We expected The Macallan Edition No.4 to be out at some point this year, all said. Yet, there is a surrealness about it; it’s hard to believe that we’re here at the fourth whisky in the series.
Despite our nostalgia, the question remains, however, is the fourth whisky as good as its three predecessors? Does it stay true to its origins, or does it go off the rails?
A light step down memory lane
While drinking whisky is always a physical experience, for us it is also a mental and emotional one. The true pleasure in sinking into the golden sea that is whisky is to take in all its aspects- and yes, that includes ruminating on the liquid within as well.
Back when the No.1 came onto the market, questions were asked. From the natural “how old is the whisky” to the more important, “is it just another limited edition”. It’s a tough sell nowadays when every distiller has their own series of “special” releases. The lustre of the label has faded somewhat, so the whisky within has to stand on its own, or be relegated to the collections of the most ardent of fans.
That the Edition series has done well is perhaps the best testament to its quality. We’ve always found them to be creative and delicious whiskies in their own right.
Looking back, The Edition No.1 seemed like a cautious first step, but the No.2 has become a cult classic, while No.3 has creativity overflowing from the bottle. The themes have become ever wilder, from food, to perfume and now, it might be asked, where might we go next?
The stars themselves, perhaps? Moon rock whisky (as some of our friends glibly suggested)?
We were of course, looking in the wrong direction.
Looking within
We’re reminded a little of that line from The Empire Strike Back where Yoda tells the ever-impatient and ambitious Luke Skywalker to focus on the moment, on himself. “All his life has he looked away…to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. What he was doing,” the wise Jedi Master intones to his young apprentice.
But perhaps, even Yoda was wrong. One can embrace the past and future, while also remembering to live in the present.
While the previous editions seemed to look outward, the Edition No.4 looks inwards at the distillery’s own history- and future. Rather than looking to others, it examines its own spirit- in more than one sense.
For those yet unaware, The Macallan heavy investment was put into the distillery’s new premises in the Speyside, which opened its doors in the second quarter of 2018.
It’s a thing of beauty.
The wonders of modern technology have given it the ability to appear as if growing from the very hills of Scotland itself. The form resembles those of ancient Scot buildings, with a massive timbered roof- but also massive glass panes and modern European minimalist elements.
For all that, it has vastly increased production capability, while also observing the push to ecological sustainability; it runs principally on biomass and it’s so clean that birds and other wild animals live on the roof.
The iconic Easter Elchies House, which you can see on every bottle of the distillery’s whiskies sits right next to the distillery, a reminder of the ages past. The actual stills are the same, and the whisky that runs through them are done as they always have been.
Why mention all this? What could the new Edition No.4 have to do with the distillery?
Nothing. Everything.
Talking about nothing
For those familiar with The Macallan and its whiskies, you would already know that the distillery invests heavily into its wood and often creates its whiskies from a combination of its sherry-seasoned oak casks.
Long-term partnerships with bodegas and cooperages have ensured a steady supply and consistency in its casks, and therefore its whisky. American oak seasoned with sherry is also used, a rare enough thing in the whisky world.
We’ve heard this dismissed as hype, but we think that the almost metronomical flavour profiles speaks for itself. The distillery’s style is distinctive enough that a typical Macallan is often one of the easier whiskies to pick out in a blind tasting.
This time, we found seven different casks used, compared to the eight, seven, and six used for the first, second and third editions respectively. Inspired by the architecture, The Macallan groups it up into:
Capstone: 2nd Fill Sherry Butts (EU/AM oak), 2nd Fill Hogsheads (EU/AM)
Structure: 1st Fill Vasyma Hogsheads (AM)
Form: 1st Fill Diego Martin Rosado Butts (EU) and Jose Y Miguel Martin Butts (EU)
Foundation: 1st Fill Tevasa Butts / Puncheons (EU), 1st Fill Tevesa Hogsheads (EU)
Now, let us first say that we don’t know for sure how each individual component tastes, or whether they can really form the architectural model that was suggested.
To its credit, perhaps all of The Macallan’s whiskies are well put-together anyway, so what’s the point of fitting it into such a…structure?
What does interest us is the big picture, and the parallels with the new distillery.
The way we see it, this looks like a love letter both to the distillery’s traditional roots – and its modern siblings in the Edition range and the Trilogy range (the 12 year Double Casks, Fine Oak, Sherry Oak, and the new Triple Cask). There are many similarities that reflect a light evolution, but also a homage to its past.
In fact, the casks used are from (as one might expect), from the same sources as its Edition series kin. Tevesa, Diego Martin and Vasyma have all made appearances in the past. The flavours in Edition No.4 (which we’ll get into soon) are unmistakably Macallan.
Fittingly, this ageless whisky has no age statement. It’s almost like a statement in itself- like our distillery, the whisky coming out of it won’t be judged by age alone.
Talking about everything
It’s still got the soul of a classic Macallan. That’s the crux of it. It’s the same Macallan that you either love, or hate, but better.
Nose: It begins with dried figs, raisins and vanilla. A sweet honey and orange marmalade follow. Chocolate and mint appear, then taper off into nutmegs and baking spices.
Palate: A powerful initial impact that shows its wood influences rapidly, giving us heavy spice notes, particularly nutmeg. It shifts quickly from dry to sweet, with holiday flavours of honey, toffee, ginger and orange warming up the palate. It ends off with the familiar dark chocolate, walnuts and light toast.
Finish: A very long and lingering finish that goes on and on. Spices and macadamia nuts predominate.
When tasting the whisky, we found it well made, with a well-defined structure and a pace to it. A great nose, palate and finish; a rising crescendo, an epic climax and a haunting echo that flows organically.
The classic Macallan markers play off each other beautifully, setting the tongue alight with a tingling complexity and depth. It reminds us very much of the original Edition No.1, and also the Double Cask, but somehow both richer and more pleasant.
Yet the Edition No.4 somehow manages to be quite clean- the flavours are distinct and discernible. The lines are soft but clear.
It bears, spiritually, a resemblance to a certain new Scottish distillery that blends into a hillside.
Summing it all up
Overall, this is a satisfying zinger of a dram. It might just be the best in the Edition series so far. It brings out the best in The Macallan, we think. It’s an evolution that stays true to its origins. It might just be the best in the Edition series so far.
Despite its modern look, the bones, the soul of the distillery are still there, intact. What’s really changed?
Nothing. Nothing and everything.
The Macallan Edition No. 4 is priced at S$190+ and will be available at The Macallan Boutique @ 1855 (Marina One) and selected retailers. You can reach them here.
