If you’re a fan of Macallan, you likely know the pain it has become on your wallet, so that’s why we jumped all over this IB gem from Signatory. This independent bottler occupies a unique sweet spot in the market – big enough to have serious purchasing power allowing them to stockpile stuff like first-fill oloroso Macallan, while remaining incredibly meticulous about selection to turn out uncompromising quality. Bottled unfiltered with no additives, it’s as pure an expression of the distillery as you’ll find. Pouring a beautiful, medium bronze color, it leads with a nose of dense dried fig and prune, along with notes of crushed walnuts and marzipan. The oloroso influence is unmistakable but so well-executed so as not to mask the spirit. A vanilla undertone highlights the gorgeous malt purity. No annoying sulfur here – it’s as clean as a whistle. Soda bread, treacle, and mulled potpourri, plus a touch of burnt biscuit and orange zest make for additional depth. The palate is as graceful as can be. Medium weight with no hard edges, it needs and wants nothing. Have it neat, and don’t think twice. The fruit is more high-toned here, with dried redcurrant playing against the fig and prune component, all with that pure malt goodness in the background. Orange zest is more prominent too, with peppery accents and suggestions of nutmeg and walnut sawdust. There’s a bright, tart, refreshing lift to the finish that just makes you want to pour another dram. It’s tough to beat unadulterated Macallan in first-fill oloroso, especially at this price.
93 points, Andrew Kitz, B-21 Spirits Buyer (Nov 2025)
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