymond? Raymond:
There's no short answer to this question, but a distillery is an interesting building. As a builder I have redeveloped quite a variety of buildings and whilst I love old stone and slate roofed buildings, I'm not usually too sentimental about them. In the case of Bladnoch, although a great deal of plant and equipment had been removed when it was closed down, the stills and washbacks and major items remained intact. Try walking through a distillery at night and it can nearly talk to you. If Prince Charles can talk to plants I can listen to my distillery. There is the noise of the water running underneath, the noise of the copper stills cooling in the night air (even when the distillery is mothballed), the noise of old timbers creaking. It's almost like a living thing, that just needs a little bit of human effort, to make it go and to reward you with its' wonderful spirit.
But most other malt maniacs are content with consuming and discussing single malts, leaving
the production to 'the experts'. Did you have any previous experience in the whisky production or trade?
After pilot, fireman and porn star, running a distillery must be high on the list of dream jobs for boys of all ages. But few would go as far as buying an airline or a movie
studio to find gainful employment.
Buy a distillery and find out for yourself...
Assuming I ever got the funding together, I still wouldn't know where to start. But maybe I could pick up some useful pointers from somebody who actually lived through
the rebirth of a distillery. Somebody like..., well, somebody like you, actually. Can you tell us something more about why and how you acquired Bladnoch?
Then how is it that Bladnoch operates as a distillery today?
Q8 - Ooh, you're getting all mushy and poetical on us here... ;-) Raymond:
The short answer is that although I bought the distillery with a restrictive covenant preventing distillation, there was a considerable amount of local pressure to reopen. If you live in a rural community like Galloway it's difficult to remain divorced from it, even if you only bought the place intending it to be a holiday home. I wasn't responsible for closing the distillery, but for nearly two hundred years it has played an important part in the life of this area. I don't think anyone would be permitted to own it without discharging some obligations to the community. In the end I made a New Year resolution to try to get permission to reopen. I'm happy to say that the community was right and United Distillers agreed.
Q9 - Hurray! Galloway sounds like a great place to live. Raymond:
The practical problem was obvious. United Distillers had closed the place and cannibalised it to ensure that it would never again operate as a distillery. All electrical equipment had been removed, shafts cut in half, mash tun floor, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, pipes etc. everything removed except stills and washbacks. The other more difficult problem was negotiating the removal of the restrictive covenant to permit small scale production. We are only permitted to distill 100,000 litres compared to the 1.3 million litres Bladnoch produced in the late 1980s. This doesn't represent a problem as I couldn't afford to produce any more than that amount unless I was permitted to sell it to a blender. In some ways the reduction in numbers of small independent distilleries also affects the smaller blenders because they have difficulty getting malts. Most of the larger companies prefer now to be self sufficient. They don't want to either buy from outside their own organisations or sell to outsiders.
I succeeded in the first instance because I didn't know what I was letting myself in for. I had basically to rebuild the place and to do so with limited financial
resources. If I had been more knowledgeable about what was involved I might have been less willing to try. I also succeeded because I was determined to succeed. I am a keen hill walker and there is an appropriate Chinese proverb which
says "A snail can climb the highest mountain, - slowly" If you are on the top of a mountain in Scotland in winter, cold, tired and wet, you have got to get yourself back down to comfort. There is little point in
complaining. The difficulties we encountered were only difficulties, they were not life threatening. I also succeeded because of the thought that two local farmers, T. & A. McClelland, were able to succeed in 1817 with much fewer resources
than were available to me.
And what if there were a short answer?
So now you had the permission you needed. Even so, I imagine it must have been very tough to start things up again from scratch. What problems did you encounter and, more
importantly, how did you succeed?
If I was large enough I'd probably do the same.
It is also true that I succeeded (we succeeded) not least because I had the help of our stillman John Herries who had worked in
Bladnoch for over 10 years and was keen to see the place operational again. I also was fortunate that in a large organisation like UDV there was at least one human being among senior staff, a gentleman called Dr. Alan Rutherford who could see no reason for not allowing small scale production at Bladnoch if their was anyone crazy enough to try. Without his help and that of his company it would not have been possible and both have my gratitude.
And think on this; Is it not a wonderful industry that still makes it possible for a small individual with limited resources to purchase a distillery, reinstate it, and enter the market of the wonderful world beating product that Scotch
whisky represents. To quote the immortal bard: "I sing the juice Scotch bere can make us, In glass or jug. Oh thou my muse! Guid auld Scotch drink!" Q10 - Oh, boy, there you go again Raymond. Raymond:
Unfortunately we only restarted production in December 2000 so it will be a long time before we see the product through to fruitition. In fact we were a little bit superstitious. I really wanted the year 2000, the new millennium not to be over without Bladnoch having distilled. I wanted to think that Bladnoch entered the new century and millennium optimistically. The December distillation took place before all the permissions were signed up. I pleaded "Irish" ignorance and was lucky. We have however casks of 10yo and 13 yo Bladnoch.
Q11 - I don't suppose these were forgotten and abandoned casks you discovered at distillery? Raymond:
Alas no. The only spirit we discovered at the Bladnoch was about 200 litres which had slept in the pipes since closure in 1993. At first when we opened the valves we thought it was caustic used for cleaning. I can confirm that 7 years in a stainless steel pipe is nowhere near as good as 7 years in wood. Nonetheless I felt obliged to try to syphon it out and when it accidentally entered my mouth I felt obliged to swallow it. I was brought up not to waste anything...
The 10yo and 13yo casks were generously offered for sale to me by Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie. Q12 - Hmmm - The 'Bladnoch 7yo Stainless Steel Limited Edition' sounds like the kind of bottling a real malt maniac would love to try,
but I guess we'll have to settle for the casks you mentioned. When those casks are bottled, I guess the bottles will be the first 'official' Bladnochs released in almost a decade. Have you decided on issues like age, strength, filtration and
colouring yet? Raymond:
We had planned to use the last whiskyschool group to select some casks for bottling and we are also in the middle of sorting out a new label which is not an easy task. John McDougall and John Glaser of Compassbox have also promised me some expert help in tasting. In the meantime I just do some practice tastings by myself. To bring a mercenary note to the question. Things like age, strength etc. are taking second place at the moment to matters such as bottling costs, packaging costs etc. Also we have only just completed on the Customs and Excise paperwork because (although our warehouses were registered to receive whisky which we produced at Bladnoch) additional registrations were required to bring in whisky from another warehouse, even though it was Bladnoch. Overall I have a lot to learn.
Q13 - Well, you seem to be on the right track. Raymond:
I think we are unlikely to sell Bladnoch at less than 8yo. Arrans' case was slightly different. As a new distillery they had nothing older to sell and people were keen to sample the new taste. We restarted production in December 2000 after being mothballed in June 1993, so the youngest of the former stock will be 15 when the new produce is 8yo. We might decide to bottle some stocks of 10yo and 12yo and leave them in bond (which is obviously cheaper) to ensure that in the future we have something younger than 15.
Incidentally at one of our whiskyschools we did a peated Bladnoch at about 22 parts per million instead of our usual 3ppm. That certainly brought a different smell to the distillery. We also give the spirit a bit more time in the copper now
than in the Bells and UD era when the stillmen were always under pressure to complete distilling on time before the next shift arrived. The distillery was working three eight hour shifts. Also on one or two occasions we have changed our
distilling technique with some interesting results. We keep notes on any changes that might influence particular casks. Q14 - Yes, about those casks. Even the finest of spirits can easily be ruined if you put it in the wrong cask. What
type of casks do you use for the new whisky - and why? Raymond:
We are not producing whisky to be used in a blend, so we can have a variety of casks. Blenders would probably want more consistency. That said it's important that we retain the traditional citrussy notes typical of a Lowland malt and bourbon casks generally compliment and enhance Bladnoch. We also purchased some very good quality sherry butts. Even at 18 months old the spirit from a 6 year old sherry hogshead has achieved a wonderful colour. The young wood, 6 year old means it breaths well and the impregnation with a good quality sherry for that period should produce interesting results. On the other hand it may be overly powerful for Bladnoch and we might have to recask the whisky in a few years.
I have received a lot of assistance in the purchasing of casks from Gordon Motion who works in the quality control department of Edrington (Famous Grouse, Macallan, Glengoyne) In large companies a lot of managers get moved around to gain
experience. As a result many well known distillery managers have spent time at Bladnoch and are genuinely pleased at its survival. Ian Henderson of Laphroaig, and Ian Millar of Glenfiddich to name but two. Gordon Mitchell of Arran has also
been very helpful, as has Ian McMillen of Burn Stewart. Q15 - Hmm, it sounds like genuine Scottish sweat is part of the new Bladnoch recipe. Now let's talk about another important ingredient. Are you producing a 'fully Scottish' malt at
Bladnoch, with Scottish barley? Raymond:
A "fully Scottish" malt from a distillery that is much closer to Ireland than to the Highlands or even Glasgow; from a distillery that up until the mid nineteen fifties used the Irish style of triple distilling and like Irish distillers doesn't use peated malt; from a distillery that between 1911 and 1937 was owned by Royal Irish Distillers of Belfast; from a distillery situated in remote Galloway were its' inhabitants are known in Scotland as the Galloway Irish and where in the last century Gaelic was spoken. To be sure I'll be producing a "fully Scottish" malt!
