Mackmyra Mack

“Not a Big Mack”

Whisky Review # 1061

Country: Sweden 🇸🇪

Region: Valbo - Gävle

Brand: Mackmyra Mack 

Type: Single Malt Swedish Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks

Chill Filtration: No 

Average Price: US$ 30 (April 2025) 500 ML - US$ 45 (April 2025) 700 ML
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay

Buying Advice: 👎 Boring thin stuff - Not good enough as a sipping whisky

Colour:

Golden -  Artificially Coloured

Nose:

Young, Sugary Sweet and a little Rough. Not a lot going on here. Apple and Citrus are the main drivers. Please avoid nosing in the middle of your glass as there's a bit of Alcohol around.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Sugared Grains, Vanilla, Green Apple and Unripe Pear, Artificially-flavored Candy (Strawberry, Banana, Orange, Mandarin), Dusty Oak, Aniseed and Ginger. A Musty note I can't quite place.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Grass and Straw, Dough, Cheap White Wine, Wet Cardboard and Paper, Tangerine, Toast and Margarine, Floral notes, Herbs, Glue and Menthol.

Palate:

Sugary Sweet with a few Sour and Bitter notes. Thin & almost Watery. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. It's a little Rough and not unlike a German Obstler. Medium Dry. Not interesting enough as a sipping Malt.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Sugared Grains, Green Apples, Unripe Pears, Slightly Sour Citrus (Orange, Tangerine, Grapefruit), Yellow Plum, Grass and Straw, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Caramel, Toffee, Artificially-flavored Fruit Candy (Green Grape, Banana, Tangerine and Peach), Fresh Herbs, Wort, Nutmeg and Cloves. 

Finish:

Short, Very Thin and mainly Sugary Sweet. A light Bitterness developing towards the Medium Dry end. At times it feels more like a German Obstler than a Single Malt Whisky. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Sugared Grains, Vanilla, Apple Vinegar, Grass, Yellow Plums, Banana, slightly Sour Citrus (Orange, Grapefruit, Tangerine), Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Menthol and Ginger.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Mackmyra.

Rating: 6 (******) 

Nose: 6.5 - Taste: 6 - Finish: 5.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline okay

Conclusion:

The first Mackmyra distillery was founded in 1999. In 2012 a new distillery started production. It is located just outside Gävle, only a few miles away from the first distillery. The new structure is one of the highest in its kind and follows the gravity model where the production process starts on the upper floor and works it way downwards. This process decreases the energy costs substantially. The owners (Mackmyra Svensk Whisky AB) suffered some financial problems in 2014, probably as a result of the huge investment in the new distillery. As a result production went down considerably. 

Latest news: It seemed that the situation was back under control but one of my readers informed me that the distillery filed for bankruptcy on August 19,2024. In October 24 it was acquired by former board member Lennart Hero and investment firm No. 1 Capital AB.

This is not a Big Mack indeed. Totally uninteresting as a sipping Whisky and Thin and Watery. Not much on the positive side I'm afraid but for the fact that it's not expensive. The distillery mentions it's good for mixing and I'm not gonna argue with that although I personally prefer Bourbon for mixed drinks. All in all I would advise you to stay away from this Mack. 

Skål 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          April 3, 2025

Glenburgie 1989 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“Old Man”

Whisky Review # 1060

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenburgie 1989 - Distilled: 20-09-1989 - Bottled: 25-09-2019 
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail - Connaisseurs Choice Series  - 185 bottles

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask # 14142
Age: 30 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 53.2% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Refill Sherry Hogshead
Chill Filtration: No
Price: Around US$ 900 (March 2025) - Hard to find

Price/Quality Ratio: 😟 It can't be cheap of course but it's not worth the price

Buying Advice: 😐 It's nice enough although it overstayed its time in the cask 
 
Colour:

Mahogany with deep shades of Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Mature Sherried Nose. Not too powerful thanks to the Refill cask. The Oak is very present and I believe this Glenburgie could/should have been bottled a few years earlier. Still it's not bad at all with Dried Fruits, Nuts, Honey, Oak & Spices in the lead. The Alcohol is reasonably well-integrated. Sweet with some Sour accents.A little Sulfur perhaps but nothing to worry about.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Honey, X-Mas Cake, Dried Fruits (Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Dates), Dark Red Berries, Toasted Nuts, Grass & Straw, Dusty Oak, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Cloves and Mint/Menthol.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Marzipan, Wax, Stewed Apples, Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit), Tobacco, Leather, Dusty Earth, Brandy, Raw Meat, Wet Rocks, Dried Herbs, Milk, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Palate:

The Palate follows the Nose. However, the Oak and the Spices come to the play at this point. I also get light hints of a Petrol station and Sulfur but nothing to get worried about. The Palate is a reasonably balanced mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. 

