Macallan Cask Strength

Macallan Cask Strength red label was up for grabs until 2012 (2013 in some markets) when The Edrington Group decided to discontinue it. It was replaced with Cask Strength 10-Year-Old Old which (in a funny way) was also discontinued after a couple of years.

The discontinuation created quite a stir among the fans. For a long period, there were no Cask Strength products from the company. Recently, the distillery released Macallan Classic Cut as some sort of a fill-in but this new expression fell short of delivering the punch of its big brother.

Macallan Cask Strength red label is a NAS Product that comes bottled at a cask strength of 58.6% ABV (Some batches come with 60.1%).

Color: Very dark amber. Mahogany with a dark red shine.

Nose: Rich, complex and alluring. Starts with an intense load of dark cherries, dried figs, and prunes. The strong alcohol content comes out like old furniture polish. Charred wood along with cinnamon adds an aromatic touch. Burnt sugar and cocoa in the background.

Palate: Thick and creamy. Nice balance of oak and sour fruity flavors. Strawberry, maraschino cherries, and sultanas. Rich oak adds bitterness and brings out the spices with vanilla. Cinnamon, clover, and some paprika warm the overall feel.

Finish: Long finish. Sweet and sour fruity notes disappear slowly leaving behind dry oak and dark chocolate.