We buy our malt from Simpsons of Berwick on Tweed, variety 'Optic' or 'Chariot'. We hope in the autumn to be sourcing it from a farmer at Garlieston 6 miles from the distillery. He has an organic farm and although I have no real preference
for organically grown barley, I am pleased to be able to use a local product. It will cost us very slightly more but then because of our small scale production, most of our costs are slightly higher, probably £2 per litre of alcohol as against
perhaps £1.30. Q16 - I imagine that's not the only disadvantage you have compared to larger companies. As a small, independent distillery you have to compete with 'the big boys'. How will you put Bladnoch on the map again?
Raymond:
I think it is much easier now for a small company to compete. Websites and internet selling offers us the chance to put our product directly in front of people in their own homes. In how many big distilleries can you speak at night directly to the owner or to the stillman? In our case he is probably the person who next day will be wrapping up your bottle. Malt drinkers are an unusual customer in that they are often prepared to go to great lengths to obtain a product, to research it, to know where, how and by whom it is produced. It is no longer essential to have huge marketing budgets. Having said that, I think that large companies can do a great deal for the industry. They can advertise the product to new markets and they don't have to obtain an immediate return on their expenditure. They should be able to plan for the long term. The disadvantage is that whisky may not be their only product. Do they promote a long term product like malt whisky or do they please today's' shareholders by producing gin today that they can sell tomorrow, or perhaps the choice includes selling more beefburgers?
As regards putting Bladnoch on the map again, because of our limited resources, (that just means we haven't much money) we are permanently short of staff, particularly clerical staff. We put our money into production rather than marketing
but at the end of the day selling our product is going to be very important to us. We can't simple arrive 6 or 7 years down the road and expect to be recognised in the marketplace, but it is difficult. Things like whiskyschools, tasting
events, and most importantly for us, free publicity like this article, for which I am grateful, keep us in the public eye. Our Visitor Centre gets about 25,000 visitors each year. Rather surprisingly we get quite a lot of free
television. In July for example a few episodes from a series called '2000 Acres of Sky' is being filmed at Bladnoch. The producer got no "Brownie" points from me for saying he "needed a rather dilapidated old distillery".
He tried to retract the insult by saying his make up people would have to do some work on the buildings. Q17 - You told us you were only allowed to distill 100.000 litres a year - that's roughly 140.000 bottles. Not a whole lot,
considering it will have to nourish thousands of Bladnoch lovers around the world. Do you plan on targeting specific markets in the future? Raymond:
Is this a trick question to test my maths or have I been giving my bank manager incorrect figures? Our 100,000 ola's is based on original litres of alcohol at 100% i.e. "pure alcohol" not at the 40% figure you used. We lose about 2% per annum in evaporation, which after 10 years should leave us about 80,000 litres measured at 100%, or 186,046 litres at 43% equivalent to 265,780 70cl bottles. Put another way our 100,000 ola's will be reduced in strength by the addition of water and filled into the casks at 63.5% abv. This will require 630 hogsheads each with 250 bulk litres. In reality with leakage and other losses including theft you could find yourself averaging as little as 30 cases of 12 i.e. 360 bottles @ 43% from each hogshead. Recently we regauged 20 of our 13yo hoggies and they averaged 114 litres of alcohol (equivalent to 378 70cl bottles @ 43%).
There lurks a poet in the hart of every Irishman ;-)
So, with the help of John Herries and Alan Rutherford you managed to revive the distillation tradition at Bladnoch. When did you start production again at Bladnoch, and are bottlings of
the whisky you produced already available?
We've been talking about the old stuff, but what about the new product distilled since 2000? The new Arran distillery put a single malt on the market as soon as it was legally possible -
after only three years of maturation. Theoretically, we could see a new Bladnoch on the shelves in 2004.
Q18 - Oops, my mistake. But since you brought it up: it seems to be common practise nowadays to dilute the fresh spirit before it is casked - in your case to 63.5%. Why is
that? I'm
absolutely crazy about the UD Rare Malts Saint Magdalene 19yo 1979/1998, which comes in the bottle at a whopping 63.8% after 19 years in wood. This leads me to believe this malt must have been casked at well over 70%. What are your thoughts on this?
Raymond:
I'm not sure I can answer your question other than to say that it's the traditional strength of filling at Bladnoch, but tradition only goes back to living memory. At a strength of 63.5% rather than the original 70% the spirit requires more casks and more storage space, consequently there does not appear to be a cost benefit. The strength of a 19 year old Bladnoch will obviously be influenced by the filling strength, time in wood and the evaporation levels (influenced by cask size and type, condition, number of previously fillings, warehouse conditions etc.)
In fact your Saint Magdalene was (I think) only distilled twice and is unlikely to have been filled much above 70%. Ignoring the maths, if the whisky turns out
exceptionally good I might just retire and drink it myself. If it's bad I may have to drink it myself. There should still be some middling quality stuff left for the rest of the world. Seriously though I think as a very small producer we would
be most effective by concentrating on the UK and perhaps one or two European countries which are the most accessible. Q19 - Like Holland, for example? Raymond:
Living in Northern Ireland I didn't have the opportunity in my youth to travel in the same way as people living on continental Europe. Even after just one visit to the Whisky Festival at The Hague (and despite having no experience in marketing or promotion) we get more interest in our whisky from Holland than any other country outside the UK. Interest includes both visitors to our website and visitors to the distillery. I might add that people are not just interested in our whisky but they are also interested in the distillery and in us, its' employees, which is nice.
A small business like Bladnoch is naturally keen to raise its' profile in Europe. Holland with a high standard of living, and where most people speak English and seem to me to be quite similar in character, (even if not as good at football
as Ireland who are still playing in the world cup) is an obvious choice. Bladnoch is only about three and a half hours drive from Newcastle and the ferry to IJmuiden. Ryanair and Easyjet do flights from Amsterdam to Prestwick about one and
half hours drive from the distillery. They also do a cheap car hire package. So despite being located in a rather remote part of Scotland, we are more accessible than many other distilleries. Q20 - I'm sure a lot of 'single malt pilgrims'
will be glad to know that. And I guess the Whisky School you run at the distillery would be another excuse to drop by. Can you tell us a little more about that? Raymond:
The whiskyschools have been attended by a wide range of people from all over the world, both sexes and all ages. Usually we meet for dinner on Thursday night in the pub opposite the distillery. First thing Friday morning we mash in under the supervision of John our stillman and John McDougall who is our resident expert. On Saturday we distill the wash that was mashed in on the previous Wednesday and was fermenting during Thursday & Friday. On Sunday they select casks and fill them and put them in the warehouse. All this including talks, tastings, cleaning etc. I have not yet managed to get them involved in the "managerial" work performed by the distillery owner, i.e. cutting grass, painting --- the list is endless! And there's more good news, the participants pay £300 for this doubtful "privilege". I was wondering if anyone would be interested in taking part in a "building" school in Ireland, learning to drive a wheelbarrow etc.
Essentially it is very enjoyable and I hope when everyone goes back home they will bore there friends to death talking about Bladnoch. See Q21 - And now for something completely different: A little bird told us that you have been secretly stockpiling the Loch Dhu 10yo. Will you
be serving it at the Whisky School as an example how a single malt SHOULDN'T taste? Raymond:
I feel a little bit guilty about all the scorn that is heaped on Loch Dhu - including by yourself Johannes! I've tasted it once or twice but even the sales rep selling it to me referred to it as an RBB (Rough as a Badgers Bum) He was a big strapping Highlander and I didn't like to be so indelicate as to enquire how he had come to obtain this rather detailed knowledge.
It's true that I did buy rather a lot of Loch Dhu when I heard production was stopping.
Although filling at a higher strength gives you more bottling options I am considering the opposite i.e. filling a few casks at a variety of low strengths. I personally prefer to sip my whisky without adding water and can do so up to a
strength of about 50%. Fill at 50% and you may find your cask strength in 10 years below 40% and not capable of being sold as whisky. I sampled a 10 yo Bladnoch recently which came out of the cask at just 50% abv. I have no idea why its
strength was so low but it tasted delicious.
Why then after 19 years was the evaporation level so modest?
In our
warehouse even after just 18 months there is a noticeable difference in maturation of spirit held in 500 litre butts compared to the 200 barrels. The butts are developing more slowly. Recently I was considering purchasing some good
quality sherry butts from a bodega in Spain. I was put off by the fact that their capacity was about 625 litres.
There was a possibility that a man of my age might not see the benefits.
Unfortunately it all sold out rather quickly in our shop, hopefully not in preference to Bladnoch.
I have to say that I wish I had kept it, for it sells regularly in McTears auction at a very good premium.
