The Macallan 12 YO Double Cask springs from a very "deep bench."
Founded in 1824, The Macallan is one of the "Big 3" Single Malts in Scotland. Fortunately, they have achieved this scale without sacrificing quality. A change in UK labeling laws aced them out of their "Speyside" designation. But just because the British Parliament gerrymandered the "official" boundaries doesn’t mean Whisky-lovers have to pay any attention.
Their achievements are numerous — including setting the record price ever paid at auction for a single bottle of Scotch. They produce a very broad range of world-class Single Malt Whiskies that have a huge global following.
The Macallan has been creating Single Malt Whisky for so long at such a high volume and such a high level that they have what sports teams call a very "deep bench." Their incredible inventory of rare, aging Single Malt gives them the ability to pinpoint flavors for the refined Whisky palate. The Macallan 12 YO Double Cask is one of these tasty niche experiments. It’s their classic Single Malt aged a full twelve years in both American Sherry and European Sherry casks — without a Bourbon barrel in sight. The American side brings citrus and vanilla notes while the European side brings flavors of caramel, oak spice, and fruit.
What does The Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask taste like?
The Flavor Spiral™ shows the most common flavors that you'll taste in The Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask and gives you a chance to have a taste of it before actually tasting it.
We invented Flavor Spiral™ here at Flaviar to get all your senses involved in tasting drinks and, frankly, because we think that classic tasting notes are boring.
Dog Dogson's
Smartass Corner
First-class Whiskies are taxed not only by the state but also by the angels. This refers to the 4% of Whisky that evaporates from the barrels every year, a phenomenon known as the angel’s share.
A good solid dram with light complexity. Very nice for a 12, and more of the classic Macallan profile than the triple cask 12.
Thomas,
Doesn't work for me. Too sweet with nothing to balance it out.
Tom,
Pretty mush the way it says for the taste. I taste the spice more w some sweetness, and it is smooth!
RON,
I could drink this everyday
Rebecca,
Smooth, easy drink. Waited to try and so glad I did. Goes down easy.
Jonathon,
I like this a lot, it’s smoothe and DOESNT have a strong wood / oak finish.
Jonathon,
Meant Smokey not wood / oak
John,
Really nice scotch. Smooth, can definitely tell this was double cashed. Very woody in a good way.
Shane,
For the cost of this Scotch and the name I expected much more. I purchased an entire bottle simply based on glowing reviews from YouTube and other publications. This is a perfect example of a spirit that needs to be in a Flaviar tasting box. So here's what's nice... the nose there is some nice sherry and sultanas/raisins and typical oaky vanillas. Midpalate to finish is not smooth at all. There is spice and a lot of it... I suppose you can call it Ginger and citrus with spicy Oak notes. The spirit itself drinks like a bottom shelf bourbon. I guess the bottle is nice looking and the nose is nice. I will be using the rest of the bottle to make cocktails.
Matthew,
Couldn't agree more. Macallan 12 is a scotch that people are afraid to say isn't that good. It rides on its reputation won by the older iterations. There are infinitely better options in that price range. I've always found it to be a simple and boring dram. Every time. Without fail.
James,
nice taste. thin feel and not very long lasting.
Christopher,
Butterscotch and dried fruits with a bit of drier oak. A good scotch comparable to a Glenlivet with more body, but nothing particularly exceptional.
SCOTT,
Prefer this over the sherry cask. Still think overpriced.
Oskari,
Very strong ginger and orange taste, quite like it.
Joshua,
Love the mouth feel on this one. Dances on the tongue. It’s a little thicker than most, which provides a great richness.
Butterscotch is definitely very present. Definitely solid for sipping. Not super complex.
My first Macallan. Beautiful colour. Nose is nice! Creamy ness in the taste. Want to try more varieties from them now. A little pricey here in Ontario.
Angel,
A bit bland but a good primer for a tasting. At 43% it will do the job. Perhaps if it were finished longer in the sherry cask, I would be more impressed.
Adam,
Incredible single malt, especially for beginners. Very butterscotchy on the nose and palate, some vanilla and honey with hints of cinnamon. Finish is long, with a pleasant burn.
Jonathan,
Not as good as I was expecting. Very baseline flavor nothing to get excited abbot. A little over priced.
Atwell,
I really enjoy this bottle of scotch.
