[youtube height=”720″ width=”1280″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tqR3zlsVOM[/youtube]
Rating
Price:
Circa £60
In a Nutshell:
Not a beginner’s whisky – it has quite a fiery kick. Lots of complexity, lots of flavour but I was hoping for more subtlety at this price point (this is personal preference, however, I think I gravitate towards less ‘forward heavy’ whiskies).
I believe it is comparable/equivalent to Macallan’s 15 year sherry oak & fine oak. A heavy whisky for heavy endeavors…
The Macallan Sienna
Sienna is the third of four in the Macallen’s 1824 Series, and I suppose the colour of Sienna earth. As I understand it, these whiskies replace Macallan’s previous core range, and continue Macallan’s tradition of relying heavily on sherry casks.
It is a powerful spirit, quite pronounced on the palette, coming in at 43% ABV (the previous two are 40%). The series a continuation of Macallan’s move towards equating price with colour (which may be true here but is not always the case). Still, it’s an impressive colour, and is completely natural – with no artificial colouring added.
We Drink It, Stuff Happens
Nose:
Big nose (insert your chosen off colour joke here). Basically an exaggeration on the characteristics of the previous two in the 1824 Series – easy to pick up lots of things!
Dried fruits – figs/raisins, cinnamon and allspice, more vanilla. There’s also a floral note, like in the predecessors, but it is hidden a little by the potency of the alcohol.
Palette:
Very rich on the palette, the richness lent by some butterscotch flavours. Arriving on your tongue a little like the Mongol hordes falling upon Eastern Europe, Sienna leads with persistent honey and vanilla, followed quickly with a heady citrus kick (more oranges than lemons). This arrives alongside allspice, cinnamon and a little nutmeg, plus a little smoke (not peat smoke).
Breathe out and for a few seconds you are Smaug, but with better breath…
Finish:
Long and ample. The vanilla persists (you have to ask politely for it to go away) and the orange fades to a less distinct citrus, before eventually leaving you with the butterscotch and then the warmth that was the butterscotch. Like a delicious afterthought.
Verdict
This whisky becomes very wonderful once you’ve acclimatised your palette after a few drams. Perhaps one to ‘arrive at’ – maybe a bit much to start on… unless you’re really into big, fiery whiskies. Kinda like a full bodied wine, perhaps?
Definitely not something I’d give to a beginner though!
With thanks to the fine people at drinks retailer 31DOVER.com who sent us a bottle of this whisky to try!