The Speymalt program has always been a favorite at K&L, but when they came to us a few years ago with an opportunity to buy single casks we were absolutely floored. The breadth and quality of the Macallan they've got is second only to the distillery itself (although it's hyperbole, they might even own more old Macallan than Macallan itself). This years barrel was an easy choice. This is a perfect age for Macallan in active sherry. It's tamed by decades in the barrel, but not overdone or tannic. The color is an impressive polished mahogany. The nose is pure old oloroso, roasted hazelnuts, clove, sweet plum puree, mocha, aged tobacco, hints of flinty smoke and cacao. On the palate, very rich and weighty, offering tons of sweet toffee, espresso, big baking spices, salted & roasted pecans, slightly industrial, but not smoky. A big rich and inviting sherry that absolutely explodes with a tiny drop of water adding dried stone fruit to the nose, old leather and a zesty freshness that's a bit surprising. This one straddles the line of the old style, which is of course what everyone wants, but is becoming more and more rare and expensive with each passing day. In any regard this is an exceptional malt that will sooth the soul, and while it's not by any means a value bottling, it does represent incredible value in a current atmosphere of endless price increases from the distillery.