Speymalt Macallan 2007 Gordon & MacPhail Single Malt

ReviewsScotchIndependent BottlersSpeymaltMacallanGordon MacPhail

Nov 28

Written By David Levine

Speymalt Macallan 2007 Gordon & MacPhail Single Malt

Highland

Macallan Single Malt Bottled by Speymalt and Gordon & MacPhail

9 YO (Barrelled 2007, Bottled 2016)

43% ABV/86 Proof

Eye: Pale yellow, thin rims and slow thin legs.

Nose: Walking through a freshly mulched orchard. Tons of tree fruit, fresh mowed grass and fallen leaves. Hints of smoke like a far-away bonfire. Plenty of apples, too.

Palate: Lots of salinity up front paired with vegetation and a mild heat. I’d say it leans towards peat without outright going that way flavor-wise. Apples, clove spice, and dark wood on fire. Mouthfeel is light, not coating at all, though it carries the flavors well with a touch of heat.

Finish: Melds the flavors into an interesting peanut butter/roasted nuts with apple jelly.

Overall: An intriguing pour that hits several regions for Scotch without any overpowering the other. I think the proof is right on, and the pour is complex enough to keep adding a layer from nose to palate to finish.

Rating: 6.8

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)