][1]Your blogger had an interesting evening in the Pompadour by Galvin restaurant in Edinburgh’s Caledonian Hotel recently.
The Macallan were launching their new 1824 Series, four whiskies named Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby.
Defined by colour
In a radical departure from the industry norm, the new range is defined by colour rather than age statements. As whisky ages in oak barrels, it takes on different hues from the wood. These different colours help define the taste of the spirit. Roughly speaking, as a spirit matures in a cask, it develops a deeper colour and more complex range of flavours. Due to evaporation (the angels’ share) and storage costs, it also becomes correspondingly more expensive.
Age statements
In the past, the whisky industry used age statements as an indicator of both quality and cost. The new Macallan range is trying to establish different colour-based criteria to set themselves apart from their competitors in the market.
Bob Dalgarno, The Macallan Whisky Maker, has assessed the brand’s stock of casks by the natural colours they produce in the whisky. The casks chosen for the 1824 range deliver a gradation of colour from light to dark, with the wood character defining each expression’s flavour, moving from lighter, lemon citrus to richer, dried fruit notes. As the whiskies become darker and richer, so the pool of casks able to deliver this character becomes smaller and rarer.
Great single malt
‘The Macallan world of colour is the true inspiration of the 1824 Series,’ said Dalgarno. ‘Using colour to drive and define a whisky differs dramatically from the conventional age approach, allowing us to explore different casks and take a more flexible approach to our stock. We have been able to work creatively with the full range of matured stock available, rather than working to a pre-determined character based on age. For me, the key thought in this range is that a great single malt doesn’t need to be 30 years old to taste like a 30 year old.’
Fierce debate
The new approach sparked fierce debate at the launch. Whisky sales are booming and many distillers don’t have enough whisky in stock to meet the growing demand for spirit which is ten, fifteen, eighteen or even twenty-five-years old. Macallan’s new approach means that they can market younger spirits as premium spirits. The key phrase is ‘a great single malt doesn’t need to be 30 years old to taste like a 30 year old.’
Many at the launch wondered if consumers would be prepared to pay up to £120 for a bottle of The Macallan Ruby if it didn’t have an age statement on it. It’s certainly a brave step by Macallan and one which breaks firmly with whisky industry tradition. The Macallan’s competitors will be looking on with great interest to see whether or not the experiment works.
The Macallan Gold (RRP £36), The Macallan Amber (RRP £45), The Macallan Sienna (RRP £66) and The Macallan Ruby (RRP £120) will be available at selected whisky retailers.
][4]Tasting notes
Here are the brand’s tasting notes:
Gold – a burnished gold spirit offering a lemon citrus nose, then orange peel and sweetness that softens but doesn’t eliminate the zest. A note of vanilla followed more assertive by dark chocolate – with lingering floral and light oak notes. Citrus and boiled sweets dance on the palate, along with hints of ginger and cinnamon, while soft oak tones reveal toasted apples. The finish is medium sweet, malty and slightly dry.
Amber – a floral, citrus sweet nose gains presence, commanding a chorus of sweet vanilla notes over freshly harvested grain. Raisin, sultana and cinnamon look on as toffee apples and candy floss step into the limelight. On the palate, fresh green apples and lemons mingle with cinnamon. Ginger notes hover as fruit takes over, with subtle oak lingering. The finale is light to medium, with soft fruits and cereal, slightly dry.
Sienna – a warm opening with a subtle vanilla nose, persistent yet not overpowering. Orange arrives, turning zesty and sharp, though tempering green apples add freshness and balance. Next comes white chocolate truffles, chewy and sumptuous, with elegant oak notes. Dates, figs and raisins lead the palate then make way for nutmeg and ginger with a splash of oranges and apples, before vanilla returns. The final fanfare is gentle, smooth and warming.
Ruby – Spanish Oak piques the nose before reluctantly admitting rich, dried fruits and an edgy trickle of treacle. A hesitant sweetness enters, then oak returns, burnished and mature. On the palate a rush of ginger, nutmeg and resin herald orange, sultana and raisin with their restrained but pervasive sweetness. Clove is here and gone, leaving oak the undisputed maestro. The finish of this ruby-red spirit is long, lingering and reflective.