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Whisky Review: Macallan-Glenlivet 18 Year Old Cadenhead’s

This Macallan-Glenlivet 18 Year Old is a true rarity. To date, I cannot find a record of a full-sized bottle ever being sold at auction in the UK or Europe.

OVERALL RATING

10
N/A
  • Mark Bostock, a whisky enthusiast specializing in independent bottlings.
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Tasting Notes

About:

A rare independent Macallan bottling from Cadenheads, this Macallan-Glenlivet 18-Year-Old was bottled at an impressive 54.9% ABV. Serge Valentin at WhiskyFun awarded this whisky an astonishing 95 points, one of this highest scoring Macallan expressions on the review site.


Appearance:
Very Dark Amber
Nose:
A very complex nose, Christmas cake and sherried raisins, alongside roasted peanuts and citrus style orange and lemon rind. There’s a hint of toffee, chocolate, and buttered brioche. Subtly underlying there’s a slight polish note, reminiscent of gun oil.
Palate:
A very traditional sherried whisky, there’s drying Oloroso, oak and cedar wood, a variety of sherry marinated fruit, prunes, and nutty notes, alongside some dark chocolate. There’s a slightly savoury note, that’s like a meaty beef stock. If you hold on the tongue, this is a thick almost chewy whisky.
Finish:
Roasted nuts and a little lemon citrus. Not as drying as expected on the finish, but the savoury flavours linger.
Comments:
A big sherried whisky, this is probably the best Macallan I’ve tried. If only the distillery released some cask strength expressions like this – a brilliant independent example from Cadenheads.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Mark Bostock

Mark Bostock, an integral part of the Mark Littler LTD UK content writing team since 2019, brings a genuine passion for whisky, especially independent bottlings, to his work. His commitment to expanding his knowledge through attending tasting events and building his own collection enriches his contributions, blending expertise with enthusiasm.

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