Q22 - Don't get me started on Loch Dhu 10yo. And let me assure you I'm
not the only one with strong feelings about this malt. When I served it
during this year's 'Midsummernight's Dram' in Holland it ignited a lengthy discussion about the extreme treatment they must have given the poor casks to produce this 'Aqua Crematoria'. Raymond: At Bladnoch I'm considering some experimentation on placing emphisis on differences in distilling techniques as well as on wood. Springbank does this through double distillation, triple
distillation, and two and a half times but I think with the flexibility available to small distilleries this can be successfully carried much further. For example if I was to offer you two minatures of Bladnoch and the label read that one was
taken from the earlier part of the run, say from 74% down to a cut at 67% and the second was from the second part of the run 67% down to say 60% which would you buy? I suspect some malt maniacs might want to buy both, because they not only
enjoy a good whisky but they have become almost obsessed by taste and the detailed information relating to taste analysis. It's amazing to see how malt maniacs are not just curious about taste, but also interested in acquiring every detail on
how the taste was created. It is ironic that distillers strive for consistency and then seek to offer different expressions through a wood policy. Almost 90 malt distilleries offering a wide range of tastes and still we seek more...
Q23 - Well, I for one am glad that Bladnoch is one of those 90 surviving distilleries. Raymond:
I think that in choosing a bottling I am less likely to use the usual taste criteria. I would have difficulty not being influenced by political factors. I should really say "all UDV bottlings are best" because they are, but also because they hold the largest amounts of Bladnoch stocks some of which I have been unsuccessfully trying to persuade them to sell. I probably would choose the UDV 10 YO Flora and Fauna bottling, not for any of the normal taste reasons although I think it's a really delicious dram but because in many ways it represents the continuity and survival of Bladnoch and particularly during the next six or seven years. The closure during the UDV period of ownership was desperately traumatic. They bought the distillery, they expanded it, they closed it, they cannibalised it, vandalised it and they sold it, with a restriction that it should never again distill. In fairness they later removed a restrictive covenant once again making production possible, and did so without payment of a single pound/euro. In addition they sold me back some plant and equipment without which I would have found it impossible to reopen.
For a reason equally nothing to do with taste I am a little reluctant to promote the more recently introduced UDV Rare Malts Bladnoch, again a most wonderful dram. To me it denoted not so much an expression of an old rare whisky from a fine
operational distillery but rather the last exploitation of a distillery that had been "put down" for purely financial reasons. I have unsuccessfully requested on their www.raremalts.com website, if they would indicate that we are
once again distilling and possibly even indicate our opening times or telephone numbers or a link to our website
Considering the new product won't be bottled for another few years, Bladnoch fans will have to make do with the bottlings that are available today for a
while longer. If you had to 'paint a picture' of your distillery with three bottles that best represent what Bladnoch is all about, which current bottlings would you choose - and why?
Q24 - OK, let me rephrase my last question: What would be your personal choice? Raymond:
When it comes to personal choice I have to declare Bladnochs' independence and individuality. My choice will always be a bottling from one of the many independent bottlers whose efforts have largely ensured that Bladnoch has remained in the marketplace and at affordable prices. These as you know include Signatory, Cadenheads, James McArthur and Gordon & MacPhails.
In the early part of the last century Bladnoch traded under the name T&A McClelland and their label included the boldly printed letters ESS (Extra Strong Scotch) So give me a good quality cask strength dram and I will give
you a happy man. I want to finish if I may with a quote from Brian Townsend in Scotch Missed, Lost Distilleries of Scotland. "It is somehow impossible not to feel a special regret at the demise of Bladnoch. Among the 100 or more
distilleries chronicled in this book, few can match it for the richness of its history and its stubborn ability to survive for so long against such odds. Bladnoch is one distillery about which a small novel could be written rather than the
brief pen portrait given here. So much about it is noteworthy - and is still today rated as a distilling gem. The rarer sherried examples which occasionally come to light are exceptional by any standards"
OK, Raymond, on that lyrical note I'd like to thank you for your time and wish you lots of luck in making Bladnoch a success once more. I'm quite sure you will succeed.
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E-pistle #03/12 - Macallan JOLT
Transcript by Johannes van den Heuvel, Holland
Target: Macallan, Speyside; Date: 20/06/2002
Tasting Team:
Davin de Kergommeaux (JOLTing in Amsterdam, Holland)
Johannes van den Heuvel (JOLTing in Amsterdam, Holland)
Klaus Everding (JOLTing in Amsterdam, Holland)
Krishna Prasad Nukala (JOLTing in Mumbai, India)
Louis Perlman
(JOLTing in New York, USA)
Mark Adams (JOLTing in Palo Alto, USA)
Michael Wade (JOLTing in Boston, USA)
Patrick Whaley (JOLTing in Minneapolis, USA)
Roman Parparov (JOLTing in Amsterdam, Holland)
Serge Valentin (JOLTing in Amsterdam, Holland)
Hurray! JOLT #3 is upon us... An awful lot of fun was had by all.
When you read log entry #118 you'll understand why things were even more chaotic than usual. As the picture at the top shows, we
had a lot of bottles to investigate - and only one night to do so. The sixteen (!) Macallans on the table should allow us to form an
informed opinion about this high profile distillery. And not just any opinion; with Macs being shipped in from four different countries we should be able to get a truly international perspective on Macallan.
This transcript was made a couple of weeks after the actual events. Johannes van den Heuvel
JOLT #1 (December 2001; target Laphroaig) was a try-out. Our second JOLT (March 2002; target Aberlour) went pretty smoothly, so
we had some great expectations for our third virtual gathering, focussing on Macallan this time. Well, actually, this gathering wasn't
quite as 'virtual' as the previous two. Maniacs from Canada (Davin de Kergommeaux), France (Serge Valentin), Germany (Klaus
Everding, assisted for the occasion by Michael Fornalczyk), Israel (Roman Parparov) and Holland (yours truly, with assistance from
Maaike and Alexander) joined forces in Amsterdam for what Mark Adams so eloquently called 'The Dramsterdam Maltathon'; three days of stiff dramming, starting and ending at my humble abode.
So much fun, in fact, that we in Amsterdam might have been a bit negligent when it comes to our reporting duties.
Sorry about that...
After I had recovered from the Mac-attack and the subsequent sessions I tried to piece together a record of our e-discussions.
Despite the world-wide timezone troubles a lot of the maniacs outside Amsterdam provided virtual assistance. More than assistance
actually; they saved the day. If it hadn't been for their efforts this transcript would have been very thin indeed. Especially Mark Adams deserves a feather on his cap; like the battery-bunny in the commercial he kept on going and going.
Anyway.... Enjoy the transcript of our third JOLT.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sampled single malts:
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Fifties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Forties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Thirties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Twenties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Macallan 7yo (40%, OB, 70cl, International version)
Macallan 10yo (40%, OB, 70cl)
Macallan 10yo '100 Proof' (57%, OB, 70cl)
Macallan 10yo 'Cask Strength' (58.8%, OB, 100cl)
Macallan 11yo 1988 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, 75cl)
Macallan 12yo 1988 (43%, Signatory Vintage, 75cl)
Macallan 12yo (40%, OB, 70cl, bottled +/- 2001)
Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 75cl, bottled +/- 2000)
Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 100cl, bottled +/-1999)
Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 75cl, bottled +/-1988)
Macallan 15yo 1984 (43%, OB, 70cl)
Macallan 15yo 1985 (43, OB, 75cl)
Macallan 18yo 1982 (43%, OB, 70cl)
Macallan 18yo 1983 (43%, OB, 75cl)
Macallan 18yo 1979 'Gran Reserva' (43%, OB, 75cl)
Macallan 24yo 1977 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, 75cl)
Macallan 25yo 1975 Anniversary Malt (43%, OB, 75cl)
.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >
Macallan JOLT 001 - 20/06/2002/20:45 GMT - Johannes
Hi, fellow Malt Maniacs,
Through no fault of his own, Davin will arrive a little late.
The four other maniacs here are very ready to rumble, so we've (unwisely) decided to have a few drams (non-Macallans) while we
wait for Davin. Meanwhile, let me fill you in about our plans for the evening. Here's the original Amsterdam menu:
- Macallan 7yo (40%, OB, 70cl, 2001 bottling, unopened, Johannes)
- Macallan 1991/2001 'Speymalt' (40%, G&M, 70cl, unopened, Serge)
- Macallan 1990/1999 (50%, 'John Milroy Millennium Selection', 70cl, unopened, Johannes)
- Macallan 1990/2000 'Dun Eideann' (46%, Dun Eideann, 70cl, unopened, Serge)
- Macallan 10yo (40%, OB, 70cl, unopened, Johannes)
- Macallan 10yo '100 Proof' (57%, OB, 70cl, open, Klaus)
- Macallan 10yo 'Cask Strength' (58.8%, OB, 100cl, unopened, Johannes)
- Macallan 12yo (40%, OB, 70cl, 2001 bottling, unopened, Johannes)
- Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 100cl, 1999 bottling, open, Johannes)
- Macallan 15yo 1984 (43%, OB, 70cl, unopened, Johannes)
- Macallan 18yo 1982 (43%, OB, 70cl, open, Johannes)
- Macallan 1974/1994 '24.28' (55.8%, SMWS, ??cl, open, Serge)
- Macallan Travellers Edition 'Fifties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl, unopened, Serge)
- Macallan Travellers Edition 'Forties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl, unopened, Serge)
- Macallan Travellers Edition 'Thirties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl, unopened, Serge)
- Macallan Travellers Edition 'Twenties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl, unopened, Serge)
To keep things managable, we decided to divide the proceedings into eight H2H-sessions. ---> The Standards
Is this a fantastic line-up or what? Johannes
But even then our research field is huge. So, we divided things even further to allow our senses and livers to recover from the ordeal. We planned the following Standards / Specials / Independents set-up;
Macallan 7yo (40%, OB) vs Macallan 10yo (40%, OB)
Macallan 12yo 'New' (40%, OB, 70cl) vs Macallan 12yo 'Old' (43%, OB, 100cl)
Macallan 15yo 1984 (43%, OB) vs Macallan 18yo 1982 (43%, OB)
<Break>
---> The Specials
Macallan Travellers Edition 20's vs Travellers Edition 30's
Macallan Travellers Edition 50's vs Travellers Edition 40's
Macallan 10yo '100 Proof' vs Macallan 10yo 'Cask Strength'
<Break>
---> The Independents
Macallan 1990/2000 (46%, 'Dun Eideann') vs Macallan 1990/1999 (50%, 'John Milroy')
Macallan 1991/2001 'Speymalt' (40%, G&M) vs Macallan 1974/1994 (55.8%, SMWS)
<Drunken singing and all-round cameraderie>
Macallan JOLT 002 - 20/06/2002/20:53 GMT - Mark
Hi guys, I'm getting ready as well... I might even start early (it's not even 15:00 PM local time over here), so I can taste at the same time as the Dramsterdam Bunch. Cheers! Mark.
