Page 111 - Sharp: The Book For Men SS21

The Macallan & Sharp
Place and Time
Let The Macallan Double Cask Range 15 Years Old and
18 Years Old lead you on a journey from France to Scotland — with a short layover in Spain
WE ARE SHAPED by the places that we spend our time in. Whether it’s an extended vacation in Paris, a work placement in London, or a semester abroad in Berlin, the geography of our lives contributes to our character and our interests in lasting ways. Pay a visit to Scot- land’s Speyside region, for instance, and you’re guaranteed to leave with a lifelong appreciation for the single malt whisky that The Macallan Distillery has been producing for the past 196 years. The Macallan is such a profoundly Scottish creation that it manages to inspire a deep love for its homeland, even among those who have never set foot in tartan country. No matter where you sip it, The Macallan transports you straight to the banks of the River Spey.
With that in mind, Scotland isn’t the only desti- nation with a powerful sense of identity. While The Macallan will always be influenced first and foremost by its strong Scottish heritage, the distillery’s popular Double Cask range is also shaped by its time spent maturing in American and European Sherry-seasoned oak casks. The result is a perfectly balanced single
malt Scotch whisky that maintains The Macallan’s recognizable warmth and classic notes of dried fruits and toffee, and possesses additional characteristics courtesy of a few other scenic corners of the globe.
Specifically, the casks used to mature the whisky draw on wood from Northern Spain and the French Pyrenees, as well as on new oak from the lush American forests of Ohio, Missouri, and Kentucky. From these various points of origin, the wood is then transported to Spain to be built into casks and filled with Sherry. Once seasoned, the casks are shipped off to Scotland to be filled with high-proof alcoholic liquid, a.k.a new- make spirit, until finally, after more than a decade of maturing, The Macallan’s team of experts carefully se- lect the best casks to blend into the Double Cask range.
The launch of The Macallan Double Cask back in 2016 presented a pleasingly complex single malt Scotch blended with whisky no younger than 12 years old. Of course, the more time spent in a new environment, the greater the impact it has on you. Building on the early success of The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old, The Macallan has now introduced two additional
offerings: The Macallan Double Cask 15 Years Old and 18 Years Old. Much like a return trip to a favourite locale, both maintain a sense of familiarity, yet also reveal some exciting new appeal.
In the case of The Macallan Double Cask 15 Years Old, this translates to an aroma with notes of honey and chocolate and a taste that exudes sweet raisin and sultana. The finale is a smooth and warm ginger finish with a creamy mouth feel.
The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old, which exhibits more of an amber honey colour, boasts even more complexity, with hints of clove and nutmeg in the aroma, zesty citrus on the palate, and sweet orange in the finish.
All of this to say, while we recommend you seize any chance that you get to enjoy a road trip across the Midwest, a whirlwind tour around Europe, or an extended stay in Scotland, if you should find yourself struggling to live out your globe-trotting ambitions this year, The Macallan Double Cask range makes for an excellent source of escapism. Sometimes, a great bottle of whisky is all it takes to gain a worldly new outlook.
PHOTO BY BRILYNN FERGUSON
111 THE MACALLAN & SHARP / PLACE AND TIME