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Toasted Cereals, Toasted Nuts, Dark Honey, Dried Fruit like Plums, Raisins, Dates and Sultanas, Dark Berries, X-Mas Cake, Orange-Flavored Bitter Chocolate, Grass and Straw, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Licorice and Menthol.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Butterscotch, Wax, Herbal Tea, Lemon, Grapefruit, Tobacco, Leather, Milk, Stewed Apple, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon.  

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitter and Sour notes towards the Dry end. Oak and Spices really take control at this point. I also find Sweet Barley, Toasted Cereals, Toasted Nuts, Dark Honey, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums and Sultanas, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate, Dark Berries, Grapefruit, Lemon, Stewed Apples, Grass and Straw, Wax, Dusty Track, Tobacco, Leather, Wet Rocks, Coconut, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice and Menthol.   

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and that makes this Glenburgie more accessible. You will lose some depth though. As is the case most of the times I prefer it neat. But you can certainly play with a little Water.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience:

Good

Conclusion:

The Glenburgie distillery was founded in 1810 by William Paul, initially under the name Kilnflat, It closed in 1870 & reopened as Glenburgie in 1878. Since 2005 the distillery is owned by Chivas Regal (Pernod Ricard). Glenburgie is one of the three main Malt components of the Ballantine's Blend. The other two being Miltonduff & Glentauchers. The core range merely consists of the 12, 15 and 18 year old. Production amounts to around 4.2 litres per year.

I'm a great fan of Gordon & McPhail in general but in this case they should have bottled cask # 14142 3-5 years earlier in my opinion. As presented Oak and Spice become too dominant on the Palate and in the Finish. There's still enough to enjoy though and I did spend a nice two hours with this Glenburgie. Of course a Single Malt of this age can't be cheap but at current prices the P/Q ratio of this Malt does not look great. It was nice to taste a sample though!

Cheers, Jan 🥃                                                                         March 27, 2025

Macallan Lumina

“You’re No Good”

Whisky Review # 1059

Country: Scotland
Region: Highland/Speyside

Brand: Macallan Lumina - The Quest Collection

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 41.3%
Maturation: Mix of Sherry-Seasoned European/American Oak casks & Hogsheads 
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 120-180 (March 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 👎 Better stick to the standard distillery bottlings

Colour:

Golden (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young and on the Thin side. Not the best casks for sure. Probably 2nd and/or 3rd Refill. Some Oloroso influence. Sweet Candy, Orchard Fruit & Vanilla are the main drivers. Not good enough for a Macallan at this price level.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Sugar, Sweet Apples & Pears, Sweet Candy (Strawberry, Raspberry, Orange, Grape), Lemon, Dusty Oak, Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Glue, Treacle, Slivovitz, Nuts, Milk Chocolate, Floral Soap, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves.  

Palate:

Young and Thin. Light Sherry influence. There's something Artificial/Industrial to this Lumina. It's not giving me a lot of pleasure that's for sure.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Apples & Pears, Mixed Red Berries, Lemon and Grapefruit, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger.    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Wax, Floral Soap, Hazelnuts, Cloves and Nutmeg.  

Finish:

On the Short Side. Sugary Sweet at first but with a light Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. A slightl Metallic off-note. I also find Sweet Barley, Vanilla and Toffee, Sugar, Tart Apple Pie with Raisins and sprinkled with Cinnamon & Powder Sugar, Pear, Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Grapefruit, Dairy, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Clove, Nutmeg, Ginger and Licorice.  

