68 Whisky Magazine | Issue 161TASTE | Tastings SCOTLAND AMERICA REST OF WORLD
The Macallan
Quest Collection Enigma
THE EDRINGTON GROUPABV: 44.9%
Style: Single Malt
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: =====
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Travel RetailRob8.2 8.8
Lyndsey
Nose: Amber resin,
blood oranges, toffee
bars and grease-proof
paper. Black printer’s
ink and newspaper. Pile
of old books, like a dusty
church cupboard with
hymnals and psalters.
Palate: Orange sherbet,
lemon rind. A packet of
wine gums. Sticky toffee
pudding with raspberry
ripple ice cream. Those
fruit salad sweets.
Finish: Fruity, fruity
and tutti.
Comments: The fruit
is all consuming,
like opening a tin of
tropical fruit salad in the
still room.Nose: This Speysider is
full of barley notes of
crunchy nut cornflakes,
hot waffles covered
in peanut butter
and muesli. Savoury
richness with old
leather, sesame oil and
prawn crackers.
Palate: Surprisingly
sweet with stone fruits
like nectarine flesh,
cherry yoghurt and
apricot jam. Toasted rye
bread and star anise
infused sugar syrup with
an edge of ginger beer
to close.
Finish: A bitter note from
the apricot jam with a
sparkling finish.
Comments: A bit of a
chameleon keeping you
on your toes.Mackmyra
Appelblom Swedish Single Malt Whisky
MACKMYRA WHISKYABV: 46.1%
Style: Single Malt
Region: N/A
Price per bottle: =====
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: WorldwideRob8.2 8.5
Lyndsey
Nose: Very floral up
front, tulips and Sweet
Williams. Toasted
marshmallows, cherry
red lace sweets,
redcurrant sweetness.
Strawberry slices and
lemon drizzle cake.
There’s a little air-dried
ham and wood too.
Palate: The alcohol
hits first, then come
the wood tannins and
vanilla sweetness. Chilli
heat, those fizzy, sour
strawberry sweets.
Finish: Short and sweet
with plenty of fruit. The
alcohol dries leaving a
chilli prickle.
Comments: Decent stuff
packing a great punch
with plenty of spices.Nose: Orange cremola
foam, mango flesh,
candyfloss and
Neapolitan ice cream
followed by floral notes
of gorseflower, pine sap
and dried sage leaves.
Whiteboard chalk to
finish off.
Palate: Other than bitter
orange marmalade, the
fruit notes disappear
and are overpowered by
floral and nutty flavours.
Praline pecans, salted
pistachios, peanut
butter and crushed
juniper berries.
Finish: An oily floral
consistency with hot
chocolate powder.
Comments: Eating a nut
bar in a florist shop.The Macallan
Quest Collection Terra
THE EDRINGTON GROUPABV: 41.3%
Style: Single Malt
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: =====
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Travel RetailRob8.7 9.0
Lyndsey
Nose: Burnt brown
sugar. Becomes floral,
peonies and heather
blossom. Then earthy,
fresh soil. Jersey Royal
potatoes with minted
butter. A saline edge.
Palate: Salted caramel
with a lovely white
pepper pickle. Grilled
mango and chilli flakes,
then lobster pots. More
tropical fruit, green
apples with fruit-crates
and wrapping paper.
Finish: That alcohol
punches in, but then
it dries with fruits and
chilli heat. Some tea
tannins too.
Comments: Big and
robust-rather like an
alcoholic fruit salad.Nose: Strangely reminds
me of the inside of a
brand new welly boot. In
a good way. Over time
rice paper, erasers,
dried apricots and
barbequed pineapple.
Palate: If you like piña
coladas and getting
caught in the rain...
Freshly diced pineapple,
coconut cream, burnt
demerara sugar, Nestle
Milky Bars and just a
hint of aloe vera.
Finish: Short but juicy,
juicy, juicy with an added
creamy consistency.
Comments: Remember
flying saucers as a kid?
Well imagine they
made only pineapple
flavoured ones.The Macallan
Quest Collection Lumina
THE EDRINGTON GROUPABV: 41.3%
Style: Single Malt
Region: Speyside
Price per bottle: =====
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Travel RetailRob8.9 8.2
Lyndsey
Nose: Opening the door
to a florist shop. Sappy,
springwood notes,
bluebells and daffodils.
Then takes a turn into
furniture polish, old
leather and oriental
spices. Some tar notes.
Lavender honey. Chilli
crab paste.
Palate: Kirsch-filled
chocolates, rose water
and salted nuts. Black
pepper cashews and
blackcurrant jelly.
Toffee apples, toast
and marmalade.
Finish: Spirity at first
then tropical fruits and a
hit of spices.
Comments: A bitter
sweet symphony,
great balance.Nose: Loaded with
mint choc chip ice
cream, cocoa dusted
rum truffles and salted
pistachios. Clementine
segments, grape soda
and a bouquet of roses.
Palate: Luscious notes
of crushed red grapes,
skimmed milk, apple
juice and finishes off
with hints of Turkish
Delight, butterscotch
angel delight and freshly
washed linen.
Finish: An earthy and
floral note carries
through alongside a
chalky Braeburn red
apple texture.
Comments: Can’t
decide between fruit or
cake? Have both with a
glass of almond milk.SWEDEN SCOTLANDSCOTLAND SCOTLAND066-071-Tastings-WM161.indd 68 27/06/2019 16:06