The Macallan 12 Year
The Macallan is one of the undisputed titans of the Scotch industry. It is also one of the top sellers of Scotch in the world, close behind Glenfiddich and The Glenlivet. Though classified by recent whisky regulations as a Highland Malt, many experts (and the distillery themselves) consider it a Speyside. Being a very large and well-selling brand for almost 200 years, it is perhaps no surprise that Macallan boasts deep offerings across four distinct lines. Another record the distillery has repeatedly broken is for the most expensive bottle of whisky sold at auction. The current holder is The Macallan “M” Imperiale, sold in 2014 for $628,000.
Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve
The 1797 is the essential Glen Garioch (pronounced geery in the local dialect), the 1797 denoting when the distillery was founded. They have a lot to be proud of, despite some setbacks along the way. Though owned by the large spirits company Suntory, this distillery continues making its whisky in small unique batches as it has done for over two centuries. The Glen Garioch 12 year was one of our first reviews, so we were eager to see what time and experience has wrought.
Tastings at Ace Spirits
It’s no secret to our close followers and friends that Scotchology has long been a fan of Ace Spirits, a small liquor store on the west side of the Twin Cities. We won’t take the space here to gush about them, suffice it to say they are more than worth a visit if you ever find yourself within the metro area. Not only do the carry the largest whisky selection we’ve seen here in Minnesota, they also use their connections in the industry to have tastings on a fairly regular basis (don’t worry, they also have other spirits, a few wines, and a respectable craft beer pantheon). We had the good fortune to attend two tastings within the same fortnight there, both different and unique.