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Lumina.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below average

Conclusion:

The Macallan distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid and is located in the village of Craigellachie (Morayshire). The majority of the shares is owned by the Edrington Group. The current production amounts to around 15 million litres per year. The core range includes a/o Sherry Oak, 12, 18, 25, 30 and the 12, 15, 18 and 30 Double Cask. We have visited both the old & the new distillery and liked the old one better. For some reason I don't like the combination of Modern infra-structure and Whisky. I'm more the Springbank kinda guy!

The Lumina was part of the Travel Retail Quest Collection, together with Quest, Terra and Enigma. This collection was replaced in 2023 by the 12,15,18,21 and 30 Years Colour Collection. I will try to find samples of this new collection.

Lumina is the Goddess of Wisdom and Illumination. Both not applicable to this Single Malt unfortunately. It's such a pity that most of the Travel Retail Malts are simply lacking quality casks & sufficient maturation. This Macallan is no exception to the rule I'm afraid. Good thing it has been discontinued in the meantime!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                      March 19, 2025

Macaloney's The Peat Project (European Moscatel Barrique)

“Maple Leaf Syrup” 

Whisky Review # 1058

Country: Canada 🇨🇦

Region: Vancouver Island

Brand: Macaloney's The Peat Project - Single Cask Series - Double Distilled

Type: Canadian Island Peated Single Malt Whisky - 54PPM
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: European Moscatel Barrique 

Sample provided by: Graeme from Canada. Many Thanks!
Chill Filtration: No
Price Average: US$ 100 (March 2025)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 A bit expensive for such a Young Single Malt

Buying Advice: 😃 A nice way to start your Macaloney's journey

Colour:

Yellow Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Please do not Nose in the middle of your glass as the Alcohol is present. I also get a new European Wood note at first. It softens up after a while however. The Peat smoke note is pleasant and certainly not overpowering. Fruit, Honey and Cereals are the main drivers. Young and Light but not unpleasant.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Honey, Dough, Granola with Nuts & Dried Fruit like Banana, Apricot, Coconut & Raisins, Bonfire Smoke, Earthy Peat, Dusty Oak, Cantaloupe and Ginger.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Syrup, Straw, Tangerine, Lemon, Mandarin, Pine, Cigar Box, Green Veggies and Herbs, White Wine, Smoked Meat, Tobacco, White Chocolate, Cinnamon, Pepper and Nutmeg.   

Dr. Graeme Macaloney

Palate:

Young and a little bit on the Thin side but not unpleasant. The Alcohol is there I'm afraid. It's Sweet in a nice way & the Peat and Smoke remain in a supporting role.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Breakfast Cereals with Nuts and Dried Fruit like Banana, Apple, Apricot, Raisins, Sultanas, Coconut & Mango, Bonfire Smoke, Earthy Peat, Cigar Ash, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Clove and Ginger. 

 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Salted Toffee, Honey, Wax, Syrup, Marzipan, Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Herbs, Sweet White Wine, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Licorice.       

Finish: 

Middle-Long. Mainly Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour & Salty notes. Quite Dry in the end. The Alcohol is quite noticeable at this point and shows the Youth of this Malt. I find Toasted Cereals, Homemade Salted Butterscotch, Vanilla, Bonfire Smoke & Earthy Peat, Cigar Ashes, Dusty Charred Oak, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots & Plums, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, slightly Sour White Wine, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger and Licorice. A hint of Varnish. The slightly Burnt Buttered Toast from the Nose reappears after a while. 

Drinking Advice:

I prefer it neat but you can carefully add a few drops of Water to control some of the Alcohol.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience:

Good although I would prefer a longer maturation.

Conclusion:

This Island Distillery is equipped with a one ton semilauter Mash Tun, 7 stainless steel wash-backs, a 5500 litre wash still and a 3600 litre spirit still. The first Single Malt was released in December 2020. Part of the Barley is malted on site and the complex also includes a craft beer brewery called TWA Dogs.

The Potstill whiskies are traditional Irish-Style triple distilled whiskies. Dr. Macaloney, the founder, is a Scot of Irish Heritage who attended the Midleton Irish Whiskey Academy and learned traditional Irish methods a.o. with ex Master Distiller Brian Nation. Back in Canada he then learned to optimize the traditional whisky process following Dr. Jim Swan's methods. The resulting New Make Spirit won several global awards. 

