Back in 2021 when this bottle was first released it was basically “unobtainium”. We were at the height of the whisky hype and these were snatched up even before they hit the shelves. My new employer (whiskysite.nl) kept a few bottle back however, so they could put them into samples for people to try. I’ve always loved the concept of samples as more people get to try the whisky AND you get a chance to try the dram before splurging on a bottle. When it comes to this Speymalt 2000 2021 from Gordon & MacPhail that’s still a very good thing, as the prices of these bottles tend to soar.
When my new boss approached me if I wanted to review the very last drops of this bottle on my blog, I did not have to think twice. I’ve read what Thijs Klaverstein wrote about it (check out his review on Words of Whisky), and it seems like I’m in for a treat with this 21 year old Macallan. Let’s get to tasting and find out!
Tasting Notes: Speymalt 2000 2021 – Gordon & Macphail
Stats:
Age: 21 years old
ABV: 56,9% (113,8 proof)
Distillery: The Macallan
Bottled by: Gordon & Macphail
Chill-filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes
Nose:
Heavy treacle, caramelised brown sugar, dark chocolate covered cherries and faint whiffs of new rubber and fennel make for an interesting and contrasting nose. The beforementioned notes seem to come in pleasant waves of varying intensity. A fair warning ahead of nosing this dram though, approach the glass with care. Even though I’m quite accustomed to high ABV drams by now, the percentage is very noticeable on the nose of this dram and if you were to pour this into a blenders glass (for example) and stick your nose in deeply from the get go, you might dull your nosing ability quite a bit.
Palate:
Brown sugar topped pancakes with a trickle of heavy molasses to boot. This dram instantly takes me back to sunday mornings when my mom would bake us american pancakes with raisins in them. A lovely trip down memory lane. There’s also hints of orange zest and plenty of shaved oak. Looking at the colour of this dram you might be expecting a very sherry forward dram, but if anything this is much more oak forward than sherry forward. Popsicle sticks, charred meats, brown sugar and molasses are by far most dominant. But the fruity elements give a lot of nuance to a stellarly complex dram.
Finish:
The finish is medium long. Don’t get me wrong, it’s on the top end of still being medium. But the flavours I was finding on the palate led me to expect this dram to linger quite a bit longer. Still, it stays with you for quite some time. This beautifully dry finish is filled with flavours of cacao, fresh ground coffee beans, molasses and oak shavings. With some cherry syrup to boot!
Food Pairing:
This dram just goes absolutely beautifully with sticky toffee pudding. In fact it goes so well, I almost wouldn’t recommend anything else. If you don’t like sweet things though, give a medium rare filet mignon a try! This dram exhudes luxury and the pairing should fit that bill, treat yourself!
Verdict:
A beautiful dram that showcases just why The Macallan has earned it’s name and fame. This Speymalt 2000 2021 from Gordon & Macphail is exactly what a good Macallan should taste like, and having been lucky enough to try some older Macallan’s, I have to say that it did take my mind to the good days of yore. A bottle might be hard to get, but a dram in a bar or at a festival is worth giving a try!