I have just added the 18YO 1983 OB to my flight of Macallans, so I have 4 to taste.
Macallan 11yo 1988 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, 75cl, sherry cask, (2nd fill?)
Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 75cl)
Macallan 18yo 1983
(43%, OB, 75cl)
Macallan 24yo 1977 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, 75cl, bourbon barrel - I think)
Macallan JOLT 003 - 20/06/2002/21:05 GMT - Patrick
Hi, fellers, I should be good to go!
Lots of news also! Seems Macallan is replacing the 15yo here in the US with a CS bottling!
See you soon. Patrick
How cool is that! Yum yum! Also got the new newletter from the whisky exchange.
I think I am going to purchase the new Caol Ila line, the 15yo F&F is being discontinued.
I was also interested in the new Glenfiddich 21yo Havanna Rum finished.
Oh yeah, and the Springer 15yo, only one bottle per person though!
Macallan JOLT 004 - 20/06/2002/21:51 GMT - Johannes
We are already having lots of fun here, so I'll send a very short report this time. The Macallan 7yo (40%, OB) on the table was a new, International bottling. This version used to be available only in Italy, where the average
Italian drammer seems to prefer his malts unusually young. Well, as it turned out it was at bit of a disappointment with an average
score well below 70 points - people who had also tried the Italian version scored this one about 5 points lower. I had no basis for comparison, but I found the nose of this new batch very rough and sour. No finesse. The
taste was very bitter from the start. We sampled the Mac 7 in a H2H with the Macallan 10yo (40%, OB).
Impressions by Klaus:
OK, Guys, the Macallan JOLT has officially started!
See the digital snapshot for photographic evidence.
Clockwise, starting at the right, we have Davin (in
the checkered shirt), Roman (standing), Klaus (sitting
and grinning), Alexander (anonimised because he's not
a 'proper' maniac), Serge (with moustache, eager to
start the JOLT) and finally, at the center of attention
as usual, yours truly. Not in the picture are Michael
from Germany and Alexander's girlfriend Maaike.
I've never sampled this Italian version, but if the ratings in the matrix (73-81 points) are anything to go by it performed pretty good for its age.
A new, international version recently became available in other markets as well. It goes without saying that we were eager to include this one in our investigation.
This is an 'international' version as well. It has been available for ages as a cheaper alternative for the 12yo in most markets, but in
the UK the 10yo seems to be the 'standard' version. The 12yo (more about that later) is only available in the export markets. The
nose of the 10yo had much more depth, character and finesse than the 7yo. Very sweet, sherried and waxy in comparison. I found
the taste of sherry wood very obvious. Compared to the 7yo the new 10yo performed reasonably well, but in my mind it's not nearly
as 'Macallanish' as a bottling I tried a few years ago. That one scored 82 points, this one just 74 - at least in my book.
Most other maniacs agreed with similar scores, but Klaus liked it and gave the 10yo a solid 85 points.
The 7yo Mac was a disappointment. Fruity and light with some sherry in the nose but also chemistry with artificial esthers. The
taste: sweet, fruity and some bitterness in the finish - not very macallanish. Those of the maniacs who had already tried the Mac
7yo earlier from another bottle agreed upon that their earlier experience was more pleasant. The 10 yo Mac gave an impression of
the typical housestyle. Fruity sweetness, with raisins, sherry, toffee and a touch of wood in nose and taste. Nothing to get crazy upon. I have better memories on earlier tasted Mac10s.
Impressions by Roman: Amsterdam scores:
Nose M7: underdeveloped, sour, chemical.
Nose M10: spicy, sherried. Salt and pepper.
Taste M7: woody, medicine notes. Bitter.
Taste M10: citric notes in the sherry. Bitterness on the finish. Still salt and pepper.
07yo (40.0%) SV=59, RP=68, DK=70, KE=70, JH=65 (new, international bottling)
10yo (40.0%) SV=75, RP=76, DK=75, KE=85, JH=74 (new, international bottling)
So, everybody preferred the 10 over the 7 by at least five points, sometimes much more.
We also did a H2H of the new Macallan 12yo
(40%, OB, 70cl) against the old Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 100cl).
Sadly, my notes for this pairing are flimsy. I noticed that the new version didn't readily show the famous Macallan characteristics, but
after a while they appeared - sherry, burnt wood, sherry, dark chocolate, sherry, toffee... This seems to be another Mac in decline; everybody rated the new version at least 2 points lower than the old one.
Impressions by Klaus:
When first poured into the glass the 40% unfolded a very strong aroma but with unpleasant edges. Waiting several minutes
smoothed the edges but there was still something which should not have been there. The 43% Mac 12yo behaved like I know him -
the typical aroma, no need to describe it again. The differences in the nose could best be detected in Johannes' big cognac bowls.
In the taste the differences between the two bottles were only marginable. Fruits, sherry, raisins, toffee, chocolate and wood in both.
All maniacs present rated the 40% bottle at least 2 points lower than the 43%. This might confirm Craig's warning. But there is also
another possible explanation.The 40% bottle was fresh opened whereas the 43% had some air for several weeks. I never experienced the necessity for breaking in with Macallans but maybe that has changed.
Impressions by Roman: Amsterdam scores:
Nose M12 new: sherry, tender. Hints of apples.
Nose M12 old: just about the same notes, but more soundly pronounced.
Taste M12 new: chocolate, then citric elements. Very sherried
Taste M12 old: sherry all over. Hints of sherry and citrus. Tingly, exciting.
12yo (40.0%) SV=82, RP=80, DK=78, KE=86, JH=80
12yo (43.0%) SV=84, RP=82, DK=82, KE=88, JH=86 (old, 100cl)
We'll take a little break now, while Serge pours us a blind dram he brought from France. Johannes
More reports to follow,
Macallan JOLT 005 - 20/06/2002/23:07 GMT - Craig
Wow, awesome range! Serge's face is gleaming with obvious satisfaction.
I think Dramsterdam as a name for Malt Manicas Mission Central is just wonderful. Slainte, Craig
It's 7.00am here and as much as I'd like to dram with you, I've still got to go to work and then drive 160miles off into the Country.
Keep a list of what you try and tell everyone who couldn't make it what each of the attendees Top 3 malts where - be very interesting to see if a consensus emerges plus being useful 'shopping' information.
Have fun - I'm feeling depressed about not being part of it, believe me!
Macallan JOLT 006 - 20/06/2002/23:18 GMT - Patrick
Hi, Dramsterdammers,
Thanks for bringing that up, about the new version of the Mac 12yo. Pat
Was that just a change for Europe?
I believe that I bought my 12yo earlier this year and it is 43%.
And I am impressed, this is really good!
Coming up next, the soon to be extinct Macallan 15yo 1985.
Macallan JOLT 007 - 20/06/2002/23:30 GMT - Louis
Hello Everybody, By luck, I can participate in real time for a little while; I have some quality time by myself. The Macallan 12yo
(43%, OB, bottled circa 1988, 75cl) is a bit darker, with more body, richer nose, etc. That's it for now, I'll do a follow up with some other Macs tomorrow night. Cheers. Louis
It's a little early (5:20 PM) for heavy drinking, but I opened my Macallan 12yo 1988
(43%, Signatory Vintage, 75cl). Decent enough, with a strong family resemblence. Clearly filtered (darn), which it must be at 43%. It seems to lack maturity. Maybe the cask was not
first rate, or perhaps it was refill, rather than first fill. I'll be sampling it over the next few months, to see if breakin helps any. This
bottle was from a cask bottled for Park Ave. Liquors (one of the top tier SMS retailers in the US), so you'd think that they would have done a better job with cask selection.
So for once the distillery trumps the independent, and for less money as well (the Signatory set me back $40).
Of course, this observation won't be finalized until allowing for breakin for the Signatory.
