One more young whisky from G&M in the “The Wood Makes the Whisky” campaign, but this time it’s a whisky from a powerhouse distillery that all but ditched the age statements from their main OB expressions: Macallan.

Luckily, we have independent bottlers to enjoy age labeled Macallans but even those are pretty rare and hard to find, that is, unless you’re Gordon & Macphail. I bet there’s some prior contract that supplies G&M with fresh casks from Macallan and so we can enjoy the Speymat range, from the expensive old to the young and affordable vintages.

As befitting the tone of the last few reviews, It’s a younger in that range that we check today, the Macallan Speymalt 2006 that was bottled in 2015 (17/11/2015 to be precise), making it approximately 9 year old. It was aged in various sherry casks, both 1st fill and refill casks which should give it a nice sherried touch, which is what Macallan built their brand upon.

Macallan Speymalt 2006 (43%, £32.95/€43.75)

Nose: At first sniff it feels even younger than 8 yo Glenrothes from the last review. There is a big malt and cereals mix and some beeswax. The sherry casks are felt at first with light dried fruits coupled with sweet and fresh red berries but then the impact slowly turns into a fruitier impact with some apricots and lemon peels along with the red and dried fruits,

Palate: Spicy and zesty, oranges and pepper , cereals and malt, sherry impact with a red berries, a touch of nutmeg and milk chocolate, ending with subtle oak wood and a semi dry feeling of wood tannins.

Finish: Medium length finish with wood spiciness, lingering milk chocolate with subtle red fruits.

Thoughts: Lovely young Macallan. considering the fact that they gone full NAS mode, and the rarity of indie Macallans (besides G&M), we should thank G&M for the opportunity to try a proper age-labeled, even if young, good whisky from the powerhouse that is Macallan.

(Official sample from G&M)