Another year, another Macallan “limited release”. It’s now come to be expected, so much that the ‘fake news’ spread like wildfire on social media a few months ago (and incorrectly guessing the new bottle’s signature coloring I might add). Queue up the Macallan haters that despise the marketing, the snobbiness, the marketing; and while this distillery might have some of that stigma, it’s because their whiskies are just so consistently good. So, yes, I was anticipating trying this one out. After waiting a few weeks for my oh-so-very-loved Virginia ABC to put this out on their shelves, I was able to obtain a bottle to taste and ultimately compare it to what I thought was most fair – an absolutely lovely Edition No. 4 release.

So did it deliver, you ask? Well, it depends. It’s a classic Macallan. Smooth, silky, and filled with wonderful fruity flavors in that beautiful, rich coloring for which they’ve become famous. If you’re a fan of sherry cask Scotch whisky, you will certainly not be disappointed with this release. But with Edition No. 5 being a wonderful dram, here’s the kicker: the Edition No. 4 is just that much better. Seeing that the 4th release is discounted many places (even as much as a 50% clearance here in Virginia!), stock up on that lovely green bottle while you can. I’d be willing to bet that this “Pantone Pink” will be available after this initial craze (as is typical) and possibly at a discount in the coming months. Anyway, onwards to my tasting notes!

Tasting Notes

Nose: A blast of fruits – oranges, apples, and raisins, salted caramel, black tea, and a lovely woody aroma truly beckon to the point of this series – the wood of the barrel. Oh, and when you’ve your dram, keep smelling the glass. It’s addicting.

Palate: Smooth and buttery. A lovely flavor bomb of dried fruits – more raisins and black currants. A trio of baking spices add a welcomed warmth – cinnamon, allspice, and clove. Butterscotch candies and hints of freshly brewed afternoon tea shortly appear. These are followed by tobacco notes dancing every so lightly across the tongue. The heat is present but does not overwhelm nor last for long. As expected of a Macallan, the buttery richness left in your mouth is incredible.

Closing Thoughts

Was it good? Of course! It’s a Macallan! If it wasn’t good, they’d have quite the debacle, especially for the price they typically command (I still can’t wrap my head around a 25yr from them costing $2k… unreal!). I already picked up a second bottle as I want to have it in the long term collection (and one of these days I hope to finally source an Edition No.1 to have the full vertical to hopefully write up a nice little review of all of them for you, too!). That being said, I have two bottles of the Edition No. 4 collecting dust in addition to the bottle I just finished a week or two ago. It’s that good. So as I said before, definitely give this one a shot, but I’d try to find it at a discount and only after you have the green bottle to sit next to it!

Peated’s Grade: 83/100

96-100: Absolute Perfection.

90-95: Exceptional. Clear the shelves.

85-89: Great. Add this to your bunker!

80-84: Very good. This is your daily drinker.

75-79: Good. “Brother-in-law’d” if you will.

70-74: Meh. I guess I’ll drink it if offered to be polite.

65-69: Not good. None for us, thanks.

0-64: Actively avoid.