Macallan JOLT 008 - 20/06/2002/23:49 GMT - Serge
Hi Craig, all, Here is the infuriating French ostrich in Amsterdam :-) Anyway, the Mac 7yo was very bad. Sorry, I am not used to the non-French keyboards... Serge
Obvious satisfaction - yeah, yeah, fantastic lineup here.
The 10yo was so-so, the 12yo 43% was good, the 12yo 40 was OK, the 15yo was very good...
And now, we are wondering whether the 18yo 1984 is better.
More to come, from a much more skilled maniac-typist.
Macallan JOLT 009 - 20/06/2002/23:58 GMT - Patrick
Hi, guys, Well, the structure is very different for this JOLT. Pat
Doesn't have the same feel as the Aberlour one.
Probably being cuz a few of you guys are together in Amsterdam.
Macallan JOLT 010 - 21/06/2002/00:27 GMT - Johannes
Ah yes, Patrick
Sorry about the absence of frequent & fluent reports from Amsterdam, but it's just very hectic here - in a good way. Don't forget
most of us here in Amsterdam have never met before in real life, so we have a lot to talk about. One of the things we're talking about
right now has to do with something you brought up earlier - the differences in availability between Europe and the US. Strangely
enough, some new bottlings seem to reach the US before they reach Europe - the Mac 15yo 1985 you described as 'soon to be
extinct' has just arrived on our shelves. I haven't heard about the 'no age statement' cask strength replacement you mentioned yet.
Quite frankly, I would be surprised if this other version would replace the 15yo altogether. A cask strength NAS malt would probably
appeal to a slightly different audience and the disappearance of a 15yo version would leave a 'gap' between the 12yo and 18yo - a
gap that competitors like Aberlour or Glendronach would be happy to fill. What's more, after the recent release of a 10yo Cask
Strength version Macallan would have two different cask strength malts in the range - rather unusual, if I'm not mistaken. Meanwhile, we've sampled the Macallan 15yo 1984 (43%, OB) and Macallan 18yo 1982 (43%, OB).
Once more, my notes are very sketchy. Bothes noses showed smoke in the nose and more fruit than the younger versions. I both
rated them at 89 points, which means I enjoyed them immensely. This is the really good stuff - the kind of stuff that earned Macallan
its reputation in the first place, I guess. That's all the notes I have on the matter, but here are some other impressions:
Impressions by Klaus:
15 yo: Nose - much sherry and fruits, beeswax and woodpolish, some smoke - very close to the c/s Macallans. The 18yo: Sherry,
wood, smoke, charcoal, wet earth. Both are very nice. Just put your nose over the glass and dream of fruitmarkets and dark woods.
The taste of these Macallans offers more nuances than the 12 yo. Strong and earthy sherry taste illuminated by toffee and a tingling
flash of mint and citrus fruits for the Macallan 15 yo. Pronounced woody notes, gentleman like discretion not to boast whith the
bouquet and a fine balance are the aspects of the18yo additional to the Macallan house style. For me the winner is the 15yo malt. It is a little more agile and so it catches the winning point but just by a whisker.
Impressions by Roman: Amsterdam scores:
Nose M15: sherried, iodine breaks later in and dominates. Very developing nose.
Nose M18: sherried, stable iodine, hints of lemons.
Taste M15: sherried, peaty. Iodine breaks in pleasantly. Toffee. Taste continues to develop.
Taste M18: sherried, stable iodine, less peat. Toffee, grapes.
15yo: SV=88, RP=87, DK=86, KE=92, JH=89
18yo: SV=88, RP=85, DK=87, KE=91, JH=89
Everybody agreed both malts are very similar. I thought the price of the 15 was pretty steep when it was introduced, but compared to the 18 it offers good value! Next, we will tackle the four new 'Travellers Editions' Serge brought from France.
Johannes
Macallan JOLT 011 - 21/06/2002/00:42 GMT - Patrick
Hey guys, sounds like your having fun, you should take more pics! Here are my notes for the Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 75cl) Next: the
Macallan 15yo 1985 (43%, OB, 75cl) I guess I am a little girl today. Have Fun, Gentleman! Patrick
Nose: sherry, oranges? some spice, resin, fresh and fruity
Palate: sweet, sherry, toffee, spices again, subtle wood
Finish: sherry wood, cork, some heat, cherries? medium-long
Comments: I'm surprised, this is much better than I remember. I remember it being harsher and a lot more woody.
There isn't as much heat which I definitely remember from before. Perhaps my palate is evolving or something. Nice complexity in the
nose, good taste and feel on the palate. I like the cherries in the finish, sort of reminds me of A'buadh (but not as good as, of course).
I also remember that in previous tastings I could find more cork, but not this time. The fresh and fruity notes are so pleasant. A nice
refined complex malt, good flavors and well balanced indeed. Each facet is balanced very well, one doesn't overpower another, they all
work very well together. This is very good. I wish I could keep on drinking this as opposed to moving on to the others, but then again
I can't wait to get to the 18yo. So anyway, wonderfully balanced, complex, good flavors, all elements work tog! ether in harmony. If this malt is consistantly like this, it score will rise.
So good, so pleasant!
Score: 85
Nose: big initial whiff of sherry, soft, citrus, orange, toffee, subtle ginger
Palate: soft, sherry, toffee, spice (cloves or nutmeg), very smooth
Finish: spicy, sheryy, yes orange! slight dryness, medium-long
Comments: Initially there is more sherry in the nose than in the 12yo, it is also softer. For a second I thought I smelled lemon. The
nose is also more refined than the 12yo. The palate is very, very good, nice and soft and very smooth. Upon the first sip, it was
somewhathard to keep up, it seemed like everything hit me all at once. The orange in the finish is just spectacular. There now seems
to be something in the nose that is offsetting the balance. The palate may be better than the 12yo. It's hard to say which I like
better. I love the refined, soft, smooth, and orange notes of the 15yo, but the balance of the 12yo was just incredible, as perfect as
perfect can get. Like I said about the 12yo, if the 15yo consistantly does this well, Macallan will defintely be living up to its expectations in my eyes. Maybe these sherry malts are starting to come around on me.
What a difference three years can make.
Score: 85
I need to give my palate a break, it's getting a little exhausted.
I just got done tasting the 18yo and it wasn't as good as the others.
But like I said my palate is fatigued because I am a wuss or something.
But I also remember the 18yo 1979 needed some time to break in.
The 12yo and the 15yo though were spectacular.
Macallan JOLT 012 - 21/06/2002/01:19 GMT - Michael
Hey folks,
I dusted off a few bottles let me have a crack at it. I warn you now - I'm not really a "ratings" kind of person. Macallan Gran Reserva 18yo 1979
(43%, OB, 75cl) Macallan 25 yo (43%, OB, 75cl)
Friends, I envy you all and I raise a dram in your name. Slainte ! Michael
But I am familiar with the MJ school of ratings so I can use that for now.
Color: Deep red amber
Nose: Sherry dominance in the fore, with fruit emerging. Citrus tones. Oranges. Nutty. Spicy
Palate: Sherry. Sherry. Sherry. Fruity- the orange follows through and very spicy. Oily mouthfeel.
Finish: Long and oily
Rating: 87 (For a sherry lover)
Color: Mahogany
Nose: Slight smokiness here, fruity and herbal, the smokiness overlaps the ester tones.
Palate: Herbal and picy- waxy all in front of a backdrop of the slightest smoke and woozest
Finish: Long and zesty
Rating: 90
Macallan JOLT 013 - 21/06/2002/01:32 GMT - Johannes
Hello, maniacs, It's getting late here in Amsterdam. Macallan Travellers Edition 'Twenties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl) We sampled them in two flights; the 20's against the 30's and the 40's against the 50's.
The discussions are getting deeper and the spirits are getting higher.
Serge brought 'The Whiskygame' with him and we played it - lots of fun.
We've just finished two H2H's with the 'Travellers Editions' Serge brought with him.
Like most of tonight's bottles, we opened them especially for the occasion.
Here's our dancecard:
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Thirties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Forties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Macallan Travellers Edition 'Fifties' (40.0%, OB, 50cl)
Meanwhile, my notes were getting increasingly vague - partly because I'm the one typing the real-time messages to the rest of the
team. All I wrote down on this occasion was a strange little detail; all bottles have corks, except the 40's that has a screwcap. Odd. Fortunately, Klaus and Roman kept proper notes.
Impressions by Klaus: Macallan Travel Twenties vs Macallan Travel Thirties (both 40%)
Macallan Travel Fourties vs Macallan Travel Fifties (both 40%)
Summary on the Travel Series: I think we all had expected amazing discoveries and were slightly disappointed. "What have you
expected? They can't have chosen excellent malts", said Serge and pointed at the bottle's price. He is right. And so I will pronounce
my harsh judgement: A clever Macallan marketing trick supported by Michael Jackson ratings which are definetely too high. If you like Macallan 10yo/12yo or older then keep drinking these malts, provided you can tame your curiosity.
It
The bottles contain 0.5 litre and look very nice. The price is reasonable too - 35 Euros here in Germany.
Nose: Twenties: very agile sweet and fruity. Thirties: more cautious, organic sherry.
After some time in glass the two malts get a more and more similar nose.
Taste: Twenties: starts a little bit limp, sweet fruitiness then sherry. Thirties: Sherry and bitter chocolate, not very complex.
