Scotch VS Scotch : The Macallan Sienna versus The Macallan 12 Year

Posted on by Scotch N Sniff
Hey there scotchNsniffers!

It’s time for another scotch versus scotch! Today we’ll compare two Macallans. More specifically, the 12 Year and the Sienna.

Macallan Friends
Macallan Friends
The Macallan Sienna isn’t actually offered in the US but on the last international order that [Scotch] and I placed, we decided to order a bottle and see how it compares to the American offerings. The Macallan 1824 series offered in the UK come in four primary offerings named after their colors: Gold, Amber, Sienna, and Ruby. Reading online, it seems that Macallan has gotten a lot of flack about offering scotch by color instead of age. Not that either color nor age is a primary determining factor in the flavors of the whisky but we all know how fickle people can be. We picked the Sienna because the Gold gets some pretty unpleasant reviews and the Amber reviews are mixed across the board.

Let’s get to it! #CNPF

Color:

Right off of the bat, the colors are almost identical under both incandescent and florescent lighting. Personally the color looks like mahogany tinted wet straw to me but if Macallan wants to call it “Sienna”, who am I to argue.

Nose:

Nosing the two side by side is AWESOME, especially if you’re a big fan of sherry. (Who doesn’t love a good fortified wine?!)  The sweetness in the 12 year is much more noticeable than I could have imagined. The 12 year smells much closer to the cask strength when pitted against the Sienna. The 12 year smells thicker and richer where the sienna smells thinner; less like a fortified wine and more like a typical wine sans distilled additives. Where the Sienna is like a small grouping of orange trees, the 12 year is like walking through an apple orchard!

Palate:

The Sienna has a soft mouthfeel and immediately shines with oranges and white grape raisins which only help to reinforce the lighter thinner nose. With water the Sienna opens a bit more and sherry soaked oak spices rise with just a touch of smoke. Very interesting. The 12 year is comparatively more tannic and the sweetness is much more subtle… like fruits dipped very gently in granular sugar subdued also under spices and oak. Like a sugar encrusted fruit pie baked in an oak pie pan. Incredible. With water, the spices are toned down and the flavor of the oak and woodiness get kicked up a notch! There WAS some sherry in there, wasn’t there?

Finish:

The finish on the Sienna is… refreshing! Like the summer lemonade of scotches! The 12 year is much more serious and typical of a Macallan with oaken floral notes lingering on the tongue.

Overall these was an interesting scotch versus scotch session. These two drams really server two very different purposes. One is much more summer and one is much more fall & winter. Don’t get me wrong, they’re both delicious. 😉  I would not put them in the same boat in terms of richness and flavor though. They’re priced similarly but personally, the 12 year is the winner in my book. Hopefully this review will help you decide between these two bottles.

-[Sniff]

One Eight Distillery: Untitled Whiskey No. 1 review

Posted on by Scotch N Sniff

One Eight Distillery

One Eight Distillery: Untitled Whiskey No. 1

A little bit of history about the distillery, One Eight Distillery is a newcomer to the beverage scene in DC located in the rough parts of Ivy City. A mostly industrial and very poor part of the city, has seen some resurgence through gentrification and some brave new businesses. One Eight’s first foray into aged whiskey is called “Untitled Whiskey No. 1” and it comes from 9 year old rye distilled by the MGPI distillery in Indiana, which has been around since 1847 by way of various owners. There are many companies that have used the hooch created by MGPI, High West, Willett and Templeton Rye to name a few tasty ones. One Eight Distillery then takes that 9-year rye and ages it for another 3 months in 30-year-old Oloroso Sherry casks. Then they bottle it up and slap a label on it. How is it, you ask?

Color:

A reddish tint to a very medium grade honey. You could very easily pick up the bottle and think it was a very thin maple syrup

Nose:

It has a prominent blast of rye spice right up front. Vanilla and caramel creep up lightly behind the spice, along with sweet tobacco. The addition of water brought out a beautiful caramel and vanilla flower perfume and reduced the spice notes.

Palate:

The rye spice fills the mouth and is then met with dried orange peel, slightly peppery and cooling menthol tobacco. A very hearty whiskey at a very well controlled 52.5%. The sweetness no doubt brought into play by the Sherry cask finishing. The addition of water didn’t really make a positive difference to the whiskey. It seemed to water it down and thin its flavor.

Finish:

After tasting while nosing, I can feel that my lips are sticky and noticeably sweet. It doesn’t have a sweet finish but rather a sustained mellow sweetness. The rye spice continues for a good while. The combination of the sweetness, spice and heat make a pretty darn good whiskey. I’ve tried a lot of the beers, breads, and booze that have come out of DC and claimed the district as their home but this has to be the best representative I’ve had. The interesting rye spice and Sherry finish make this a bottle to look out for if you ever see it at your local stores.

Scotch Out.

Slainte Mhath!