Macallan 18

[scotchio]

The former iconic greatest malt in the world ever. Now an expensive £70 punt that maybe is somewhat forgotten. I havent picked one up in ages.
Does anyone still bother,I still see claims of dazzling complexity and the benchmark speysider.... blah blah (MJ said so 12 years back and some seem keen to repeat the sales pitch) so anyone currently got a bottle? What do you think? Worth the cash?Still a classic? As good as the 80s /90s stuff?

[Lawrence]

According to the experts no whisky today is as good as whisky from the 80's or the 90's period. From my experience Macallan 18 has been consistently good for many years and some better than others but always good.

Macallan 18 is $250 here so your price quote of £70 seems a dream; I would buy it and guzzle it and be happy. At $250 it would require some serious thought prior to purchase...

[mongo]

i got an 18yo macallan from twe's whisky trail series for quite a bit less than that last year, and that's certainly very good. i wouldn't want to pay £70 for it though.

hp 18 isn't very much cheaper than the macallan 18 in a number of american markets, and nor is the yamazaki 18. the springbank 18 is more expensive in all. but the macallan 18 is the one that gets the stick from whisky geeks.

[chickenium]

Impressive how prices vary with location.

Over here :
Highland Park 18 : 150$
Springbank 18 : 175$
Macallan 18 : 250$
No Yamazaki

[cato]

Around here Macallan 18 ranges from $150 to $225, I can by HP 18 for $89 - $99 and the 25 YO for around $200. Easy choice for me. Macallan 18 is good stuff, but like JW Blue it is over-hyped and has a high price based on the marketing mythology the brand has created. I say good for them! I couldn't care less. I have a few from the eighties and ninties and a '59 OB I am saving for a special occasion. I will never turn down a dram of any Macallan, I think it is fair to say that the standard expression it is generally a really good sherried single malt (I'm not a fan of the fine oak series at all). That said, I have no desire to buy any more bottles either at those premium prices.

[Mariner]

Highland Park 18 : €73
Springbank 18 : €83
Macallan 18 : €169
Yamazaki 18: €115

I didn't realise that the Macallan was so bloody expensive! Who's buying this stuff? :/ I haven't tried it but I think it can't beat the other 3?!

[jsaliga]

Speaking as someone relatively new to single malts I'm thankful that I wasn't drinking scotch whisky in the 80s and 90s, because I have found my experience thus far to be extremely enjoyable and rewarding. I wouldn't want a frame of reference back to a time when whisky was "better" to take the shine off of what I am enjoying now.

As for Macallan 18, I suppose the people who buy this stuff are those who want it and can afford it. Honestly, I think most 18yr whisky is quite expensive. The premium you pay for another 6 to 8 years in the cask is substantial. I recently bought a bottle of Macallan 18yr Sherry Oak for $140. A Bowmore 18yr cost me $120 and a Yamazaki 18yr was $125. Macallan is more expensive, to be sure, but not outrageously so in my view.

Is it worth it? I can't answer that yet because I haven't opened my bottle. But if what I am getting from the Macallan 12yr Sherry Oak is any indicatation, I am sure that I will really enjoy the 18yr expression.

--Jerome

[JohnnyV]

Swedish prices are:

Macallan 18 - £112
Springbank 18 - £117
Yamazaki 18 - £111
Highland Park 18 - £55

I generally don't buy whisky that are alot more expensive here than they are in the UK. It is sort of off-putting for me, knowing that you payed £40-50 more for the exact same whisky, that is already pricy to begin with.

[mongo]

macallan 18 goes for $129-149 in most parts of the u.s
highland park 18 can be found in the $89-119 range
yamazaki 18 in the $99-119 range
springbank 18 in the $129-169 range

at least, that's what i see online,

[portwood]

Speaking as someone relatively new to single malts I'm thankful that I wasn't drinking scotch whisky in the 80s and 90s, because I have found my experience thus far to be extremely enjoyable and rewarding. I wouldn't want a frame of reference back to a time when whisky was "better" to take the shine off of what I am enjoying now.

Don't worry, in 2032 you'll be telling the newbie anoraks, via the techonology of the time, how much better the stuff you had when you started in the 10's was compared to what's available in 2032. You'll also be lamenting how expensive whisky is in 2032 compared to the great prices available in 2012.