I can't say that I was very much impressed by these malts. Let's see what the other two decades will bring.
My tasting notes become even more sparse. Nothing about the nose of Fourties. I guess this means that there were no surprising
impressions like. gunpowder, blood and steel aroma (remember this malt should resemble the world war 2 decade). But the taste is
really special. Lots of peat and some fruity sweetness. Have they composed it of a medium Islay and an below average Macallan? I
don't like it. In the fifties the house style must have improved. A big c/s like sherry nose in the Travel Fifties and also an above average amount of sherry in the taste.
The Travel bottlings will not reach that standard.
Impressions by Roman: Macallan 20s vs. Macallan 30s Macallan 40s vs. Macallan 50s Amsterdam scores:
After the pretty excellent 15yo and 18yo, the TE's were downright disappointing.
Some people might argue that this introduction is nothing more than an ill-begotten ploy to profitably get rid of some inferior casks.
Isn't marketing great? Slap a fancy label on a not-so-fancy malt, replace the age statement by a foggy story about 're-creating
historic styles' and you will be able to unload huge quantities on the less discriminating part of the population at a nice premium price.
Serge convinced Klaus that the price wasn't very high, but I have to disagree. First of all, the variation in price of these bottlings is
amazing. I've heard of prices of 25 Euro's at Edingburgh airport, while Van Wees / Whiskyworld in Holland asks 120 Euro's for it! And
let's not forget we're dealing with 50cl bottles here. 'Only' 35 Euro's per 50cl bottle translates to almost 50 Euro's per 70cl bottle. Roman was pretty exhausted from his flight, so he had to retire for the night.
Nose M30s: sherried, winery at the beginning. Then iodine increases like in Macallan 15.
Taste M20s: sherried. Lots of bitter chocolate, hints of iodine.
Taste M30s: sherried. Lots of iodine, hints of bitter chocolate, citrics.
Nose M40s: sherried. Cocoa and a bit of mint. Rather flat.
Nose M50s: sherried, a bit of iodine. Same cocoa and mint, but richer.
Taste M40s: practically only sherry. Flat. Leaves a bit of not so nice afterburn.
Taste M50s: sherried, hints of iodine. Quite minty, again afterburn.
TE 20's SV=75, RP=75, DK=74, KE=82, JH=74
TE 30's SV=77, RP=82, DK=78, KE=85, JH=82
TE 40's SV=73, RP=73, DK=75, KE=73, JH=72
TE 50's SV=78, RP=77, DK=77, KE=78, JH=77
Not everybody agreed about which one was 'best' or 'worst', but this range didn't manage to impress anyone - most scores were in
the mid-seventies. Serge wondered aloud if Michael Jackson was crazy for rating these malts so high? Nah, probably paid for, I
suspect. On average the 30's made the most friends, while the 40's mirrored the wartime years of conflict and poverty. So, you can
safely say we had mixed emotions about the TE's. Most of us felt these malts couldn't be much older than ten years, a suspicion
fuelled by the fact that our average ratings were close to that of the 10yo - and structurally below those for the 12yo, especially the old batch.
And that cash could just as easily be used for a litre of Macallan 10yo Cask Strength!
But then again, maybe they ARE accurate replications and Macallans just weren't very good in the old days...
The other maniacs are preparing themselves for a cask strength H2H.
That should get the smile back on our faces...
Johannes
Macallan JOLT 014 - 21/06/2002/02:57 GMT - Mark
Hello, all,
I have returned home with the Macallan 18yo & have cleaned the glassware. Since my range tonight is quite narrow, here is the legend: 1. 12, 11, 24 12 drams ... I can handle it, right? Getting things started ... Gotta turn on some music ... Diana Krall Love Scenes, "All or nothin' at all" is the song. Now the 11.
Perfect ... my only new bottle gets opened to the tune "I don't know enough about you". The 24. My oldest Macallan yet. Happy tasting ... JOLT!!! Mark
I am ready to start the festivities. Slainte!!
'the 11' refers to the Macallan 11yo 1988
(50%, Douglas Laing OMC, 75cl, sherry cask, (2nd fill?)
'the 12' refers to the Macallan 12yo (43%, OB, 75cl)
'the 18' refers to the Macallan 18yo 1983 (43%, OB, 75cl)
'the 24' refers to the Macallan 24yo 1977
(50%, Douglas Laing OMC, 75cl, bourbon barrel - I think)
I think I will group my tastings like this:
2. 18, 11, 24
3. 11, 12, 18 (all sherry wood)
4. Best of sherry wood & 24
5. Favorite -- solo
As the dramming goes forth the typing and reading of mails gets a bit random, or at least somewhat ambiguous.
Considering who is AmterDramming, I think it is a good idea to keep things readable.
I have poured the 12. Very nice. Good sherry, vanilla & fruitcake on the nose.
Great palate, nice & beefy mouthfeel. Lots of maltiness. Sherry & vanilla (toffee?) immediately in the finish.
Finish took an early turn toward bitter. One more sip: More tongue invovement this time ... longer, more rounded finish.
Score : 85 points.
Working nice with the late tast of the 12.
This is lighter in color than the 12, but it is uncolored. Not as light as a white wine, but I would say it is the same degree lighter than
the 12 that the 12 is lighter than the 18. Okay, enough on color. More heat on the nose, due to it's higher ABV. Otherwise, the nose is similar to the 12. The palate is maltier than the 12, and sweeter too.
Almonds ... there are almonds in the palate that weren't in the 12.
The finish also has a bitter tinge to it, but it sweetens up after a few minutes.
The song for this dram is "Peel me a grape", which has the line "send out for scotch ..." -- nice line from a great sexy voice.
Score : 86 points (might change with other parings tonight).
Couldn't be better.
Is anyone else as hopeful as I am when opening a new bottle? Nothing better than pulling the leaden tab, removing the lead sheath,
and pulling the cork. That is when most malts are at their best. Riight then, at the moment that my expectation is at its highest, and
before I have been disappointed at all. The emfatuation stage ... Aaah. While I am still rambling, the lyric on the tune (I miss you so) now is: "Those happy hours I spent with you ... that lovely afterglow ..." Nice lyric, eh?
This bottle is green ... the 11 came in a clear bottle. Do you think they might be trying to hide how light yellow this is? Still a touch of
amber, but there are darker white wines. This is definitely the lightes whisky of this age for me. I get no sherry or vanilla on the nose.
Some florals. I'll need to add water to bring those out a bit. Tasted neat there is a lot of malt here, and some peat. Yeah ... water
brings that peat out nicely, but it also makes the whisky a bit watery for me. I doubt any of the 12 Apostles (even Craig) could
identify this one in a blind tasting. The water brings out a bit of a citrus element in the nose, and some mintiness ... green grape
peels? Sounds funny, I know. But the grape peels are there. The finish is nice, long, maltiness then some late middle-tongue burn. This
one hardly fits with the others, but it's still family. I'll be interested to see how it does later, with another grouping.
Score : 85 points. I won't take points off for lack of sherry influence. The wood is good, the character is different, but good. I'd be
interested to hear some other thoughts on this one, but, alas, I am alone tonight ... hence, the LoveSongJazz.
Macallan JOLT 015 - 21/06/2002/03:10 GMT - Johannes
Hi, maniacs, We're starting to get into shutdown mode here in Amsterdam.
Roman is already snoring softly and now Davin is dropping off too. All in all, it's surprising we've lasted this long. Klaus, Michael and
Serge drove more than 500 kilometers today, so it's understandable they are getting sleepy as well. And let's not forget that by now
most of us have enjoyed 16 stiff drams - 12 Macs, Serge's mystery malt and 3 'appetisers'. Maybe, if we had stuck to Macs we would have been able to sample the four remaining independent bottlings on the table too.
But it's no use crying over spilt milk.
Or malt, for that matter.
That leaves just our report on the H2H of the old Macallan 10yo '100 Proof' (57%, OB) Klaus muled over from Germany (after picking it up in Amsterdam about a year ago in the first place!) against it's successor, the Macallan 10yo Cask Strength (58.8%, OB). All I could pick up this time is that the 100 Proof seemed more sherried than the C/S, which appeared more balanced in comparison.
Impressions by Klaus: Amsterdam scores: OK - That's it from us in Amsterdam
It was already late at night when we came to the heavy weights. Two cask strength Macallan OBs.
The Macallan 100 proof was a bottle which Johannes had organized for me at my second visit at Amsterdam and I had been
disciplined enough not to consumed it all by myself in the month that lay behind. Now it served as a benchmark for the new Macallan
c/s. 100 Proof: An overwhelming punch of sherry, beeswax, furniture polish and wood. The nose drifts slowly into direction Macallan
12yo when you add water. The new c/s with an equal interesting nose but woody sherry not so pronounced. This gives fruits, raisins
and toffee a chance to pop up. The taste equivalent to the nose. Very interesting and multi-layered. Sherry, Toffee, Wood, late
fruits, - delicious. I go for the 100 Proof as the winner because that heavy wood and sherry aroma is really unique. But the new c/s
is also a really delicious. Go and get it. With less than 50 Euros for the 1 litre bottle it will be very hard find an equivalent malt in that region.
