Mark Adams
Macallan 17yo Fine Oak was introduced in the US market in 2006 and, like the rest of the Fine Oak range, this has been matured in a mix of sherry and bourbon casks to showcase a lighter style from the famously rich, opulent sherried norm.
Ladle of Contents
Macallan 17 Review:
Macallan 17yo Fine Oak is distilled from malt grown on the Speyside region of Scotland and is made using a process known as pot still, which is uniquely different to the generally very non-distill-like production by batch distilling and turbo-evaporation. This is because lots of the colours, flavours and aromas of the whisky are achieved by the process of “cooking” the resulting vaporised distillate with the malted barley, and then reintroducing it into the still (which is known as “modifying”). These procedures are used to produce some of the softest, slimmest, and most fruity types of malt whisky in the world, and as such I feel very strongly that they are a part of what makes Scotch whisky distinctive, and perhaps even what makes it better than a number of “dry” whiskies I’ve tried.
Anyways, apart from that I wanted to try out the new Kentucky influence on Macallan, as I haven’t had a recent Macallan (or any Scotch) with a heavy bourbon influence! Macallan is a brand that I find that I like a lot, but Macallan 17yo just isn’t on my top list of favoured blends.
NOSE
Sure, there’s an oak influence present here but it’s only very light and immediately comes across as a softer, younger, and fresher whisky. There are oak spices, a lot of white pepper notes, rich fruit and the classic Macallan notes of honey, toffee, and a very light floral aroma.
PALATE
The palate exhibits a softer, sweeter Macallan, very inviting, but definitely more complex and interesting than previous offerings in this line. The oak is identifiable but it’s very light, and this is where the Bourbon leanings really come to shine through as deep vanilla and cereal notes come to the fore. This is a soft, sweet, and well-balanced whisky, still plenty complex but with a much more robust feel compared to the previous offerings from the Macallan Fine Oak line.
FINISH
Long and sweet, and this is where the bourbon influence really comes to the forefront. Cinnamon and oak spices mingle with the vanilla, honey, and toffee, the tannins being slightly sharp but easily tamed by the hefty malt.
OVERALL
In my opinion Macallan Fine Oak 17yo is a good, engaging whisky, nice and sweet but with a healthy dose of complexity. I found it to be a soft, sweet, but far from boring whisky, which I think is a very good thing! I’m just not sure if for me Macallan 17yo is good enough to push me to drink it more often, considering I’ve tried and enjoyed Macallan 16yo Fine Oak the last time around.
SCORE: 82/100
Macallan 17 Review:
It has very attractive smell and taste !!! A little bit strong… And the aftertaste is good…!!!
Macallan 17 Review:
It is actually a very elevated amber glass, very classy, and extremely manly. It has very attractive smell and taste !!! A little bit strong… And the aftertaste is good…!!! It has strong alcohol at its outset but it is strong in a very difficult way. It has a very really nice presentation.
However, it looks like some kind of thing you can get in the Scottish fair back home. And the nose is a little “different” from other whiskeys as well. The nose is a little complex and fresh with a little bit of sweetness, citrus, leather, and a little bit of musk in it. All that is not really recognizable in a good way… it is just too much for some people.. The way it tastes is just the same as the way it looks.
The taste is a little bit oaky, a little bit sweet, a little bit citrus and also leather. It has a very strong oak flavor which makes it look much more complex and sophisticated than it actually is. It is very rich, and it is very strong. The finish is very long and sweet and nice. It has a lot of sweetness in it and it has a good oak flavor in it. All that together makes it look very opulent and fancy, and it definitely tastes richer than its appearance.
