Macallan 1957 25 yo Anniversary Malt 43%
Happy 50th National Day Singapore. The occasion lives up to its hype. This is a milestone for the country, with much accomplished but also many ways we can improve, and not in the material sense. Still I raise a glass to the little red dot.
What’s a national day whisky? 60s? Wish I had a Bowmore at hand but I think this meets the criteria too.
(Picture credit – whiskyexhange.com)
Nose: Profound. Resinous cedarwood, juniper, kiwi polish, hot machinery, seamlessly melded with the dry aromatic richness of ‘old style’ sherry wood – luscious and velvety. Take golden raisins, acres of old leather, skins of a thousand muscat grapes, tablespoon of dark honey, maybe some candied ginger, blend it and let it oxidize a moment till just so. Add 25 years and then bottle a perfect marriage of wood and spirit.
Palate: Delivers. Dry, superbly aromatic despite its low strength. Dry leather, some rancio notes, roasted nuts, ancient wood. It’s a full bodied spirit dripping with richness, not without some tannic grip – an elegant result.
Finish: Medium long and a touch weak, I expected longer really, but hey 1957, 25 years in wood, 30 years in glass. Still brimming with woody oxidized notes though.
Honestly it’s very good whisky and worth the auction lust one sees with these old Macallans. But if you’re after big spirit matched with old oloroso wood, made the way that modern whisky cannot copy, there’s 60s, 70s Bunnahabhain, Strathisla, Glen Grant, Longmorn and Glenfarclas out there for a fraction of the price- just saying.
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