2021 Seasonal Release | 40% ABV

I owe Macallan a lot

My father is a huge wine enthusiast, not a whisky fan. However a wealthy friend of his is a huge whisky fan, frequently opening expensive bottles when he’s hosting dinner parties, as that is his display of generosity.

This friend, let’s call him Milton, is a self-made man who amassed his wealth by rising up the ranks in an internationally acclaimed law firm. Despite all the stereotypes of people who drink expensive Macallans, Milton is a very down-to-earth, kind-hearted, and genuinely caring man. Occasionally, he would host a party with his friends, opening expensive bottles of wine, whisky, and occasionally other spirits. 

Knowing that I expressed a mild interest in whisky, my father often asked Milton if he could bring home any samples from these parties. So, from a young age, I was spoiled with the experience of tasting relatively expensive whiskies. One of the most memorable ‘leftovers’ my father brought back was a Macallan 25 Sherry Oak, along with the wooden box. There was a good chunk of liquid left in it, maybe a fifth of the bottle, so in moments when we felt indulgent, we would pour a small drop and sip it. Those dregs from a luxurious party lasted us for at least a year, and we kept the bottle and box simply because it looked so good on the countertop.

Another cool thing about Milton’s parties is that at the end of the party, every guest is handed a 5cl miniature Macallan 12yo, so over the years I have accrued a few of those, and even handed them out to friends who might wish to try some Macallan.

In recent years, I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited myself. Even though I never truly feel comfortable around this level of social class, these are kind people who always welcome me with open arms. Most recently was a farewell 2023 party, and the list of whiskies included Hibiki 30, Glenlivet 25, Lagavulin 16, an old cognac and, of course, a 25-year-old Macallan. This is not a review of the aforementioned whiskies, but both the Glenlivet and Macallan exuded a sense of luxury, be it the actual whisky or the power of suggestion from the wooden boxes, and I savoured every sip. The Hibiki was disappointing, with a particularly grainy palate and surprisingly short finish. 

All of the above is to say that, not-so-humblebrag incoming, I have tasted a fair share of Macallan. Truth be told, during my days at university before I became the whisky geek that I am today, I rinsed bottles of Macallan 12 Sherry Oak. It was an easy sipper; available from the supermarket and, most importantly, I didn’t know that there were better alternatives. 

Nowadays, I don’t spend money on Macallan, because while price hikes in whisky are widespread, Macallan seems to leave the pack behind, and it is simply not worth the asking price.

We often lament what Macallan does by brutally stripping its whiskies of their mouthfeel and flavours by chill filtration and reducing them down to 40-43%, but under this backdrop of premiumisation, I fully understand the ‘engineered’ product. Buyers and drinkers of premium Macallan are not us, they are not looking for challenging whiskies, they want an elegant and smooth whisky.

So often would I hear how “smooth” the whisky was, which is quite possibly helped by a low ABV. A smooth, sweet, and dark-coloured whisky, is very endearing for non-whisky drinkers. Added to the fact that some of these folks are experienced wine drinkers, and they are able to pick out complexities in the whisky, which adds to that ‘luxurious’ experience.

Anyway, during the Christmas period of 2022, I was visited by a dear friend, and he came with a gift, the bottle in question today; the Macallan - A Night on Earth in Scotland. 

We are both whisky drinkers. I’m more geeky, but he is more experienced. In our city of limited space, he and his friends found a small place in an industrial area and renovated it into what he called a little “playground”, where they would store and share whiskies. 

While we share a common interest in whisky, our way of enjoying whisky cannot be more different. I like to explore as many permutations of whisky as I can, whereas he is loyal to what he drinks. He raves about Bowmore 18yo, because he likes that soft, sherry, peated, and yes… ‘smooth’ experience. I explain my concerns that dilution and chill filtration has thinned out that whisky and stripped it of its potential. He doesn’t disagree, but as long as he enjoys the whisky, he’ll keep replacing it. At the end of the day, it’s all personal preference, so as long as he’s enjoying his whiskies, I’m happy for him.

So back to this whisky on hand. This is a true gift whisky, the extravagant packaging says it all, I’ve thrown away all of that since, but in case you haven’t seen it, you can find it all over YouTube. I was also quite keen to try it, because even though I don’t buy Macallan anymore, I still tend to like its whisky, so we cracked it open after dinner. How was it? Well, the score is the spoiler, but the review tells all.

Review

Macallan A Night on Earth in Scotland, Official bottling, Seasonal Release, Hogmanay 2021, 70cl, Bottle code L0295D L02 06/09, 40% ABV
£100-200 (£105 RRP) 2022 releases still available at retail

Nose

Very astringent nose, some vanilla, oranges, oak… overall the nose is very weak, quite sour. To be honest, I’m struggling here…

Palate

Again, astringent. Thin, watered down, bitter, slightly malty, honey. Bitter on the development, not much of a finish to work on.

The Dregs

Well that didn’t take very long did it? I tried, I really tried, and look at the fill level of the bottle, I’ve gone through a good chunk of this bottle despite not liking it, because I kept giving it a second chance. I shared it with friends to make sure that it wasn’t my preferences resulting in some sort of bias against it, I even tried it with ice. Eventually, I’ve come to make peace with it. I don’t like it because simply, for me, this is bad whisky. 

When I started writing this review, mentally I had it as a 3/10, but as I read the Dramface scoring guide more carefully, “flat-line in liquid form” pretty much nails it here, and I observe no hints of promise to raise it to a 3, so it’s a definite 2/10.

Our editors have pushed back on the score here - as they should do.

While they’re not afraid to share a brutally low score, they need to be sure it’s justified. I have stood my ground. I don’t want anyone wasting any money on liquid like this. I have returned many times and shared it with friends.

To help, we’ve included the bottle code above and made sure the Whiskybase entry we’ve linked below is the correct bottle.

This experience has left me really annoyed, especially because of its price. While I didn’t pay for it, my friend did, and in my opinion what it delivered doesn’t even hold a candle to today’s mass market blends.

Johnnie Walker Black Label can be an easy sipper, Chivas Regal 12 year old is an easy sipper, Monkey Shoulder on ice is a great summer’s drink, Jameson, Ballantines, I can go on and on.

This Macallan is the opposite of an easy sipper, it is pretty difficult to sip on. It bears no resemblance to those Macallans that I owe so much to, those that had me enjoying single malt whisky with my Dad and Milton in the early years.

If somebody wants to experience something similar, buy some Absolut Vodka and save yourself some money.

£100 plus? Macallan should be ashamed.

Score: 2/10

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. MMc

Other opinions on this:

Whiskybase

Malt Activist
Whisky on the West Coast
Deni Kay

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