Macallan-Glenlivet 25 Years Old 1989 Authentic Collection (51.4%, Cadenheads, Bourbon Barrel, 2014)

• Single malt scotch whisky
• 51.4% ABV,
• £130 for 70cl from Wm Cadenhead’s
• Score: 87/100

What they say:

Macallan 25 Year Old 1989-2014 Cadenhead’s Single Malt Scotch 51.4% ABV. Speyside whisky from Scotland, Cadenheads bottling Bourbon Barrel

What I say:

Sampled (blind) at the President’s Tasting during the WOLS Highland Trip.

Colour:

Full amber gold

Nose:

Vanilla, creamed coconut, slightly citric lemon, lemon juice, rich golden syrup, cereal oat flapjack, barley malt

Taste:

Sweet and sour, lemon barley sugar sweeties, heather honey, cereal barley malt, light caramel oak wood, very smooth and silky, vanilla cream

Finish:

Long toffee and oak

Overall:

A dram of real quality, plenty of well-aged oak / ex-bourbon flavours in here and a resounding smooth silkiness with vanilla hints. Once revealed as a 25yo Macallan all seemed to make sense, an unusual sweet/sour and lemon citrus was detected that would normally form a backbone for the sherry-maturation the distillery is so fond of for its own expressions. Interesting to taste a well aged, bourbon-matured Macallan.