In 2025, our expert reviewers sampled a wide range of Macallan expressions, from dusty indie bottlings to recent core range releases. What follows are the seven that stood out most. Some are rare, others more accessible, but each one tells you something about why Macallan continues to matter.
Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak – A Modern Classic
Few whiskies define sherry cask maturation like Macallan 12 Year Old. First bottled by the distillery in 1984, it’s remained a global staple ever since.
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Phil Dwyer, whisky YouTuber and industry freelancer, calls it “one of the most classic examples of sherry matured whisky on the planet.” Expect rich layers of fig, raisin, and dark chocolate, with vanilla, orange oil, and red vermouth notes adding brightness. The finish brings cocoa powder and a touch of Cognac-like depth.
Phil awarded the whisky a score of 8 out of 10.
See why it still holds up. Read the full review here.
Macallan 10 Year Old (1970s, Gordon & MacPhail) – Old-School Elegance
Bottled in the late 1970s by Gordon & MacPhail, this sherried Macallan is a glimpse into a bygone style, gentler, creamier, and free from modern artifice.
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Mark Bostock, whisky writer and indie bottling enthusiast, notes toffee, acacia honey, and dried fruits on the nose, with a syrupy palate of chocolate, brown sugar, and classic sherry depth. The finish is long, warming, and fruit-led.
“This is a very drinkable whisky,” he writes, scoring it 8/10. “Thankfully lacking the artificial sweetness I get from modern Macallan expressions.”
Macallan Private Eye – Surreal Label, Serious Whisky
Originally released in 1996 to mark Private Eye magazine’s 35th anniversary, this cult favorite combines Macallan stock from as far back as 1961 with a now-iconic label by Ralph Steadman.
Phil Dwyer found the nose led by vintage leather, orange fondant, plum, and ginger—“like walking into an old leather shop.” The palate brings cherry, cigar box, Christmas cake, and a hint of sulphur, with a finish of dark chocolate, almonds, and tobacco.
A complex, eccentric dram worthy of its legend.
Macallan 18 Year Old (2024) – Comfort in a Glass
Macallan’s 2024 18 Year Old release stays true to form: rich, polished, and deeply sherried. Reviewer Phil Dwyer scored it 8/10, praising its “comfortable, relaxing flavor profile.”
Expect aromas of raisin, ginger, brown butter, and milk chocolate, with festive notes of baked apple, vanilla, and cinnamon on the palate. The finish lingers with mocha, Caramac bars, and drying oak.
It’s everything fans of sherry oak Macallan expect, familiar, indulgent, and undeniably well made.
Macallan 1993 30 Year Old (Halcyon Spirits) – Power and Precision
This independently bottled 30-year-old Macallan from Halcyon Spirits is bold, oak-driven, and bottled at cask strength. Reviewer Phil Dwyer called it “the most intense” of the many old Macallans he’s tried, awarding it 8/10.
Expect apple pie, cinnamon, marzipan, and polished wood on the nose. The palate is thick and oily, layered with cherry bakewell, cocoa, peanuts, and herbal spice. The finish? Spicy, complex, and unrelenting.
This is not a gentle dram. It’s Macallan turned up to eleven.
Macallan 1989 (Duncan Taylor Whisky Galore) – Elegant and Easygoing
This 1989 Macallan, bottled at 40% by Duncan Taylor, delivers refined sherried character with a lighter touch. Reviewer Ed Leigh, founder of Top Whiskies, scored it 8/10, noting it’s “great quality, tasty and eminently quaffable.”
Expect autumnal notes of toffee apples, raisin fudge, and oak on the nose, with redcurrants, orange peel, and malt loaf on the palate. The finish lingers with walnut fudge and soft spice.
A graceful dram, though a bit more ABV wouldn’t hurt.
Macallan ‘As We Get It’ (1980s) – Raw, Spicy, and Unfiltered
Bottled at a fiery 59% ABV, this 1980s Macallan ‘As We Get It’ is an indie cask strength release with no age statement, and a far cry from today’s polished core range.
Mark Bostock scored it 9/10, calling it “surprisingly spicy” with layers of cinnamon, clove, leather, and chocolate. The nose leans floral and waxy, while the finish is long, warming, and full of peppery spice.
Minimal sherry influence suggests refill cask aging, making it a rare glimpse of Macallan in a rawer, woodier form.
