The Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask

There is nothing wrong with this. It is quite light, with a shortish finish, but the house-style is there. As a 12 yo, you could do worse. And of course, better. I suspect those casks had been filled multiple times before they were put to work on the whisky I bought. The only real problem is that The Macallan are trying to be a "Premium", designer brand of whisky.
They are not.
As they desperately try to recoup their multimillion pound investment in the shortest possible time, they are charging much more for an inferior product.
The Scottish Government HAS TO STEP IN and rescue this national treasure for future generations.

20th August 2020

Just purchased this, my first Macallan in 20 years... The last 2 I had were a 10 and 18, both grand. This is light and wishy-washy. Them flavours are there, but they last no time at all, there’s just no body at all. If you’re new to whisky (or not), buy something more enjoyable, like a Glen Morangie or a Glen Scotia. In fact, Monkey Shoulder is better than this. Pure example of trading off a respected name. But respect only goes so far. I won’t buy “The” Macallan for another 20 years. At least.

25th July 2020

lovely creamy honey in mouth and spices in the finish here... american oak is prevalent i think..a little sherry too in there but well disguised as dried fruit. spicier than the sherry cask, and in my opinion not quite as good for my tastes.
still. its a nice drop.
struth

27th June 2020

The Double Cask delivers again with expected favor and smoothness, but adding slightly more complexities. It is no 18 or even 15, but can absolutely delicious drink and good enough for any occasion~!

15th June 2020

A fantastic beginning scotch! I'm not huge into the scotch world quite yet, but this is one of the best I have had!

Fruity in the front, with a nice spice to the back. Not overly smokey, but very warming, and almost "buttery" in the end!

Definite nodes of cinnamon on the first smell, some bits of vanilla in there I found.

Great starter scotch!

24th May 2020

In my humble opinion Macallan Whisky is the best malt I have ever tasted. 😚

9th January 2020

Love the nose very fruity and lovely. Very smooth with a little hug. The finish is pleasant and buttery. Very glad to have tried this and will be on the hunt for more soon!

2nd January 2020

omg ... a friend gave me a bottle of 'The MACALLLAN" early for Christmas 2019 and it is SO GOOD. It is so smooth and yummy. It goes down so nice and leaves such an awesome feeling in one ...very warming and comforting. I just want to say ... I WANT MORE & I WANT IT NOW!!!! YUM!

19th December 2019

for the price this is fantastic....want to introduce someone to fine scotch start with this, very smooth example which tastes like an older malt! Neither smoky or peaty, but a really nice creamy sweet finish. In my opinion, a classic which stands up to my other scotch selections in my home bar which include Balvenie, Highland Park, and Oban!

21st October 2019

Just had my first dram of this from a new bottle. The tasting notes from Master of Malt seem right, but it is a bit lacking in body and doesn't really excite me. By the sounds of things, I'd have preferred the sherry cask.

1st September 2019

Happened to notice a closeout special on these at 43% high proof and couldn't resist buying a bottle. Wow! I went back and bought the last 8 bottles. Did I mention $32/bottle? Easily a $75-100 bottle.
What a lucky deal I got :)

3rd August 2019

It’s very nice but a little too easy.

21st June 2019

I found this single malt a year ago I’m vary satisfied with its taste and it’s priced fair.

3rd June 2019

Excellent Scotch... I'm an Irish whiskey lover and this is the only Scotch I can really enjoy. It's fruity to the nose with a warm buttery taste and very calm finish. Love it

28th May 2019

Hand on heart, when I tasted this Mccallan 12 year old I thought I was tasting and older Malt. It was extremely smooth and a sweet after taste. Highly recommended.

27th April 2019

Fruity (but not as much as Glenfiddich 12) not much smoke. Easy drink.

20th January 2019

Superb whisky. Full of apricots, butterscotch and even a bit of rhubarb on the finish. I paid £39 for my bottle , and I consider it a huge bargain.