Daniel,
Just delicious. Sweet fruit, toffee, butterscotch, and spicy oak. Worth the price. Very satisfying.
Rene,
Overall a good scotch. There’s a lot of sherry to this one. Notes of dried fruit and orange.
guest,
Very pleasant orange and vanilla on the nose. Taste has a lot of caramel, toffee initially with some hints of citrus and cherry on the finish. Little dry with oak notes when water added. I tend to like Islay whiskey more but found this quite interesting.
Stefan,
Not my favourite from the brand but still very good. It was surprisingly strong for sherry cask
Eron,
Both the wife and I like it very much. Not harsh, very smooth.
Michael,
Love the nose - chocolate sweetness.
Taste is really good, my favorite non-Islay.
Benjamin,
Very smooth and relaxing.
Mark,
Love the smokey flavored tasted! You can feel in right in your nose if you drink it neat. Love it!
Andreous,
I want to start off by saying I am a BIG Dalmore fan, so I am new to this label. It was not what I was expecting, to the noise from two different style glasses this was very strong. After sitting in the glass a few minuets both softened, but still stronger then what I like. The taste was pleasant but and I got some of the citrus and honey but none of the ginger. Over all I will try it again and see if I come out with a different result.
Robert,
A little too much dried fruit and raise flavor for me
Armando,
Very smooth, with a nice oak flavor. Hint of caramel.
Jason,
Love it
Mathew,
Just ok. Nothing too special about this one
Rian,
Pretty delicious
2nd bottle....love this stuff
Aaron,
Very smooth and great to share
Darryll,
First Mac, a lot smoother than expected
Michael,
Favorite
Connor,
Extremely smooth
WESLEY,
This is my favorite 12 year old affordable scotch!
Giulio,
A classic for any occasion, always a good order when out and about.
Daniel,
Really enjoy. Nothing crazy, my first bottle of whiskey
Tom,
This would be the Scotch that almost any whiskey drinker could enjoy. It's smooth and has a tolerable level of peatiness that is just complex enough to satisfy the pallet if your in the mood for a change from your standard whiskey.
guest,
Butterscotch on the nose
Ben,
One of my first Scotch loves
Robert,
Outstanding sipping scotch. Pare with a fine cigar and you wont be disappointed.
Justin,
You just can’t go wrong with the Macallan. Exceedingly smooth, tasteful, and at a reasonable price. Worth a permanent spot on the shelf. The 10 year triple cask is great too and even cheaper if you want to try it out. I think the 12 is worth the extra few bucks, but the 10 is close enough to let you know if you’re going to like the triple/double cask Macallans of any vintage.
Vincent,
I get the main components; Oak, Vanilla. I also get the Citrus and the Orange Zest, but not the Caramel. My go to Scotch!
Michael,
Not my favorite, but it's good. Sweet and spicy. Taste a little bit of wood, vanilla, citrus and I think the spice is coming from ginger. It's warm, smooth and has a long lingering finish. I tried it neat, with a couple of drops of water and on the rocks. Enjoyed it best on the rocks. I'm going to enjoy the bottle, but probably won't purchase again
Israel,
My first introduction to scotch whiskey. Got for my 30th birthday. Really can't say much about this because I can't compare it to others. Smooth vanilla flavor balances the strong oak profile. There is almost a peat-like aroma, but nothing that lingers. Definitely worth having a bottle around.
Stephen,
Very smooth. Great drinkability.
David,
Brings me smells of oak and vanilla,
Sweet, fruity flavours of toffee,
Round finish with fruits and vanilla,
Doug,
Great aroma, subtle finish
guest,
Very smooth, almost too smooth. But nice.
Matt,
Sweet. Vanilla and caramel, very smooth and highly drinkable. Doesn't surprise you with complexity or do anything interesting but pleasant enough.
Joseph,
I could taste the oak and spice in it, a hint of sherry- smooth and definitely easy to drink straight.
Jonathan,
While I enjoyed the Macallan, it is not my favorite. A little harsh at first but overall not bad. I had high hopes.
Freddy,
Neat for the first few sips, than ad 2-3 drops of water to release aromas. This is truly a treat to the palate.
Jamie,
Slightly sweet, spices like ginger and cinnamon, dried fruits, really enjoyable smooth scotch.