The Peated Series was launched in 2023. The Canadian Barley is smoked using the Washington peat and follows the process of distilleries like Laphroaig, Bowmore & Kilchoman. Canadian and Islay Peat will be used in the future.

This is one of my favorite Macaloney's so far. Yes, it's Young and yes it's a bit on the Thin side but it also combines a very pleasant Sweetness with a supporting note of Peat smoke. It would score higher if not for the constant strong presence of the Alcohol. I would really love to taste a fully matured version of this Moscatel impression. In any case this is a great place to start your Journey to Macaloney's Treasure Island.

Cheers, Jan 🥃                                                                            March 6, 2025

 

John Walker & Sons King George V

“Wishful Thin King”

Whisky Review # 1057

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Brand: John Walker & Sons King George V
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Casks 

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 450-500 (February 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 😃 It's a nice but not exceptional Blend if you can afford it

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Sweet and a little Shy. It may be a luxury Blend but it is a Blend and the Grain Alcohol is noticeable in the background. The Nose is quite inoffensive and you can clearly smell the Ex-Sherry casks. There's a little Smoke as well & that enhances the Aroma profile. It's quite pleasant all in all but at this price level I expected a bit more depth and complexity.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Vanilla, X-Mas Cake, Dried Fruits (Apricot, Plums, Figs, Raisins, Banana), Cooked Orchard Fruit, Toasted Almonds, Orange, Dusty Oak, Leather, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Menthol/Mint, Ginger, Cinnamon and a hint of Smoked Pork.  
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Wax, Smoke, Ash, Cigar Box, slightly Sour Grapefruit and Lemon, Floral Perfume, Herbal Tea, Tobacco, Blackberry Jam, Nutmeg and Cloves, Peanut Butter, Wood Polish and Tropical Fruit Cocktail.     

Cardhu Distillery

Palate:

Sweet & Smooth but also on the Thin side. The Grain Alchol remains noticeable. On the Palate King George V is mainly Sweet but also presents a very nice Salty accent. Again slightly underwhelming. Just a faint hint of Peat Smoke. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums, Apricots and Figs, Cooked Apples, Orange, Espresso, Leather, Licorice, Menthol/Mint, Toasted Almonds, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.      

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Syrup, Straw, Canned Peach and Mandarins, Smoke, Earth, Ash, Slightly Sour Lemon and Cranberries, Blackberry Jam, Herbal Tea, Cloves, Nutmeg and Salted Pork.     

 

Royal Lochnagar

Finish:

Medium-Long and a little on the Thin side. This should have been bottled at 46%. It's Mainly Sweet with a nice Salty notch towards the Medium-Dry end. The Grain Alcohol remains noticeable. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Toasted Grain, Caramel,  Toffee, Syrup, Honey, Straw, Canned Peach, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Raisins and Figs, Toasted Almonds, Smoke, Ash, Earth, Dusty Oak, Herbal Tea, Blackberry Jam, Menthol/Mint, Pepper, Ginger & Nutmeg. As always the Finish is the weaker part of the JW blends.

Drinking Advice:

King George V does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but underwhelming

Conclusion:

John Walker & Sons released this Special Edition in 2007 to celebrate the Royal Warrant that King George V awarded the company in 1934. It is made with Single Malts from distilleries that were operating during the reign of King George V from 1910 to 1936. It includes a.o. Cardhu, Royal Lochnagar, Port Ellen and very old Grain Whisky to try & replicate the Johnnie Walker style of that period. Packaging and Bottle are really luxurious.

If only the contents were just as luxurious! Don't get me wrong, the King George V is a nice blend but at this price level anything else would be ridiculous. I was expecting a lot more though despite my concerns about the low ABV. The 43% is not good enough for a project like this. As a result it's rather on the Thin side on the Nose and on the Palate. It is said that very old Grain Whisky was used in the blend but even very old Grain Whisky remains noticeable. As does the very Malty Cardhu. I could drink this Blend on a daily basis as it's quite nice but it's way too expensive for that. And for a special occasion you can buy a very good Single Malt at this price level. The British new wave band China Crisis remained in my head during this Tasting session. And indeed I consider this John Walker & Sons King George V blend to be a Wishful Thin King!   

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 20, 2025