13th December 2018

Very, very smooth. Lots of caramel and butterscotch on the tongue. My favorite scotch I've tried so far.
I actually prefer it to the 15 year old triple cask.
A bit dear at 100.00CAD/750ml.
It's the perfect dram for introducing the uninitiated into single malts.

23rd November 2018

I'm really don't know fussy about this Whisky, but for the price I bought in Australia $88 for 2 bottles nothing else's can beat it.

26th June 2018

Every time I open this to pour a dram, I get a quick sherry nose, but it disappears at first sip.
Where is the sherry cask? Yes, it is smooth and elegant, some vanilla, but no sultana finish. Don't get me wrong, not every 12 yr old needs to be as raisin-y as the Tomatin 12, or Arran 14, but this does not deliver what it promises. Seems more like an American or French Oak that takes up the nose. Not worth the price....the 'Fine' oak available only at North American duty-free shops would be the better option

11th June 2018

I've been drinking single malt whiskies over the last twenty years and throughout my journey my preferences have changed dozens of times. I have come to understand that there are no perfect whiskies or best and favorite single malt, it all depends on one's mood at the given moment. Don't be fooled by marketing gimmicks such as the Rolls-Royce of whisky or online reviews of "whisky gurus" blabbing about how great IB bottlings of cask strength whiskies are and the inferiority of chill-filtration products, etc... Your best bet is to buy and try, and that is where the Master of Malt truly shines as it offers the great possibility to order countless options in dram-size samples.

The 12 years old Double Cask from Macallan is neither challenging nor a very complex product. It's a bit unfortunate that it is offered at 40% strength here, compared to the 43% for the US market. However, for what it is, this is undoubtedly a well-crafted product which is both enjoyable and easy-sipping at anytime or occasion. The quality of the casks used is truly evident as with most products from the distillery. It's a great whisky for beginners and experienced drinkers alike. Not a cloying sherry-bomb, definitely less sherried than its sherry cask sibling, offering more honeyed creamy/custardy profile. Typical Speyside/Highland style without coastal or peaty nuances. Unfortunately, it is a bit thin at those 40%, but nevertheless certainly a quality modern whisky!!! Still, just one person's humble opinion ;)

4th May 2018

New to scotch. Tried this 12 Double Cask, it was smooth. Its good for a beginner or for anytime. Since i am a newbie, its hard to detect all the notes but i did get a nuttiness flavour. Normally, mid to high $90's Canadian but found it for $64.99. $64.99 is still a little high.

27th April 2018

The first Macallan whisky I've tried.
I really enjoyed it.
Very smooth and sweet. Very viscous, left long legs down the sides of the glass. Lots of candied fruit on the palate with a nice oaky aftertaste. Would buy again.

11th March 2018

It's good, no doubt about it, but very similar to the Macallan Amber, in taste and in price too.

1st March 2018

I truly do not understand all these negative reviews with this one. It’s a balanced whisky with the complexity of the oak and a medium to long finish. Citrus is there, peppery spiciness is there, sweetness is there. No sulphur smell or taste like other Macallans (akham 12 sherry). It’s an enjoyable dram. And at 55 euros the price is really not that bad.

Is it the best 12 year old that I’ve ever had, no, but it’s certainly not a bad one. And my non whisky friends tend to like this one.

26th February 2018

My second ever bottle as I have just begun my journey through the whiskey market. Must say that my experience with this bottle will never be forgotten. Fresh and light on the nose, sweet and creamy on the palate. One of the most inoffensive Scotches I have ever tried and definitely will keep stocked up for years to come.

Not much in way for those who like a bigger kick or prefer a burn on the nose. If you're looking for peat this is definitely not for you, although I must say it is a Scotch everyone should try at least once.

7th February 2018

Best scotch I have ever had. Awesome. Great taste.

24th December 2017

Tasty and Smooth. $74.99 Canadian in Alberta, Canada. A little high but that's typical of Macallan. Good for everyday.

