In the unlikely event that you haven’t noticed, I seem to have missed the initial flood of reviews for The Macallan Edition No.5.
Why? I could cite, time, opportunity or one of a huge number of excuses. But I’ll just be honest. I did not warm to the new whisky. It was not love at first sip.
I normally wouldn’t take a second glance, but having collected its siblings in the Edition series, I had a bit of attachment, and a sense of faith. I would look at it again, sometime in the future. Like Prince, I wanted to see it laugh in the purple rain.
Well, here I am, some months down the line. How does Edition No.5 fare now?
A Little Background
It should first be said that the Edition No.5, being the fifth in the Edition series, cannot escape comparison to its older siblings.
The question is, does this fifth, youngest-yet member of the family add anything new to the series? After four whiskies, is there anything new to be said? I think the answer is a resounding yes.
The new release is the first of the edition series to be made by Sarah Burgess, its lead whisky maker (a position distinct from master whisky maker, currently Kirsteen Campbell).
It’s the first of the Edition series to be created solely from American oak matured whisky, though the casks used are a combination of sherry and bourbon seasoned.
- 1st fill Bourbon Barrels
- 2nd Fill Hoghseads/Butts
- 1st fill Tevesa Hogsheads/Butts
- 1st fill Vasyma Butts
- 1st fill Hudosa Hogsheads/Butts
SIde note: If it’s something to respect Macallan’s Edition series for, it’s its openness in discussing the origins of the whisky. The back of the box tells us quite openly that the No.5’s bill was 37% hogsheads, 33% barrels, and 30% butts.
It’s also the first of the series to embrace a somewhat abstract concept when it comes to whisky: colour. Its predecessors have celebrated Macallan disillery and its philosophies or the senses of taste and smell. All things that can rightly be regarded as…conventional. at least in comparison to the Edition No.5.
Colour, however, is another matter entirely.
True Colours
The colour concept is something that has been executed in two ways in the No. 5, one obvious, and one subtle.
The first is established in the packaging. Have you seen that shade of purple before? It’s unlikely, because it was created by The Macallan just for the No.5, in partnership with the Pantone Color Institute.
Why purple, though? Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute, said, “As the rainbow’s most complex colour, purple naturally felt like the ideal shade to highlight the equally complex process involved in The Macallan’s whisky-making. This new vibrant shade developed for Edition No. 5 brings to life the exquisite combination of distinctive natural hues found in this whisky.”
It’s a little esoteric, even for me.
To be clear, I like that there is a spark of creativity in the whisky’s conception. It’s a form of art, linking an abstract concept to a tangible expression. Whether this succeeds or not, it gives you something to think about- and that’s great.
I like that Macallan has tried to do something a little different and go a little beyond selling bottles. Deride it as gimmick or marketing ploy if you want, but I offer two points for your consideration. First, it’s hardly the worst or most abstract campaign that they’ve ever let fly. Second, they’re at least trying to differentiate themselves from the other brands while giving you something interesting to chew on. At the same time, while upfront, it’s not in-your-face; you can ignore all the talk about colours- rather easily- if you wish.
However, this concept doesn’t translate well to the taste or smell of the whisky, which I imagine most people who are considering picking up a bottle are in the market for.
Colourblind
The more subtle nod to colour is in the selection of the whisky barrels themselves. The colour, described as a sunlit gold by Macallan, was specifically engineered to be so. American casks were primarily for their colour, which, thankfully, isn’t purple.
Colour and specifically the use of E150 caramel food colouring has long been a prickly issue for the Scotch whisky industry. In the good old days, it was very common to use E150 to darken the colour of whisky to make it more appealing to consumers, while leaving the actual taste unchanged. The simple reason why: people thought that aged whiskies would be darker, and that darker colours would mean richer flavours.
In fact, most of the whisky aficionados today decry the use of artificial colour, and know for a fact that colour is not a meaningful way to predict taste in whisky. The average peated Islay whisky, no matter how old, has a straw gold hue, but few would claim that they’re lacking in flavour. Many average consumers do not, in fact, know this. That why I almost never comment on the colour of the whisky; it doesn’t really matter!
This perception of colour and flavour being linked was not helped much by Macallan itself when it launched the 1824 series some long years back. The lightest in colour, The Macallan Gold, was the cheapest of the lot. The colour gradations in the series steadily increased to Amber, Sienna, and finally The Macallan Ruby, which was the apex in price and quality.
