A+: A masterpiece and one of the ten best whiskeys of its type. Some "premium" whiskeys really are quite terrible, while some mass market products are good enough to pour into a decanter and serve to the Duke of Edinburgh. The following indicators should be taken as only a guide and not a set of hard and fast rules. The Whiskey Reviewer uses a letter-based rating system, instead of the numerical 100-grade rating system. That’s one of the great things about this great whisky, you don’t need to track it down. It’s widely available online and will most certainly be down at your local store. You can usually find The Macallan 12 for around $45. After a close-up, its status as a go-to in my personal repertoire is certainly unchanged. The Macallan 12 is a perfect choice for first-timers you’re attempting to initiate into a love of whisky, or more seasoned whisky imbibers simply looking for a rock solid, dependable drink. The finish leaves you with oak, a touch of spice, and a desire for another dram. There’s a pleasant warmth but not a hint of an oily heat or burn. You didn’t even see him wind up and yet that poor fella in the ring with him is already flat on his face. Powerfully smooth, in the seemingly effortless way you might watch an athlete perform his task only to be left with the impression that he didn’t even need to try to do the amazing thing he just did. Whereas sometimes the nose on a whisky is quite different from its palate, with The Macallan 12, it’s entirely consistent. It’s aged in Sherry oak casks and as such it’s no surprise that Sherry dominates the nose, with hints of red wine, sweet fruits including blackberries and plums, and oak. The Macallan 12 (43% ABV in the U.S.) is a deep hued tawny-copper in your glass.
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Still, with all of the many times you might drink, eat, or listen to something you consider a “go-to”, it’s always different when you really give it a more thorough evaluation, carefully combing through to see what’s really there - behind its innate appeal, reputation and “go-to” status. I actually gave engraved bottles of The Macallan 12 to the groomsmen in my wedding – the best man was upgraded to a different offering – and I’d be happy to default to ordering it around town. There’s something to be said for knowing you can get a whisky you love at a decent price at nearly any damn watering hole around. It’s affordable enough that you could enjoy it regularly, albeit not haphazardly, and it’s widespread enough that you can comfortably bank on most well-stocked bars having it around. In my mind it’s one of the perfect pinpoints on the graph between accessible pricing and great whisky. The Macallan 12 year old in their Sherry Oak range is a legend of a bottle.