John,
Great intro to a Scotch Whisky! This started me on the path to learn as much as I can about Whisky.
guest,
Very enjoyable to sip, I love it in an old fashioned. A good fairly affordable scotch. I took another taste-sized portion after looking at the flavor spiral and taste the vanilla, honey, caramel, spice, and oak.
Brian,
Just picked up a bottle last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it! I prefer mine neat.
Matthew,
Not a fan. I prefer the sweet flavors, this one tastes more of the charred oak.
Stephen,
such a good scotch. Super smooth with hints of honey that just improve the flavor.
Thomas,
A very good offering from the Macallan. It has the nice bite that I enjoy but still very smooth.
Sean,
I
Charles,
Nice to share. More bite then expected. Will continue to evaluate
Leslie,
Balance and smooth, easy to drink
Eric,
My favorite economic Scotch.
Charles,
Great flavor. Mild burn
Ellione,
Wonderful! Very smooth. Great flavor!
Jerry,
Loved the taste
Josh,
Easily one of my favorite drams in this price range. The flavors blend in a way were you don't loose the distinctiveness of either, but rather get double the punch. The vanilla gives it a mouthfeel like cream soda, but isn't so sweet to drown out the complexity of the European casks.
guest,
Favorite of the 12 years great for a very good scotch if you don’t want to spend extremely high dollar
Wayne,
creamy vanilla finish
Bianca,
Very nice, however, I still prefer the original 12 year.
Alison,
I thought the flavor profile fell a little flat. For full disclosure, however, I usually drink stronger profile bourbons and American whiskeys. With that said, it was smooth and drinkable with light notes. It was not a peaty scotch, which I liked, nor was it overly smokey. It kind of reminded me of Jamison. I wouldn't buy it, but I'd drink it.
Brad,
Liked it , a Carmella hint !!!!
David,
Liked it. Was what I expected.
David,
It wasn't what I thought it would be. Taste was a tad bit strong, but ok for a 12 year old.
A,
Nice and smooth with hints of caramel and good body. Would buy again.
roy,
One of the nicer scotches sits nice on the palet smooth
Lynn,
Nicely peated. Nice fruity sherry finish.
Don,
Smooth and tasty
Chris,
Stronger than i thought it would be and not that smooth. good flavors though.
Jason,
Very good but not a smooth as other 12 year olds They have made in the past.
guest,
Warm and full at the nose. Berries, vanilla, oak, slight lemon, a little salt. Full mouthfeel, oak, vanilla, pepper and spice. Finishes with vanilla, gentle spice. A nice Highland dram!
Marshall,
Quite smooth, despite some other reviews. the only tasting note not mentioned by flaviar missed was a bit of chocolate
Daniel,
It was ok, l like it a little more smooth.
CJ,
A little too fruity and sweet to my liking.
Leo,
Don’t add water! It gets more harsh. Neat is better.
Matthew,
Don't get me wrong, it's a fine whiskey, but I much prefer the "normal" Macallan 12
Daniel,
I like it. Could use a bit more smooth. I do taste the honey which is long lasting and great tasting once the punch wares off.
Charles,
Slightly spicy but cut nicely by the Sherry. Short lived though.
Stephen,
This is a very smooth Speyside - perfect for when you don't want the spice of a Talisker or the bite of an Ardbeg. It has a Vanilla and Citrus nose with a hint of caramel. The Sherry slides its way in after. Can't go wrong for the price too!
Guy,
This is very tasty single malt with hints of vanilla, caramel and full body but surprisingly smooth. I love it!
Gregory,
Very smooth start with a clean finish. This is now one of my favorite single malt scotch's.
Dominic,
Wow. A sensational blend of tastes.
Will,
Love it!!
Richard,
Different but I like it for the price
Lynn,
Very nice start. The finish very surprisingly different. Pleasant.
John,
Nice, incredibly smooth. Vanilla and nutmeg, pine resin nose. Spices on pallet, long sweet finish.
Kyle,
The double cask gives it a touch of a bourbon flavor, and takes any edge off. There's little edge on a 12 year Macallan though!
Brian,
By far, my favorite scotch. Powerful, yet smooth and unique
Abhi,
Better than other 12's
Gregory,
How about a set for Japanese Whiskey's set of 5 or 6.