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“Because you can't buy happiness... but you can buy whisky and that's pretty much the same thing”

Read stories about The Macallan of A Wardrobe of Whisky blog.

You can read here older articles posted in A Wardrobe of Whisky since 2009.
The articles are sorted by publication date. You can either browse here, check the featured articles section or use the search bar on the top of this page.

Darkness Single Malt Whiskies: Sherry treats

By Miguel in Tasting , Ardbeg , The Macallan , Master of Malt , Clynelish , Benrinnes

Welcome to the Darkness… Darkness is a range of single malt whiskies finished, and some of them aged, in sherry casks to give them that characteristic dark color that is a promise of spices, christmas aromas, cocoa and nuts.

Maverick Drinks send me five samples of their initial batch, an Ardbeg 21 years old finished in PX between them. I were going to explain you about how it was done and what was the finish process and what it does mean to whisky… but I am so anxious to taste them that I don’t really want to lose any more time on small talk.

darkness-single-cask-sherry-finished-scotch-whisky

So the whiskies…

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Macallan 10 years old: One of the best sherried whiskies I have had

By Miguel in Tasting , The Macallan

The Macallan used to be synonymous of sherried whiskies until they launched their Fine Oak range a few years ago.
Now they are back to their origins with a no age statement range of bottles called the Macallan 1824 series that is composed right now of 4 bottles all of the aged in sherry butts.

But if there is a Macallan that shine over all of them, yes, even over the 18 years old, it is the 10 years old Cask Strength.

Let me try to show how good it is…

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Ardbog & The Macallan 1824 Collection

By Miguel in Laphroaig , Glenlivet , The Macallan , Whisky , Longmorn

ardbog-macallan-1824-collection-glenlivet-alpha

Yay! Lots of interesting stuff this month! Finally grabbed my bottle of Ardbog and completed The Macallan 1824 Collection range of bottles. Also got a old Longmorn 15 years old and the new Talisker Port Ruighe that I plan tasting really soon. Also just I have just got a bottle of Laphroaig QA and a Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Madeira Cask.

So mysterious Alpha was that I forgot the mention it. Not sure that it is worth £100 but a really nice whisky.

What have you got lately? Any interesting dram that you have missed?


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The Macallan 1824 Collection Tweet Tasting #TheMacallan1824

By Miguel in Tasting , Featured , The Macallan

Hello there,

You can’t go wrong with a Macallan. Or can you? As I were not longer sure I really wanted to give a try to the new range: The 1824 Collection, released a few months ago to replace their core range of bottles. So say goodbye to 10 years old, 12 years old, 15 years old Macallan ( stock while you can, you fools! ).

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So when Steve from The Whisky Wire proposed a tweet tasting about Macallan new whiskies I couldn’t but to apply. I have to say that, as everything Macallan related, this is one of the best, most precious presented samples set ever.

In case you have been living under a rock in the last year, or just that you arrived here through Google looking for the Best Single Malt Whisky in the World, the Macallan has recently decided to replace their core range of bottles with a non age statement bottles. It is quite a bold movement.

The Macallan Master Distiller Bob Dalgarno, explains that this move allow them to deliver simply the very best product without having the burden of age statements. Other persons said that this desperate movement by Macallan is just the direct result of having run-out of old stocked whiskies ( just go and try buying a Macallan 25 years old ). I have my mind clear and open, and really I don’t care about how old is the whisky but how good is it… BUT… recently we have lots of NAS whiskies scaling above £100 easily. That’s no way!.

So I poured the samples and decided I could add a few more drams into the tasting: Macallan Elegancia 12 years old, and both Macallan 18 years old and Macallan 18 years old Fine Oak.

So the whiskies…

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Why I hate Johnnie Walker

By Miguel in Featured , Ardbeg , Johnnie Walker , The Macallan , Whisky

Well, hate is a too strong word, so maybe dislike may be better. Umm!… no, hate is fine, pure distilled clear hate. But anyway, let me explain it to you…

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As you know I am from Spain, a country that in less than forty years moved from very poor to reasonably rich ( and it looks like back at fullspeed to poor again ) place. So, as in most in-development countries we had an special interest in those kind of luxury products that come from abroad, for example, Rolex watches, Mercedes Benz cars and Scotch whisky.

Fusion TIFF File

So imagine, a country where monthly income moved from £150 to £1500 in less than twenty years… so we were a nice market niche for Scotch Whisky industry, despite the fact that Spanish biggest selling whisky is DYC. So we were invaded with hordes of best whiskies Scotland could produce; Johnnie Walker Red Label, Ballantines, J&B, Cutty Sark, Dewars White Label,… you get an idea of the situation, don’t you?

