Review: The Macallan 1968 Hong Kong

More generosity from the guys behind Just Whisky Auctions who are all into whisky in their own unique ways. This miniature is from The Macallan dating from around 1968 and was intended for the Hong Kong/Asian market. Unfortunately the bottle label was extremely mouldy and beyond saving, leaving me to prosper from its cosmetic damage.

Thankfully the seal itself was unaffected and actually needed a little bit of Whisky Rover muscle power to unlock, which is a very good prognosis for the contents. For those collectors out there the bottle details from the base are SC282 A25. I really enjoyed The Macallan 1963 Special Selection, I experienced earlier this year - tremendous and shows up just how lacklustre some of the current Macallan's are in comparison. That to be fair applies to many distilleries and not just Macallan.

Colour: a really rich coffee where the sherry wood has gone beyond the traditional spectrum, into a more darker realm.

Nose: worn leather surrounds the glass but further nosing I'd actually say more shammy-like which to those unfamiliar with this term its also known as chamois leather. There is a subtle hint of sherry, to be honest I was expecting a crushing crescendo given the colour, but this dram is more subdued. Raisins, star anise and cloves step up next.

A few drops of water. Lets see if anything changes with this steadfast Macallan. Nothing immediately, so with these older malts a little time and patience is often beneficial. A little bit of television later and we have allspice, molasses and right at the end the briefest of vanilla extract.

Taste: butterscotch before your prominent sherry notes arise that are repeated in tasting notes till the end of time. Cherries, mixed peal, sultanas and more spices with cinnamon and ginger. A real Christmas cake affair like your granny used to make. Much more modest on the palate compared to The Macallan 1963 Special Selection with a shorter finish.

Ok so I may have enjoyed the 1963 which was something special, this 1968 is a notch down the ladder but still very, very good. The more of these older Macallan's I experience, the more disappointed I become with the current range. Yeah, the 18 year old is still good but nothing on these chaps.