Taste Test: The Macallan’s Latest Single Malt Is Nuanced and Complex Standout
Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Sunday for his latest whiskey review.
Another month, another new release from the Macallan. That’s not a knock on this historic Speyside scotch distillery, it just feels like there are so many new bottles released throughout the year… because there kind of are. It can be hard to discern what makes one different from the next, considering that virtually all of the whisky is matured in sherry-seasoned oak. Still, within those parameters, there can be nuance and variation that result in a single malt that’s a little bit different, a whole lot delicious, and oftentimes destined for collectible status. Such is the case with newest edition of the Macallan’s Archival Series, Folio 8.
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The Archival Series, which launched in 2015, is meant to celebrate the Macallan’s ad campaigns of the ’80s and ’90s. I’m not going to pretend to know anything about that particular area, but when you release as much whisky as the Macallan does, you have to find inspiration wherever you can. The idea behind Folio 8 is said to be a 1980s billboard campaign called “The Colossus of Nose,” which was a play on the Colossus of Rhodes statue in Ancient Greece, something that seems way too sophisticated for today’s media climate. According to a representative for the Macallan, Folio 8 stands out from other releases in the Archival Series because it was matured predominantly in first-fill European oak, just one of the types of wood in the Macallan’s maturation arsenal which also includes American oak and different types of refill casks.
It turns out that this maturation formulation resulted in a very complex single malt. The whisky has no age statement, but it certainly does not read as young or immature. It is immediately recognizable as Macallan, which is to be expected, with the sherry influence taking centerstage as usual. That means notes of dried fruits like raisin and apricot coat the palate, along with honey, vanilla, caramel, and baking spices like ginger, anise, cardamom, and nutmeg. The whisky was bottled at 43 percent ABV, and while personally I would have liked to try it a bit stronger than that, perhaps that would have transformed the flavor in ways that the whisky team didn’t care for. And like all Macallan whiskies, there is no color added.
Folio 8 is a limited-edition whisky, which should come as no surprise, with only 450 bottles coming to the U.S. priced at $400 apiece. In order to get one, at least initially and at that price, you have to either be a private client or a member of the Macallan Society. “Since its inception, the Archival Series has not set a certain amount of expressions they will be releasing, as we regularly evaluate our portfolio of whiskies based on insight, and our priority is to deliver the utmost quality and standards of excellence for our consumers,” the distillery rep told Robb Report. “Knowing this, we want to reward our most dedicated collectors and enthusiasts the first opportunity to experience this special whisky.” That being said, it will also be available at at the Macallan Estate Boutique and select Macallan Airport Boutiques.
Based on the thousands of dollars past Archival Series releases are selling for on the secondary market, this whisky will likely turn out to be another collector’s item. It’s easy to roll your eyes at this or any similarly allocated and pricy new whisky when there are so many fantastic affordable options out there—and the Macallan has its fair share of both. But value is what you make of it, so whether you are dedicated Macallan collector or just a curious fan of the distillery, you will not be disappointed by the quality of this new whisky.
Score: 92
100 Worth trading your first born for
95 – 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet
90 – 94 Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram
85 – 89 Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market
80 – 84 Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable
Below 80 It’s Alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this
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