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The Best 3 Reasons for not Investing in Whisky

By Miguel in Featured , The Macallan , Whisky

In the last five years I have seen a constant increase in whisky prices I am interested in. I remember when a interesting new Ardbeg was only £60 or when a 25 years old Ardbeg Lord of Isles was so expensive at £150…

Many persons are now joining the wagon of whisky investment just for the future ( or immediate sometimes ) reward. So read why I think that this is quite a bad idea if you don’t know what you are doing.

I am a whisky collector, I collect whisky, really. Many friends have told me as an insult that I don’t open bottles. And yes, I don’t usually open them. I collect because I love the way the bottles look and love to see them one after the other, to put my hands on them. There is so little moments better than opening a box full of whisky… well, maybe having a dram of them may be better :)

An open bottle of whisky last several years on my cabinet, so I have an extra problem keeping open bottles at hand.

But I don’t buy whisky as an investment. I haven’t sold a single bottle of my collection nor I will (by now, until my country’s economy finally collapse I am forced to beg on a street corner). The whisky collection profit is an interior growth in knowledge and pleasure.

So, why do I think it is a bad idea to invest in whisky?

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Macallan Gold: nicely done Single Malt Whisky

By Miguel in Tasting , The Macallan

“Very interesting single malt. More subtle than the old 10 years old Sherry Oak but nicer at the same time. This whisky shows more of the Macallan Spirit than the old sherry monster”

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Macallan Gold
Macallan Gold was released in late 2012 as part of a series of colour-themed bottlings introduced to replace the distillery's age-statement expressions.

This batch of Macallan Gold has been produced from 9-15yo first fill and refill sherry casks and is designed to sit between the now-defunct 10yo Sherry Oak and 10yo Fine Oak bottlings.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, nuts, citrus, vanilla. Very nice aroma. Really does the work. It is slightly more subtle than 10 years old Sherry Oak.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. nuts, honey, wood, citrus, spices, tobacco. Very nice whisky. Definitively it is a nice Macallan to initiate yourself in the range.

Finish (89): longer than average. nuts, honey, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Macallan Gold with 89 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

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That Boutique-y Whiskies: Not only the labels are great

By Miguel in Tasting , Featured , Ardbeg , The Macallan , Aberlour , Master of Malt , Benriach , Caperdonich , Aultmore , Benrinnes

Master of Malt sent me some samples of their new range That Boutique-y and as I happen to have some samples too myself I decided to do a super tasting of this new ramge of whiskies!.
that-boutique-y-batch-1-whiskies

First thing that grab your eye on these whiskies is the precious labels they have created for each of them. And also the fact that the whiskies are bottled at cask strength. Looks like most of them are a vatting of several casks and there is no age statement in any of them but if they are as good as this first batch… :)

That Boutique-y Whisky Company

That Boutique-y Whisky Company bottles Scotch Single Malt Whiskies from a variety of renowned distilleries like Ardbeg, Macallan or Aberlour in limited batches. These whiskies are adorned with cultish comic-book style labels which feature prominent figures from the whisky industry upon them, as well as other little details for you to find!

The whiskies Batch 1

I have tasted several whiskies from the first batch and most of them are already sold out by the time you read this. On their webpage it is available right now a second batch of whiskies.

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Macallan Gold: How much it changed from old 10 years old Sherry Oak?

By Miguel in Tasting , Featured , The Macallan

Macallan has released a new range of non age statements to replace their Sherry and Fine Oaks whisky bottles from 10 years old to 18 years old.

macallan-gold-10-years-old-sherry-oak-cask-strength

A bold move? Looking for the best quality? Running out of stock? Age matters? Who knows…

This new Macallan Gold is the initial entry on the new range of bottles, and it is already about £8 more expensive that the old Macallan 10 years old Sherry Oak. But the question is: Is it better?

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TWE Whisky Show 2012: What I couldn't taste [Part 4]

By Miguel in Laphroaig , Cooley , Chivas , Johnnie Walker , The Macallan , Dewar , Penderyn , Bunnahabhain , Compass Box , Monkey Shoulder , Glenfiddich , The Balvenie , Kilchoman , Highland Park , Bowmore , Yoichi , Nikka , Suntory , Balblair , Redbreast , Glenfarclas , Connemara , Ichiro , Rosebank , Benriach , Glendronach , Old Pulteney , Dalmore , Glen Garioch , Big Peat , Glenglassaugh , Glenrothes , Maker's Mark , Hibiki , Four Roses , Glencadam , Wemyss , Douglas Laing

This post continue from TWE Whisky Show [Part 3]

The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show 2012 took place at October 6th and 7th and although it has been a great experience it has been a short one. With over 450 whiskies to taste and just barely six hours ahead it was impossible to taste them all.

What I couldn’t taste

This post is just a set of photos of what I couldn’t taste. Sorry, people… I can write about this because I get sad… so great stuff that I had to skip… *sniff*

I visited Compass Box stand for saying hi to Chris and I take a few photos with the people on the show.

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