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.
Whiskyrific RSS
- Benriach 36 yo 1976 / 2012 #3031 for Usquebaugh Society 43.1% vs Benriach 35 yo 1975 / 2011 #7227 for Asta Morris 51 %
- Port Ellen 27 yo 1978 / 2006 Platinum Douglas Laing 55.3% vs Port Ellen 1979 / 2004 Acredyke 60%
- Glamis Unblended Pot Still Malt 10 yo 86 proof vs Lauder’s Royal Northern Cream Scotch Whisky vs Ballantines 30 yo 43% vs Four Roses Louisville brown embossed glass bottle vs Miyagikyo 18 yo 1991 / 2009 #114675 Whiskylive 10th Anniversary 54%
- Bowmore 15 yo 1996 / 2012 Douglas Laing #8034 52.2% vs Bowmore 16 yo 2001 / 2017 Cadenhead 175th Anniversary 54.8%
- Clynelish 36 yo 1971 / 2007 Murray McDavid 51.5% vs Clynelish 32 yo 1974 / 2006 The Whisky Fair 58.6%
- Clynelish 20 yo 1995 Gleann Mor #11308 53.9% vs Clynelish 21 yo 1995 Signatory #11228 55.7%
- Longmorn 30 yo 1973 / 2004 Duncan Taylor 51.1% vs Longmorn-Glenlivet 12 yo Gordon & Macphail ‘Pure Malt’ 100 proof 57% ~80s bottling
- Balblair 1964 James MacArthur 56.8% vs Balblair 1983 1st release 46%
- Bunnahabhain 26 yo 1989 Signatory #5811+5812 56.2% vs Bunnahabhain 24 yo 1990 Highland Laird 47.2% vs Driftwood 1997 Wemyss Malt 46% (Peated Bunnahabhain)
- Laphroaig 30 yo 1966/1996 Signatory #560 48.7% vs Laphroaig 31 yo 1966/1997 Signatory #1094 49.3% vs Laphroaig 28 yo 1967/1996 Signatory #2201 50.2% vs Laphroaig 28 yo 1967/1995 Signatory #2205 50.3%
