1996 The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Matured Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured.

Like many distilleries who made their names producing Sherry barrel matured whiskies, Macallan have accepted that the good old days when Sherry barrels were in such abundance are now well and truly over. Processes to produce Sherried whiskies today involve countless hours of preparation. Before filling, barrels must be seasoned with a lightly fermented wine to rid the harsh tannin in the wood.

In the circumstance of Macallan, the cask is then seasoned with Oloroso sherry from Spain for roughly two years. These barrels are rented by the distillery for the period. "They literally have us over a barrel," quips past master distiller at Macallan, David Robertson. Given the process, it’s easy to understand why Sherry Matured whisky prices have sky rocketed, perhaps none more so than Macallan. Distilled in 1996.