[scotchio]

Speaking as someone relatively new to single malts I'm thankful that I wasn't drinking scotch whisky in the 80s and 90s, because I have found my experience thus far to be extremely enjoyable and rewarding. I wouldn't want a frame of reference back to a time when whisky was "better" to take the shine off of what I am enjoying now.

Don't worry, in 2032 you'll be telling the newbie anoraks, via the techonology of the time, how much better the stuff you had when you started in the 10's was compared to what's available in 2032. You'll also be lamenting how expensive whisky is in 2032 compared to the great prices available in 2012.

All true I'm sure. I've tried a lot of old bottlings mainly through minis. it's fairtosay they are often different to present stuff,richer and thicker even at 40% although in some cases the rich thickmaltiness makes the differences between distilleries less obvious. Current stuff is generally leaner not necessarilty worse just different. I do wonder if the difference is down to barley type altho Macallan still use golden promise. One definite current trend is for sherry casks to be far less reliable.Bourbon casks can be consistent butI feel they are less likely to show up distillery differences than a good refill sherry cask

[jsaliga]

Speaking as someone relatively new to single malts I'm thankful that I wasn't drinking scotch whisky in the 80s and 90s, because I have found my experience thus far to be extremely enjoyable and rewarding. I wouldn't want a frame of reference back to a time when whisky was "better" to take the shine off of what I am enjoying now.

Don't worry, in 2032 you'll be telling the newbie anoraks, via the techonology of the time, how much better the stuff you had when you started in the 10's was compared to what's available in 2032. You'll also be lamenting how expensive whisky is in 2032 compared to the great prices available in 2012.

If I'm still around in 2032 I sincerely hope that I am enjoying whiskies for what they are rather than lamenting what they aren't.

--Jerome

[Mr Tattie Heid]

I do wonder if the difference is down to barley type altho Macallan still use golden promise.

Some.

Bourbon casks can be consistent butI feel they are less likely to show up distillery differences than a good refill sherry cask

I feel quite the opposite--European oak seems to me to overpower the spirit, and all those heavily-sherried (so called) whiskies taste the same to me.

[scotchio]

Refill sherry tattie. I've had some very good refill bourbon but Theres a lot licorice vanilla and mint coming fro
The cask. Good refill sherry butts seem to be more subtle often adding just a little underlying fruit and adding a glossy feel.I'd agree first fill invariably takes over unless the base spirit is really characterful.

[bpbleus]

A local supermarket (Ralph's) advertizes it for $130 if one buy 6 bottles (I think mix & match). Still a no go for me, though.

[Finnegan]

Not a bad whisky but quite overrated imo, there are much better value sherried Speysiders out there every bit as good, if not better.

[jsaliga]

...quite overrated imo

Overrated by whom? To me this seems more like a commentary on the tastes of other whisky drinkers and reviewers than it is about the whisky itself.

...there are much better value sherried Speysiders out there every bit as good, if not better.

Care to name a few? Not that I think Macallan is the greatest thing going but I would be interested in your point of reference.

--Jerome

[Finnegan]

Mortlach F&F, Aberlour A' Bunadh, Glendronach 15 yo, Glenfarclas 15 & 17 yo, all as good as Mac 18- to me anyway.

[two-bit cowboy]

In addition to Aberlour and Glenfarclas, Arran bears watching in the coming few years to steal some of the jewels from Macallan's perceived crown.

[Jazz Lover]

Yamazaki 18 yr. However I enjoy Macallan 18.

[portwood]

When did Macallan stop printing the year on the 18yo label?

[ca_aok]

I really enjoy the 18, but I agree that there are similar quality offerings in a lower price bracket, especially in Canada where the Macallan 18 is ludicrously overpriced.

[roadrunner]

I enjoyed the 18 just fine, but I'm in agreement with most here that it is overpriced. It's smooth, and has quite a nose, however, the palate falls a bit short. I - luckily - prefer the 12 yr old Macallan to the 18.

[scotchio]

I plumped for a 21yr old 1990 from TWE which was a few quid less than the 18 OB.I was put off the 12 by the impression that once in a while a bit of sulphur turns up and having tried to drink a sulphured Mortlach 15 again the other night I didnt want to risk it.Would be interesting to try a few different Macs if anyone is interested in swapping a sample or two.

nb Does anyone want to try some Mortlach 15 before I feed it too the sink?