10yo 100 Proof (57.0%) SV=89, KE=92, JH=89
10yo Cask Str. (58.8%) SV=87, KE=92, JH=88
This is Johannes signing off.
Macallan JOLT 016 - 21/06/2002/04:16 GMT - Mark
Well, with Matti, Craig, and Louis down for the count, and the Dramsterdam Crew sleeping on the job, the posts have been very slow.
I will plug along though, and hope that sooner or later someone in Holland will wake up for a late night dram : ) Grouping #2
Back to the 18. By far the darkest of the four Macs on the bench. There is sherry in the nose, but I thought it would have been much
stronger than what I just tasted in the 11 and 12. I've covered the glass to see just what happens next. If that doesn't bring more
sherry I'll uncover it for a few minutes. If the sherry is still hiding at that point I'll just continue with the tasting and see what I see.
Ahh... there it is! But there is something else too... raisins. And more vanilla essence than the 11 or 12. Cotton candy. Not sure if you in Europe know what I mean by that, but I think someone in your midst does.
Now, for the 11. I want to bracket the cask strength malt with the two OBs for two reasons. I want to see how it compares with the
house style, and I want to break up the 12/18 similarity in my mind right now. Next time you have the 12 and 18 together try them blind. I think they are more similar than we usually think.
Hello, 12. Let's take another ride! I am not sure if I will buy another bottle of the 18YO 1983, but I *am* sure that I will continue to
purchase the 12. It is a wonderful dram, and most definitely worth its price at the shops! I just caught a hint of wild rose in the nose
of this one ... twice! Yes! That was what was eluding me earlier with this one. Wild rose. I get some of that raisin from the 18's nose
on the palate in this one. I think there may be more sherry in the 12, but the 18 wins out in roundness and smooth transition from palate to finish ... I think. I'll revisit that view later!
The 18. This is the most heralded of the malts on the piano bench beside me. I don't have a digital camera yet, so you can't see the
whiskies sitting nicely atop two of my Schubert Lieder books, but there they are, and a pretty picture too. I've switched off the music
for a few minutes while I catch some of the evening news on TV. If I am awake late enough I will raise a dram to Klaus during the US/Germany futbol match. Music isn't the only accompaniment to malts!
Palate. I'm not sure that it is immediately 3x the palate as the 12, but is surely 2x the cost. Good maltiness here. This may not be one
of the best of the 18s, but I wouldn't be able to say. It is the only one I have performed a tasting on. It is more similar to the 12 than
I would have thought. The raisins come through in the finish, but in their caramelized, slightly bitter form, not as the full juicy fruit in
the nose. No hint of the cotton candy sweetness in either the palate or the finish. Fish has good maltiness too.
Score : 85. Same as the 12 and 24 in point value, but there is really no reason at this point to rate it either higher or lower. I want to see how it does later against only the sherry casked Macs.
Back to the 11. I'll keep it to differences this time, since I gave detail earlier.
I really like the nose on the 11. It doesn't have any raisiny odor like the 18 (I like raisins, and I am only pointing out a difference, not a
preference). There is a fruitiness though. Possibly a hint of cooked banana. The palate and finish are still solid. Something spicy mixes
with the banana when some water is added. I'm adding even more water now to bring the ABV down to about 35% or so, to see if I
can eke out more of these elusive scents. Well, that was so watered down I could smell the perfume of the young woman who bottled this malt. Lovely! I'll keep visiting this one until I nail it down better.
Score stands at 86.
Long time, no news!
I feel like I am tasting all by myself here!
Let me know how you are doing!!!
Off to MacJOLT Grouping #3! Mark
Macallan JOLT 017 - 21/06/2002/04:28 GMT - Krishna
Hi, maniacs,
My first JOLT! How long I had waited for my maiden JOLT! Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV Overall observation after consumption of 5 pegs: Score 87 points. Krishna, Coimbatore, India
The Mac 25 obtained with much difficulty and the bottle un-opened for so long (with more difficulty) is being opened at last.
The stuff: The
Macallan 25yo 1975 Anniversary Malt (43%, OB, 75cl)
The packing: A neat oak wood box with a sliding panel on one side.
(Bottle neatly nestled in oak hay inside the box.)
The colour: Very deep amber or dark honey?
I summon my son (a 15yo) to open the seal.
I am nervous - he might drop the bottle.
The cork is now out.
I tell ask son to smell the stuff and describe it.
He takes a deep breath and out comes the spontaneous reaction -
"a mint chocolate?"
I ask him to exit and settle for a more serious business.
I pour the first dram, about 40 ml into the Lagavulin glass (a
Nose: My son is absolutely right. A definite mint. Grassy. Smoky. Flowery?
Perhaps more consumption would reveal more later?
Palate: Aggressively complex. Can not really describe.
One more sip. Smoky? The stuff is really strong. Should I add a little water? Perhaps later.
Finish: For a 25 years old whisky it does not go down smoothly. Rough? Dry?
Play some Mozart CD? Good idea. Start with Oboe Concerto - K 314
Pour another dram and repeat the process.
Definitely more smoky. Quite unlike the 18yo or the 12yo I had tasted before. The most surprising aspect is the Mac 25 y.o is quite
unlike the usual Macallans which are normally associated with their sherryness. The smokyness overpours the sherryness.
A complex, bold whisky- not for ametuers. This whisky would overpower you.
Macallan JOLT 018 - 21/06/2002/04:45 GMT - Mark
I need a referee! Wake up guys!!! I just realized that I set up the wrong 3 malts for the 2nd grouping. I think I'll set up another flight of the sherry guys, taking the 12 first, then the 18, then the 11.
So, now that I have completely revamped my groupings for this JOLT, I guess I should continue. The 12. Still some aftertaste of the 18 in my nose and mouth. This should confirm my comments earlier, and above. Well ... yes ...
they certainly are not different enough in nose/palate/finish to warrant the price difference. Nevertheless, they are different. The 12
is larger somehow, and edgier. The 18 is more subdued and even more refined. I like them equally well at this juncture, so the shared 85-point rating stands. Now for the stronger whisky with the great nose, directly after 2 great OB drams.
The 11. Wow ... this nose! I picked this one up for $62 US -- turns out that was a good buy. It comes directly between the 15YO OB
and the 18YO OB in price. Of course, I haven't tried the 15YO, and I should soon, since it is being discontinued. Anyway, I might try to pick up another of these 11s before buying another 18, or the 25, or the GR, or any of the $100+ IBs. Now, I am supposed to have Group #4, and Group #5 follow this.
Then, if I can still keep my head on, I will have a 20 mL dram of something fairly neutral, but tasty, like Longrow 10YO Bourbon Wood,
or HP 20YO Coopers Choice, or maybe the 15YO Glenfiddich CS. What I am looking for is something to buffer against all the sherry, and
then I can give the 24 another shot ... all on its own, for the final fling. I think that all the sherry influence has been clouding my vision a bit with this oldster.
Another observation ... I *ALWAYS* get salt as a taste element if I will hold the whisky in the hollow of my tongue for a good length
of time. Always. So, sometimes I use that method, and sometimes I avoid it. I don't bother to write it down, because it happens each and every time, regardless of the distiller, age, bottler, or strength. Cheers! -- Mark.
PS: You guys age dead ... no doubt about it.
Nothing to do about it now. And, I think, upon further reflection, that since the 24 is so very different from the others, it really makes good sense to change the 3nd group as I did. In place of the 24, I had the 12.
So, that was really Grouping #3, then, wasn't it? What do do now ...
So, posting MacCali.3 will be the 12, 18, and 11
On to Grouping #3, the sherry caskers, in decending order of age.
The 18 - revisited: at this point let me say 'quite nice', and leave it at that. I think that with more time, and more bottles I might be
able to find more differences in the 12 and the 18, but for now I will let them share the rating of 85 points.
This might lend more opinions on this one; let's see.
Based on the aristocratic nose, and the complexity of palate/nose combined, I will bump this up a few 'I like this a lot' points.
Final score for the 11 : 90 points.
I think I will instead change the groupings yet again.
I have had 9 drams at 20 mL each. That totals about 180 mL for the night ... so far.
I want the next grouping to be done 'in the glass'. So, I will measure equal amounts of the 11, 12, 18, and 24 together in a rather
special Home Vatting of the 2002MacJOLT expressions I've tasted tonight. It will be a rather fat dram, around 15-20 mL each (the
measuring thimble I am using might not be to accurate, so I will fill *above* the line), for a FatDram of around 60-75 mL or so.
WAKE UUUUUuuuPP!
: )
Macallan JOLT 019 - 21/06/2002/05:51 GMT - Mark
Hi, gentlemen, I have just vatted all of tonight's offerings. I am hoping that this will be a spectacular dram! I opted for 10+ mL for each malt, making
the dram a healthy 40-45 mL or so. The ABV of this vatting is 46.5%, and the age must be declared as 11YO. This is truly a great mix. The nose is a mix of the dryness of the 24 and the raisins from the 18, and the palate is all 11 and 12.
Who'da thunkit? I can detect some of that wild rose trying to raise up through the sherry floor. The maltiness is great, and the
strength too. I might have this mix again ... very nice. I wonder if this is anything like we will get in the US Cask Strength release due this fall. Hmmm, could be a good Christmas!