To be completely clear here, it’s a perception problem; the colours in the 1824 series whiskies were natural; no additives were used. The flavour of the whiskies were not better simply because of their colour. You can’t blame people for getting the wrong idea, though, can you?
So, while Macallan themselves have not gone down the colour-is-quality route for many years, it’s the first time I’ve heard of them specifically selecting casks to create a gold liquid for one of their premium products. It would certainly give off an even more expensive, luxurious vibe to the average person if it was a luxuriant sunset orange or even a fiery red. I can’t help but applaud this step; it’s subtle yet bold, a modernist take on whisky.
Of course, since colour doesn’t influence taste directly, none of this matters one whit if the whisky itself is a horrible mess. It’s a beautiful contradiction to use colour to establish that the colour is not important. Intentional or not, I like this idea.
My Tasting Notes
Nose: Very pleasant, if given time to develop. Hazelnuts, caramel and toffee with a generous helping of vanilla to start- almost ice-cream like. Then, working my way in, I find the traditional Macallan candied orange, and dried fruit- apples, apricots sultanas, even prunes. The finale is a nice dusting of old ginger, nutmeg, cloves and sandalwood.
Palate: A lot of heat on the initial impact. Initial hit of heavy spice; cinnamon, pepper and ginger. It’s followed by a burst of stone fruit sweetness. Ginger, blackberry, figs and even apricot. Tobacco, espresso and very dark chocolate. Underneath it, persistent, omnipresent, are the flavours of nuts, nutmeg and black pepper.
Finish: Medium-long and very dry. Full of wood and oak spices. I get szechuan peppercorn-like numbing spiciness and black pepper.
Coloured Perception?
So, going back to the big question. The first time I tasted the Edition No.5, I did not love it. Have I changed my mind?
Yes, but not as much as I’d like. Let me explain why.
The aromas are by far my favourite thing about the No.5. Given a bit of time, it develops a lot of complexity indeed. It’s nuanced, multilayered, elegant and most importantly- smells inviting. Something about dried fruit and vanilla working together makes it smell like my favourite confectionery.
The taste, too, is mostly good. It’s not a bland whisky; the flavours are there. They’re rich, powerful and even a little different than most Macallans. Tons of vanilla, berries and spice. It’s not as complex and interwoven as the No.4 or No.2, but it’s perfectly serviceable in its own right.
What I really don’t like is the persistent heat and unyielding heavy spiciness. The former manifests as a flush of alcohol fire within the mouth, which I can’t attribute to its ABV of 48.5%. It masks the lighter notes and creates unevenness that I think takes away from its elegance and the overall experience.
I can only speculate that it’s due to the high proportion of 1st fills and young spirit, but I don’t know for sure. Regardless, it’s a flaw but not a fatal one. I’ve had some pretty good young whiskies and their heat wasn’t a dealbreaker. I can accept some fire on the tongue.
The bitterness, however, is what gets me. I am used to bitter tastes in general (see: Negroni). I even think that a little of it in whisky helps to accentuate the other flavours. The No.5, however, has it permeating the entire experience, and not always subtly. From the middle of the dram, it grips the tongue and refuses to let go. Once the heavy fruit flavours dissipates, it’s just tannin and spice. Suddenly, they vanish into the medium finish. Too soon, too much, then too little, too fast.
So why do I like it more now? In my first tasting, that tannic bitterness was too much for me, and the flavours were lost. I was a little fixated, so I decided to wait a while. Now, the spice feels lighter, less oppressive. I can enjoy the No.5’s positive aspects; aromas and taste, and its concept.
It still isn’t perfect in my book, but it’s not terrible either. It’s just a little short of what I’d hoped, when compared to its siblings. Not all experiments turn out spectacular results, and that’s fine. I appreciate the attempt.
Closing Thoughts
I think that the whisky is interesting. Lots of good ideas, lots of interesting concepts blended into it, a bold move. That being said, would I drink it?
Sure. It’s definitely a drinkable dram. If you’re less concerned with a bit of spice and bitterness, you will probably enjoy a wee dram of the Edition No.5. I can see it being a good everyday drink.
Is it worth its asking price? I’d say yes, and that’s taking into consideration both taste and finances; you’re likely to get your outlay back if you decide to sell it at a later date.
Even if not every member of the family makes it on my all-time-favourite list, I like the direction the series is going. Whatever else you might say about Macallan, they try hard to come up with something new and exciting. I’m looking forward to the Edition No.6.
If you’re interested, you can pick up a bottle of Macallan Edition No.5 here.
Next time: a look at another Macallan…Concept.
