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Macallan 30 year old Scotch

AVB

Jesus of Cool, I'm bad, I'm nationwide
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
22,942
Macallan 30-year-old official bottling. Standard bottle, presentation box, 86 proof, $370-500 depending on where you find it.

Update: As of 01/07 the going price is now over $650 in most places
Update: As of 01/09 the going price is now over $800 in most places
Update: As of 01/11 the going price is now over $900 in most places

Macallan%2030-3.JPG


With tomorrow being our Anniversary I was expecting to open this then. However, my lovely wife, knowing how much I wanted to try this relented and let me crack it this evening.

Running a bit late tonight due to some tape backup problems at a remote site; I was looking forward to coming home and just relaxing before all the things we have planned for tomorrow kick in. Little did I know this was not my wife's plan.

I usually get home before she does but not today, she left work early to prepare a bit of a surprise for me, sorta pre-anniversary. I came home to find Brie, shrimp, champagne and my bottle of 30 yo Macallan waiting for me on the dining room table. Now if only I allowed myself to smoke a cigar in the house all would have been perfect. As it was, I let things settle for 30 minutes so before opening my bottle of Macallan.

The nose is strong and full with spices (cloves?), sherry and orange, much more so than the 18 or 25 year old versions. The tasting is very complex with some peaty notes coming forward over different parts of the tongue. Orange is a strong background flavor, again more so then the 18 or 25. The finish is dryer than I would have thought based on other Macallan I've had but still has some sherry sweetness mixed in with the orange background.

The big question I would imagine that you are asking is: Is it worth it? I'd have to answer both yes and no. In terms of value and what is considered Macallan's best normally available whisky it is a no. The Macallan 25 is a better dram by far and the 18 is close. With the 25 being $150 less and the 18 up to $375 less, they are by far, better buys. There seems to be a gap in the official bottling of Macallan between the 25 and the 35 yo Vintage line where things tend to drop off a bit. While I've only had one shot of the 1961 vintage (36 yo) it was much more impressive than the 30 or 25.

It is hard to beat on the "impress the boss" meter when that blue box comes out with Macallan 30 years old on it. That alone may be worth the extra cost to you if you are in that situation. I love my wife for getting this for me and I'm glad I have it and that I've tried it but I won't be replacing it very quickly when it's gone. However, I'll damn sure enjoy it while it lasts!
 
You have a terrific wife for getting this for you. AVB! Sounds like you were a bit disappointed with it, did the anticipation have anything to do with it?
 
I expect ALOT at that price.
 
Hummm, where did all the scotch groupies go? ???
 
I almost didn't read this review. I can't be buying $500/bottle Scotch :0

Still, thanks for the review. Now I can feel good about the 12/18 y.o. :D
 
Was away for the weekend AVB so I just now able to respond lol

I agree that it does not sound as much better than the 25 as you would expect from the price. But it still sounds as if its a very nice dram indeed :)


PaulMac
 
"For reasons not even science can fully explain...", I was slightly disappointed with that review AVB, I must confess. I was expecting so much...more. I can't commend your wife enough, but I too was expecting far more bang for the buck. For this, an answer to "is it worth it" should be an unequivocal "yes," not "yes and no." Sorry it didn't live up to the expectations, but at least you'll have a hell of a good time polishing it off. :)

Oh, and Happy Anniversary brother. :thumbs: Make it a good one.
 
MiamiCubano said:
Oh, and Happy Anniversary brother. :thumbs: Make it a good one.
I certainly gave it a try!
 
I have had the pleasure of sampling this scotch two or three times. While I thorougly enjoyed every drop I have to agree with AVB, the price is hard to justify over the 25 and even the 18. I'm wondering if the bottle has recently changed as The Macallan 30 I sampled was poured from a white labeled bottle. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the Fine Oak 30 but now I wonder if I wasn't paying close enough attention.

Thanks for another great review.
 
They have changed the bottle and packaging for the whole line since I did this review.

I have had the pleasure of sampling this scotch two or three times. While I thorougly enjoyed every drop I have to agree with AVB, the price is hard to justify over the 25 and even the 18. I'm wondering if the bottle has recently changed as The Macallan 30 I sampled was poured from a white labeled bottle. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the Fine Oak 30 but now I wonder if I wasn't paying close enough attention.

Thanks for another great review.
 
Over the past few years I have become really spoiled and consume about 1 1/2 or 2 bottles of Macallan 30 a year. I've been mixing it up between this one and the Fine Oak version. I'm not buying these bottles mind you, I'm getting it comped in Las Vegas 1 generous pour at a time.

After drinking several glasses (+ or - 1/2 a bottle) of this over the weekend I have come to the conclusion I like it better with a couple of drops of room temp Fiji or Voss water for a couple of reasons.

1) I find that the upfront spiciness is so powerful it mutes the unlying sweetness and citrus notes.

2) It also seems to help slow down the drying factor. As Ray mentioned in his review this one drys quickly off the sides of the tongue once you swallow it which in my opinion has a pretty serious negative effect on the finish. I don't experience this rapid drying with the 25 or 18 year varieties. Whatever it is that causes this sensation is what keeps this from living up to it's potential.

For years I felt like I was killing this drink by adding water but thankfully I am a big enough man to admit when I am wrong.

That being said, I will be requesting the Fine Oak 30 from now on.

BTW, my wife says it's closer to 3 bottles a year. :p
 
I bought the 12 only because the 18 was out of stock(the glendnorach sherry cask scotch was unavailable too). At the time I felt that made me lucky saving money between the 12 and 18, but I sortof wish I had the 18. Of course I choose the sherry ones...to me I just can't pass them up.

This thread makes me wish for something I really can't have. Well, I take that back. I could; I just haven't reached that point. I wanted to buy a 'madeira' and a 'port' scotch too, but the only ones I can find are finished in either one of the two. Do you all know of any matured entirely in these old casks? PS- THANK YOU for the review. I have been reading many of them over the past couple of weeks as well as other good information.
 
I had no idea there was such a bottle on the market! Never seen here in Canada. I have tried the 25 and please no offense to anyone who is religious but my description since that day was "this is what God would pee".

My father has a lady friend/companion who is nuts for Macallan and he owes her a very special gift. She has tons of jewellery and this will do the trick. Thank you!!!

CB
 
What I have always wanted to do is buy a very expensive bottle of anything, drink it, than fill it with cheaper stuff to give to those people I know that always talk about how great their tastes are. Kind of a test.

So I bought me a bottle of Louis XIII Cognac at $1600 and have been slowly drinking it over the last several months. At the rate I am going it will take me another year to finish. At that point I will most likely fill it half up with some $30 cognac and invite all those so called cognac experts over for a try.

Can't wait to see the results. LOL
 
Why does YOUR bottle of Mac30 look so beautiful and Blue while the ones I see for sale look like this:

m30diff.jpg


Is your vintage?

CB
 
The photo in the original post reads "Sherry Oak" versus "Fine Oak", not sure if that's the difference but if so then its two different products.
 
The photo in the original post reads "Sherry Oak" versus "Fine Oak", not sure if that's the difference but if so then its two different products.

Apparently Both products are the same...
shim.gif

Macallan Sherry Oak Scotch Single Malt 30 Years Old 750ml
Sku: 14985

hmmmmmm.... But I see at this website they show both?

http://www.epinions.com/spirits/submitted_form_~ultrafinder/ultrafinder_submitted_~%20Go%20/search_vertical_~all/search_string_~macallan%252030%2520year%2520old%2520sherry%2520oak

The Beav is confused...

CB
 
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