12th November 2017

A delightful dram nosing with hints of candied citrus and earth with layered flavors of stone fruits and clover honey. Elegant and as unassuming as a stretch on the river Spey.

4th November 2017

This is a decent lighter sherried Macallan and exactly what I expected to find in the bottle, those reviewers knocking it for not being more heavily sherried should have read the description before purchasing, this is a very good lighter sherried Macallan 12.

26th September 2017

Finally an aged release compared to all those high priced NAS crap from Macallan. Bought is at high price at a specialist shop in MY. Not justified. Sherry 12 is always the best. FO 12 is good. This has thin body.

9th August 2017

For me its thin and a shadow of its former self. It used to pride itself in distinctive exellence now its big business . There are a multitude of other Single Malts doing more interesting expressions

4th July 2017

Hard to find uniqueness in this one. Decent scotch, caramel, vanilla, soft, oaky, slightly charred oak. Lacking, but nice nonetheless

15th June 2017

I actually really like this one surprised by the reviews. This is between the overly sherried classic 12 year and the barely sherried but incredibly smooth fine oak. Nice and oaky,good amount of sherry fruit and caramel with honey and some charred wood smoke weaving its way throughout. Considering how overpriced most of what Macallan makes is this seems reasonable for the price. Very nice dram indeed. The Sugarbear

7th June 2017

I think this one is a little light, watery, lacking complexity, yet with all the notes reminiscent of Macallan Sherry Oak style - Mifune

24th May 2017

This whiskey bridges the gap between the Fine Oak and traditional sherry cask expressions. It offers enough flavor and richness to keep a regular sherried Scotch drinker interested without the full body and palate coating sherry flavor that turns off some whiskey drinkers. I was pleasantly surprised.

24th April 2017

I purchased a bottle last night ($99 CAD). I think that "Soft and Dainty" review describes it perfectly: dialed down, soft, only half of what I expected. No intensity, nor challenge. It's good for easy drinking with friends who usually don't drink Scotch. Demanding whisky drinker will spend money on some other brands that cost less, and give more (Springbank, Bunnahabhain).

16th April 2017

I agree with Soft and dainty, it's not as flavored as the 12 yr sherry cask. It was smooth but lacked the burst of flavors that I'm used to from Macallan. Overall not completely disappointed, but expected more from the Highlands.

26th January 2017

I enjoyed this as day 12 of my Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar. This may be "soft" but it is not "dainty". My favorites are big smoky peaty Islays, and this has plenty of flavor for me. It's not big, not peaty, and softly smoky, but it is full of flavor. Classic Macallan profile with sherry sweetness and a bit of extra spice. I'm saddened that this sold out. It's much better than any of Macallan's NAS offerings that I have tried.

13th December 2016

I don't normally write reviews but felt I should when I read the "soft and dainty" review on here, I think some folks relate intensity of flavour to quality. First of all it is good to see an age statement on a Macallan release, it is an enjoyable sherried Macallan with touches of the Fine Oak, it is not as big sherried as the standard Mac 12 but a decent sherried Macallan all the same. No complaints from me for this one.

14th November 2016

Nose – Orange, much like their 15 yo Fine Oak. Vanilla and oak. Apple.
Palate – Unlike their 12 yo sherried cask, this lacks the body. Has the quintessential Macallan flavours, however, dialed down. It’s sweet but not honey sweet, more caramel sweet which leads me to its creaminess and a tad buttery which both linger.
Finish is short and dry. What little spices to arrive at the start of the palate do not linger on. A very soft finish.
Overall, I must say this is half what I expected. I would gladly take their 12 year sherry oak any day of the week. Overall this whisky is soft, dainty, something I’d serve my grandmother or a new whisky drinker. If you’re looking for something great, this wasn’t it.

3rd November 2016

You will actually get everything that the tasting notes say.

22nd September 2016