Macallan : Speymalt 23 Year Old 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Itinéraires Collection Gordon & MacPhail 2001

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the Speymalt 23 Years Old 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Itinéraires Collection 2001 Gordon & MacPhail

Tasting

Color

Golden hues dominate this spirit, with a richly nuanced color palette that expresses a beautiful maturity of character.

Nose

The aromatic profile is rich and complex. Powdery notes of rice emerge, dominated by a characteristic candied orange, accompanied by roasted hints of coffee. A floral dimension unfolds with chamomile and iris, while autumnal aromas of mushroom and moss add depth. Raisins and reinette apple bring a juicy fruity layer, rounded off by discreet medicinal nuances.

Palate

The palate opens broadly and nobly, with a slightly oxidative character. Flavours of curry, fresh walnut and grated ginger intertwine with notes of hay, evoking a vin de paille from the Jura. The development reveals candied lemon and mustard that generate a pronounced gustatory energy. Malted barley gradually emerges, asserting the whisky's cereal character. The finish is long and full, marked by a liquorice bitterness, notes of custard, sage infusion, malt and roots reminiscent of gentian.

Pairings and Tasting Moments

This exceptional whisky is best enjoyed neat, at room temperature, to fully appreciate its aromatic complexity. A few drops of water can be added to reveal additional nuances. Its powerful character and richness make it an ideal companion for spicy dishes, mature cheeses or dried fruit desserts.

Mixology

This Speymalt 23 Years Old deserves to be enjoyed neat, without being mixed into a cocktail, in order to fully appreciate the quality of its maturation and the complexity of its aromatic profile.

Other Characteristics

This unpeated single malt displays an oxidative and complex character. Bottled at cask strength at 58.3%, without cold filtration, this whisky from Scotland preserves the full integrity of its aromas and texture.

A Rich, Oxidative Speyside Single Malt from Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail, an Independent Bottler Since 1895

Founded on 24 May 1895 in Elgin, at the heart of the Speyside, by James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail, this independent merchant and bottling house has remained in the hands of the Urquhart family for four generations. A pioneer of single malt whisky with its Connoisseur's Choice range launched in 1968, Gordon & MacPhail has distinguished itself through its unrivalled expertise in extended ageing and its collaboration with more than a hundred Scottish distilleries, including those of the Highlands. Owner of the Benromach distillery since 1993, the company holds several world records, including a seventy-year-old Mortlach. Its artisanal philosophy champions Scottish terroir and the stylistic diversity of the distilleries it works with.

The Speymalt 23 Years Old 1st Fill Sherry Hogshead Itinéraires Collection 2001, an Exceptional Single Cask

This spirit comes from a single first-fill sherry hogshead cask, selected by Gordon & MacPhail. Distilled in 2001, two years after the acquisition of the Macallan distillery by the Edrington Group, it is part of the prestigious Speymalt from Macallan collection, created in 1998. This collection brings together rare vintages, the oldest of which date back to 1938, 1940, 1950 and 1965, testifying to Gordon & MacPhail's expertise in selecting and ageing exceptional casks. Presented in a case, this Speyside whisky reveals the full richness of ageing in a first-fill sherry cask, offering a complex aromatic profile dominated by candied orange, iris and ginger.