1981 Gordon & Macphail Speymalt from Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

The huge range of vintage Macallans once on offer are all but a memory for us. They were selected from The Macallan distilled in the 1930s and bottled in the 1970s, and also from a selection of the very best casks at the peak of their maturation complexity from the vintage years 1926 to 1972. We sold out of our official distillery bottlings over a decade ago. These were fetching around $4000+ / bottle. Since then they have doubled, then tripled, quadrupled and never stopped; in fact they've gone beyond the wildest expectations of even the most savvy whisky investor.

Several Gordon & Macphail bottlings have just arrived in Australia, including this 1981 vintage which was bottled in 2014. Here is a collector's opportunity to secure one of Speyside’s most iconic single malts from the heyday of this distillery: extended age Macallan in full-on sherried form. Purists should note - Macallan built its reputation during the early 1980s and ‘90s in large part by emphasising hard line traditional practises - 100% Sherry maturation and a predominant use of a special variety of barley called “Golden Promise”, now rarely used, but traditionally highly prized for its rich, nutty flavour. If Macallan last used its original ratio of Golden Promise barley in 1993, then this will be near the last made from the same. The taste of ‘true’ Macallan may not be had for much longer at any price!

Other reviews... Wobbles and bitters out towards the end but some lovely fruit and nut moments up until then.
89 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2015