An ommission from my previous Epistolary Writings on the MacJOLT: I must thank my friend, David, for 'lending' me his 18YO Macallan
for tonight's tasting. David was originally going to host this event at his house, but a backpacking trip he had planned for the weekend
got moved up a bit. In a great show of friendship David offered me the use of his awesome bottle for this JOLT. Thanks, David! Well, folks, I am going to get some dinner, and maybe a bit of ice cream, then some sleep. G'nite, all! Mark
I will wake up for the soccermatch with Germany later, and I'll take another look at that 24.
If I don't like it much, or if the US is winning, I will toast Klaus with a dram of the 10YO Laphroaig.
Macallan JOLT 020 - 21/06/2002/09:55 GMT - Johannes
Top of the morning, maniacs!
It's the morning after the night before here in Amsterdam.
Here's a mini-matrix of our ratings for the twelve official Macs we got to sample.
76.0 TE 20's (40%) SV=75, RP=75, DK=74, KE=82, JH=74
Klaus and Roman are watching the worldcup match England-Brazil on the telly, Davin is trying to stay awake at a conference right now
(he had to get up at 6:00 AM!) and Serge should be waking up in his B&B right about now. A hearty 'Sorry' from us here in Holland.
Amsterdam. Posts were very erratic last night and things ended slightly after 3.00AM before we got to sample the independent
bottlings. Things went pretty well actually, when you think about the timezone troubles we're dealing with here - the USA is six hours behind Europe and Craig and Krishna have even bigger problems joining us on-line during drinking hours.
I've added the 'unweighed' average scores (one decimal point) to the list.
80.8 TE 30's (40%) SV=77, RP=82, DK=78, KE=85, JH=82 (new, 50cl)
73.2 TE 40's (40%) SV=73, RP=73, DK=75, KE=73, JH=72 (new, 50cl)
77.4 TE 50's (40%) SV=78, RP=77, DK=77, KE=78, JH=77 (new, 50cl)
66.4 07yo (40.0%) SV=59, RP=68, DK=70, KE=70, JH=65
(new, international bottling, 70cl)
77.0 10yo (40.0%) SV=75, RP=76, DK=75, KE=85, JH=74 (new, international bottling, 70cl)
81.2 12yo (40.0%) SV=82, RP=80, DK=78, KE=86, JH=80
(new, 70cl)
84.4 12yo (43.0%) SV=84, RP=82, DK=82, KE=88, JH=86 (old, 100cl)
88.4 15yo (43.0%) SV=88, RP=87, DK=86, KE=92, JH=89 (1984, 70cl)
88.0 18yo (43.0%) SV=88, RP=85, DK=87, KE=91, JH=89 (1982, 70cl)
90.0 10yo (57.0%) SV=89, RP=XX, DK=XX, KE=92, JH=89
(old, 100 Proof, 70cl)
89.0 10yo (58.8%) SV=87, RP=XX, DK=XX, KE=92, JH=88 (new, Cask Strength, 100cl)
Check out The Matrix for more details, including ratings from other maniacs. Johannes
That's it for now - gotta get some breakfast!
Macallan JOLT 021 - 21/06/2002/18:35 GMT - Mark
Bunch of lightweights! : ) Well, I'm still up. Cheers! Mark
12:30am here, and Eng 1, Braz 1 at halftime. At some point I'll start to fade and go sack out, hoping to catch at least some of the
US/Germany match, but that one starts at 4:30am my time, so ... who knows?
BTW, I haven't ever felt so good after so many drams of whisky!
Perhaps that is a final statement in favor of The Macallan?
Macallan JOLT 022 - 21/06/2002/21:45 GMT - Patrick
Hi Johannes,
I did end up tasting the 18yo 1983 but my palate was shot so the rating wasn't a very good one. I didn't even dare go onto the Gran Reserva. Pat
Here is what my ratings ended up being:
12yo = 85
15yo = 85
18yo = 84.
Hope you guys have a blast at the Midsummer night event!
Macallan JOLT 023 - 25/06/2002/23:40 GMT - Louis
Hello everybody, Since I only participated in the JOLT with a measly 2 Mac expressions, I did a follow up on Friday night. Well, with a little bit more perspective, it seems that this was simply a case of a long breakin period.
My other contestant was the Macallan-Glenlivet 16yo 1978/1995
(56.5%, Glenhaven, distilled 12/1978, bottled 3/1995, matured in plain oak wood). The color was medium-dark amber, very close to the Signatory 12. Taste-wise, it wasn't that far from it's sherried
distillery counterparts. Although Glenhavens are long sold out, it pays to keep an eye open for this one while shopping in out of the way liquor stores.
Just after the JOLT, there are a whole bunch of new Mac's, at least in the US. They include:
Dug out from the far corner of my cabinet was my ancient bottle of the
Macallan 18yo 1978 (43%, OB).
When I opened it several years ago, it was syrupy, with a huge, somewhat peppery finish. While it certainly deserved a high rating, I
gave it 90 on the matrix, I didn't really lock in to the overall effect, much preferring the 12. At some point, I re-sampled the 18 and
thought that it had fizzled out, so it went straight to the back corner of the cabinet, where it has been living for a couple of years.
Compared to the un-filtered, cask strength bottles I'd been purchasing, the Mac 18 certainly seems a bit watery, but it's no worse
than any other 43% offering. Since the bottle was only a third gone, it held up quite well, in fact. At this point, it was clearly superior
to the 12, the extra years having been put to good use. But once again, I would love to see an unfiltered version at 46% ABV or greater. Both the 12 and 18 were a dark and rosy.
- A new distillery Cask Strength, no age statement, but said to contain 10-15 year old whiskies.
- Murray McDavid 11yo
- Scott's Selelction 1973
Maybe we should see if some of us can get hold of these?
Louis
Macallan JOLT 024 - 30/06/2002/23:30 GMT - Johannes
Hi, maniacs,
When I started work on this transcript I had planned to organise a big Mac Re-JOLT, because I somehow got the impression we didn't
really get to the bottom of the case during the JOLT. Well, as it turns out, that might have been a case of projection. After finishing the transcript, I discovered that the team produced much more useful data than I first realised. But maybe we could do with a quick look at some conclusions to properly wrap up our third JOLT. So, bad news all around then?
So, I'm a bit ambivalent when it comes to an 'overall conclusion'. In post #5, Craig asked about a 'Top 3' for the evening.
So, no need for a Re-JOLT.
I haven't fully digested all of last week's results, but I think we agreed on a number of things.
First of all, we discovered that most of the 'Traveler's Editions' weren't spectacular - to put it mildly.
The new International version of the 7yo didn't make many friends either. Not as good ad the Italian version.
The latest batch of the 10yo is so-so and the new version of the 12yo scores lower than its predecessor as well. Based on these
bottlings, it looks like Macallan is slipping on a slippery slide towards the bottom shelf. We're not in the dangerzone yet, but when
Macallan keeps releasing bottlings like these it could easily lose its top 10 ranking on my list of 'Bang-For-Your-Buck' distilleries.'
No, not really. Macallan is still going strong when it comes to their older and cask strength bottlings.
The ones we sampled were very fine malts indeed. The 15yo 1984 is definitely in the same class as the 18yo 1982 - maybe even
slightly better, while the street price in Holland (around 50 Euro's) is almost 20 Euro's below that of the 18yo. Yes, the 15 was a
pretty good bet. So, that's a bit of very good news from Macallan. The new 10yo Cask Strength is almost as good as the 10yo 100 Proof as well and comes in a big 'bang-for-your-buck' litre bottle.
At the lower (= cheaper) end of the spectrum the solid Macallan reputation is under threat, but for those who are willing to spend 50
Euro's or more on a bottle are in luck. It seems Macallan manages to maintain the quality levels we've come to expect from the
distillery in the 'DeLuxe' (50-100 Euro's) echelon of their range, while prices are dropping. Good news indeed - let's hope they keep it up.
Looking at the averages I calculated for the mini-matrix in post #20 that's an easy one:
1 - Macallan 10yo 100 Proof (90.0 points) These were some of the 'conclusions'.
2 - Macallan 10yo Cask Strength (89.0 points)
3 - Macallan 15yo 1984 (88.4 points)
Time to finish this transcript. Although we collected lots of information and impressions, I still feel the need to investigate Macallan in
more detail. I will have a big 'Sherry Speyside Showdown' on September 21, sampling the six remaining Macallans on my shelves
against the seven Aberlours in my collection. I'll a write a log entry about my private investigations and publish it in the liquid log.
Sweet drams, Johannes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Click HERE for an overview of other articles in MM#3.
Raymond protected Scotland's Southernmost distillery from demolition.
Our interview turned out to be a very enlightening piece with lots of
interesting information from the 'back-end' of the whisky industry.
Also on this page: a transcript of our Macallan JOLT.
The number of active Lowland distilleries
has been dropping steadily over the last
few decades. For a while, it seemed like
the Bladnoch distillery
would share the
fate of Saint Magdalene and Ladyburn.
Fortunately, Irishman Raymond Armstrong
hopped over from Ireland to the Lowlands.
... of MM Issue #03
Click HERE for more malt mania!
