The most expensive bottle of scotch whiskey ever sold was made by the brand Macallan. The year was 2019, and the bottle of The Macallan Fine and Rare 60-Year-Old scotch sold for $1.9 million. Any scotch drinker knows that The Macallan Whiskey is the gold standard when it comes to whiskey. The Macallan distillery in Scotland has been selling scotch for decades. And The Macallan is one of the top-selling scotch brands in the world.
Yet, picking out the right Macallan scotch gifts for your favorite whiskey drinking can be a major headache. There is the core range to consider, which has at least 18 different editions. Then, there are the limited releases. With literally hundreds of scotch whiskeys, how could you ever choose the perfect one? We are lending you a hand with this complete guide to The Macallan scotch gifts. Keep reading for everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
The Macallan Core Range
The Macallan Core range includes all the brand’s best-selling scotch whiskeys. They sell these products year-round, and you do not have to worry about them running out or going up in resale price as you would with a limited release.
We did want to note that The Master Decanter Series from The Macallan is part of the core range. However, because these Scotch whiskeys come inside Lalique crystal decanters, they are outside of most peoples’ price range. So, we will not be talking about this line below.
Double Cask
The double cask line offers some of The Macallan’s more affordable scotch options. The reason for this lower price tag is that the distillery ages these whiskeys into two different kinds of casks, one of which is much less expensive. The two types of casks consist of American and Spanish sherry oak. American sherry oak casks are much less pricey than Spanish and European ones, meaning a lower-priced product for you.
Like the traditional Macallan whiskeys, the double cask line comes in various age groups, including:
All of these whiskeys, except for the gold version, have an ABV of 43%. The gold version has a lower ABV at only 40%. The flavor profile leans more toward honey, ginger, and citrus. The familiar Spanish sherry oak flavors are also present, though at a much subtler level.
The flavor of The Macallan double cask is more familiar to the average scotch drinker, making this the perfect entry point for Macallan beginners. First-time scotch drinkers would also appreciate the double cask line. Both the whiskies you can order and get the online alcohol delivery to your doorstep.
Sherry Oak
In the beginning, The Macallan distillery exclusively used oak sherry casks to age their products. Today, the line has expanded to include scotch whiskeys aged in bourbon oak casks as well as the original sherry oak.
Yet, sherry oak is still a recognizable flavor profile present in many of the brand’s best-selling scotch whiskeys. Macallan sources these casks from Spain. And Spanish sherry casks impart flavors like figs, dates, raisins, and red fruits.
The Macallan scotch whiskeys aged in sherry oak casks are:
- The Macallan 12 year
- The Macallan 18 year
- The Macallan 25 year
- The Macallan 30 year
- The Macallan 40 year
With the exception of the 12-year and the 40-year, all of these scotch whiskeys have an ABV of 43%. The 12-year has a slightly lower ABV of 40%–42%, while the 40-year has a slightly higher ABV of 44%–45%. The sherry oak range is a great gift for scotch enthusiasts. The sherry oak cask imparts a unique flavor profile to the scotch, which will surprise and delight even the most seasoned whiskey drinkers.
Rare Cask and Estate
The Rare Cask and Estate lines of The Macallan are both 43% ABV single malt scotch whiskeys. Here is what you need to know about each of these. The Rare Cask line currently features five different scotch whiskeys. Two batches were released in 2019, one batch came out in 2020, and the other two came out in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
The Rare Cask batches feature a unique red-hued whiskey. It gets its color from aging exclusively in Spanish sherry oak casks. The Macallan hand-selected each batch for its unique smell, flavor profile, and finish. The ideal recipient of a Rare Cask whiskey is someone who appreciates the uniqueness of The Macallan distilling style. It is also a collector’s item for The Macallan Whiskey investors.
The Macallan distilleries’ head whiskey maker Sarah Burgess is the brains behind the Estate line. This line is a sustainable whiskey featuring the barley grown on the nearby famous Easter Elchies estate in Scotland. The Estate line features notes of citrus alongside The Macallan’s signature sherried richness. Despite its single malt nature, this scotch whiskey is as complex as its land of origin.
If your recipient is Scottish, he or she will feel at home again when they taste this scotch. It is also a great gift for someone who is getting ready to visit Scotland for the first time and wants to get their toes wet.
Triple Cask Matured
In 2004, The Macallan distilleries released a new line of scotch whiskeys. These products had a unique selling point: Macallan ages the scotch whiskeys in Spanish and American sherry oak. They finish off the triple-cask process with traditional bourbon oak caskets. Macallan has since renamed the series to the Triple Cask Matured line. Again, because these scotch whiskeys age in different barrels, they come in at a slightly lower price tag than the original sherry oak line.
However, the triple cask matured line has fewer options, limited to the following:
- The 12 year
- The 15 year
- The 18 year
The 15- and 18-year versions offer ABVs of 43%. Meanwhile, the 12-year only has an ABV of around 40%. As gifts go, this is the option to choose if the recipient is a bourbon drinker who wants to get into scotch. The bourbon cask offers smooth and delicate over notes, backed up by the complex flavor profile you can expect from The Macallan.
The Macallan Limited Releases
Over the years, The Macallan distillery has released dozens of limited-release lines and bottles. For instance, The Macallan Masters of Photography line came out with seven different scotch whiskeys. Each bottle of scotch was accompanied by a vintage photograph. The photographs feature The Macallan distillery shot by a famous photographer. These bottles cost thousands of dollars.
Other limited releases have been more affordable for the average joe. We will talk about three of the more affordable The Macallan limited release series and lines next.
Classic Cut
Beginning in 2017, The Macallan distillery started putting out its Classic Cut line. Like the Edition Series (more on this line below), Macallan puts out a new Classic Cut limited release every year. So far, there are six different editions.
This year’s edition is a showstopper. It features notes of bitter grapefruit, sweet caramel, and balanced spice. The ABV is higher than The Macallan’s other scotch whiskeys, too, coming in at 52.5%.
In fact, all of the Classic Cut editions have a higher ABV. This, plus the fact that each bottle showcases its own unique flavor profile, makes this line an ideal gift for Macallan scotch lovers who want a seriously strong and tasty drink.
The Archival Series
The Macallan’s Archival series originally came out in 2015. So far, only six editions (called folios) have been released. But Macallan plans to release a total of 24 folios in its Archival line.
Each folio features four bottles printed with a Macallan ad campaign image from the 70s, 80s, or 90s. Another excellent gift for scotch collectors, the Archival series is also a great gift for media enthusiasts who love scotch. The price you will pay for a bottle in the Archival series depends since you can only get them at auction. Originally, the price per folio was between 100 and 300 pounds depending on the exact bottle.
The Edition Series
The Edition Series comprises The Macallan’s annual limited edition releases. So far, the line includes six unique and complex scotch whiskeys. Each edition comes with a different colored label for ease of distinction. The complete set goes for about $8,000 for all six bottles. But you can also pick up individual bottles for a more reasonable price tag. All of the editions are a great gift, though some argue that Edition No.4 is the series’ best.
The Edition Series is yet another great gift for Macallan collectors. Gifting the entire Macallan edition set is also a great way to get young scotch drinkers into the brand. They can keep collecting Edition Series bottles throughout their lives.
Want to Buy Macallan Scotch Online?
Macallan scotch is a great gift for graduations, milestone birthdays, and even job promotions. While the double-cask and triple-cask mature lines are great for entry-level scotch drinkers, the sherry oak and limited-release lines are an excellent choice for more seasoned Macallan lovers.
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