On the back of our recent Balvenie release (a secret blend we had to call “John McCrae” for legal reasons), we still have one more secret to share with you from our latest Hepburn’s Choice selections. This “William Hepburn” edition is another teaspooned cask, which means once again (as with the Balvenie) we’re dealing with a blended malt whisky due to that additional teaspoon of malt whisky added by the distillery; a blend comprised of 99.9999% Macallan and .0001% something else.
We were really overwhelmed by this whisky when we tasted it in Glasgow this past March, and having tasted it again recently we’re still impressed. It’s a simple, no frills, ten year old hogshead cask that is as basic as basic gets, but in that simplicity is complete balance and grace. While Macallan is traditionally aged in Oloroso sherry butts, this version comes a refill hogshead cask, so there’s nothing but a touch of oak to round out the inherent malt flavor. Without the bright lights, the make-up, the pomp, and the heavy Oloroso sherry maturation, Macallan is a pretty damn good whisky. The proof? It’s right here. This whisky is all sweet grains, lush fruit, and soft vanilla. It’s also a really good price. Cask strength, single barrel Macallan for less than fifty bucks? We would have backed up the truck if we could have bought more. Unfortunately, one barrel was all they had.
2006 William Hepburn (Macallan) 10 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” Single Barrel Cask Strength Blended Malt Whisky (750ml) ($49.99)
Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 08, 2016
Wow, this whisky caught me a bit off guard. The fruitiness and the weight are much richer than the color gives off and the texture of the malt is concentrated and hearty. I never would have thought this was Macallan, yet it was interesting to see just how good their spirit is before it goes into sherry cask. A really fun little whisky to dig into.
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 08, 2016
This whisky shows you exactly how good Macallan whisky really is because it’s a snapshot of what the legendary Highland whisky tastes like without the sherry influence. There’s no Oloroso character whatsoever: no toffee, or caramel, or nuttiness whatsoever. What remains however is pure texture. A creamy, rich, and inherently supple malt that is brilliant completely on its own, natural and with no make up. It’s brimming with sweet stone fruit and soft cereal grains, bolstered by just the right amount of vanilla from the oak cask. Macallan fans will go crazy for this. People who thought they didn’t like Macallan will take a second look. You really understand what makes that whisky so special when you taste this.
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