Exciting news for fans and observers of The Macallan this month with the release of the new addition to The Macallan’s M Collection range for 2022 – in this instance, the M Copper. The M Collection is a special, high-end offering within The Macallan’s portfolio that aims to showcase the brand’s so-called Six Pillars. As the word “pillar” suggests, these are the foundations on which the brand is built, and they comprise the following:
Spiritual home – The Macallan is on a special estate in the Speyside region of Scotland that captures the distillery itself, the River Spey, the flora and fauna, the fields of barley, and the early 18th century manor house on the grounds.
Curiously small spirit stills – Much of a distillate’s character is a function of the size and shape of the stills. Despite the many expansions to the distillery over the years, The Macallan has resisted the urge to increase capacity by upsizing to bigger stills. Rather, they’ve simply added to their number of stills which are, by industry comparison, curiously small!
Finest cut – The distillery has long been famed for taking a relatively small or narrow cut during distillation, meaning that the heart of the run collected for maturation is purer in composition, and dips less into the feints end of the spirit.
Exceptional oak casks – With as much as 70% of a whisky’s flavour and character attributed to the influence of the cask in which it is matured, The Macallan has a strong commitment to ensuring quality casks and a dedicated wood regimen.
Natural colour – Unlike many whiskies, there is no artificial colouring added. The colour of the whisky is as it comes out of the cask(s).
Peerless spirit – Sometimes employing the term “mastery”, The Macallan aims to be peerless from place, to people, to production.
The M Copper was unveiled at a function on a warm Sydney evening by the harbour, and was flanked by two of its M Collection stablemates, The Macallan M, and The Macallan M Black.
The event’s experience saw the three aforementioned M Collection whiskies, together with The Macallan Rare Cask, paired to an incredible tasting menu prepared by acclaimed chef, Nelly Robinson.
The first three whiskies of the evening featured spirit primarily from European oak 1st-fill casks. In contrast, for the M Copper, a larger proportion of American oak 2nd-fill casks were used in the vatting, giving the whisky a significantly lighter, fruitier profile that also revealed vanilla and caramel. Bottled at 42% ABV, it is a complex and multi-faceted whisky that – to this palate at least – was the pick of the night.
Whisky & Wisdom’s tasting notes as follows:
The Macallan M Copper, 2022 (42% ABV)
Nose: Fragrant oak (sandalwood?), caramel, stone fruit, and a banana musk note.
Palate: Sweet but not cloying, the palate offers variations on the banana and stone fruit notes, with vanilla and some dried spice (cinnamon) never far from the centre of the stage. The mouthfeel is rich and syrupy.
Finish: Wonderfully silky, long, and satisfying; the finish stays sweet and leaves a footprint of malt, oak, and gentle spice.
As is now customary for high-end Macallan expressions, the M Collection releases are presented in Lalique decanters, designed in collaboration with Fabien Baron. Whilst it’s true that many M Collection bottles subsequently find their way into the hands of collectors, as opposed to drinkers, those that pop the cork and pour themselves a dram of the M Copper will be suitably impressed.
Cheers,
AD
PS: You might also like our recent write-up on Macallan’s “A Night on Earth” release.
With thanks to Spirits Platform and Max Media Lab.
