Review #192 - Macallan 12 Year Double Cask

Unlike a lot of 'double cask' Scotch whiskies, this isn't a mixture of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry matured spirit - this is all sherry cask whisky. The difference in the two cask types is that some are made of American oak, while the others are European oak; all are sherry-seasoned, though.

Of the three types of Macallan 12 Year (Sherry Oak, Double Cask, and Triple Cask), this bottle is the most reasonably priced, around $60 to $65 in our area. Will it present a better value than the more expensive Sherry Oak 12 Year, or will the flavor not live up?

Macallan 12 Year Double Cask

Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt

Price Paid: USD 60 (2021)

Current Locally Available Price: USD 62 (2023)

Age Statement: 12 Years

Strength: 43% ABV

Cask Makeup: European oak and American oak sherry casks

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 16 months; bottles at 90%, 70%, 50% (blind tasting), and 40% (blind tasting) fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Mellow, with plenty of cask influence: decent sherry notes like dark fruit, red fruit candies, red berries, and a mild chocolate note. Oak comes in with baking spices: cardamom and vanilla, and then more fruits arrive - apricot, plums, raisins, and juicy prunes. Underneath the fruits, there's a slight sulfury, musty, meaty flavor, but it's mild.

Palate: A medium-thin mouthfeel, and the palate is slightly more dry than the nose. Slightly spirity notes, umami and sharp, before we get into those sherry notes again: orange, soft leather, cardamom, and cola; with time, sweeter flavors of milk chocolate and syrupy raisins come in. Baking spices like vanilla and nutmeg are accent flavors, and the late palate gives us a chalky cocoa powder note.

Finish: Medium length, with sharp warmth from the spirit and a variety of flavors. There's a drying character and some acidity from the oak, some nutty and spicy flavors, a little bit of fruit like fig or pomegranate seeds, and some maltiness. In the aftertaste, we get cola and a general savory taste.

Final Note: To us, there isn't a huge difference when compared against the more famous and loved Sherry Oak 12 year old Macallan. Not quite as much spice, but this is a little more balanced, and there are still plenty of sherry notes along with that hint of characterful Macallan distillate. Yes, this does suffer from a lower bottling strength - it could be quite good with a few more proof points and a little less filtering.

Our Average Rating: 6.8 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 6.86