Established in 1824 on the Easter Elchies Estate in Speyside, The Macallan has built its reputation on an exceptional commitment to cask selection and wood management. The Double Cask Collection, first launched in 2016, sits at the heart of the distillery's range, celebrating the complementary relationship between sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, each crafted and seasoned in The Macallan's own cooperages and bodegas in Jerez de la Frontera.
The Double Cask 18 Year Old 2026 Release is matured exclusively in sherry seasoned oak for a minimum of eighteen years, with every selected cask having spent its entire maturation period in sherry seasoned wood. The American oak contributes unmistakable sweetness and vanilla, while the European oak delivers soft spices and dried fruit, producing a naturally coloured single malt of smooth, creamy balance. Released annually, each vintage represents a considered addition to any collection and a gift of genuine distinction.
Tasting Note by The Macallan:Nose: Dried fruit and toffee with rich candied citrus peel, ginger and nutmeg.Palate: Raisin, sultana and dried apricot with notes of treacle toffee, vanilla and ginger. Toasted wood spice and baked apple.Finish: Long with warm oak and citrus.
The Dalmore 40 Year Old 2024 Edition is initially matured in American white oak ex Bourbon barrels, before a portion is carefully transferred into 30 year old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks and another into rare Graham’s Port Colheita casks from 1970. Carefully married back together, the resulting whisky is indulgent, smooth and complex, showcasing The Dalmore’s house style elevated through decades of meticulous cask curation.
Tasting Note by The Dalmore:Nose: Cherries, plums, sultanas, toffee apple and vanilla pod.Palate: Orange peel, chocolate truffles, old English marmalade and crushed walnuts.Finish: Black Forest fruits, poached pear laced with caramel and dark chocolate.
The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old 2026 Release is an annual release from the Sherry Oak Collection, matured for a minimum of 18 years on The Macallan Estate in Speyside. The expression is led by predominantly sherry seasoned European oak casks from Jerez, Spain, bringing a combination of dried fruit, ginger, dark chocolate and oak character.
The Macallan’s sherry seasoned casks form a central part of the maturation process. European and American oak casks are taken to Spanish bodegas and filled with sherry wine for seasoning. Once emptied, the casks are transported to Speyside and filled with The Macallan’s new make spirit. During maturation, the whisky draws flavour, aroma and its entirely natural colour from the oak.
The 18 Year Old sits alongside the 12, 25 and 30 Year Old expressions in the Sherry Oak Collection. For the 2026 release, the presentation forms part of The Macallan’s collaboration with designer David Carson, whose artwork interprets the journey of the Maison’s sherry seasoned oak casks. The design incorporates repeated references to the number 18, representing sleeping casks, alongside sherry-red tones and a touch of white referencing American oak.
Tasting Notes by The Macallan:Nose: Treacle tart with stem ginger, soaked raisins and sultanas with orange and ground cinnamon.Palate: Dark chocolate coated ginger with dates and dried apricots, balanced with a hint of oak and vanilla sweetness.Finish: Long with dried fruits, ginger and oak.
The pinnacle of GlenDronach’s artistry, this inaugural 2025 edition is crafted from a selection of casks distilled in 1978, 1983, and 1984. Initially aged in PX and Oloroso sherry casks, the whiskies were vatted and further married in a first-fill PX puncheon and a second-fill Oloroso puncheon before bottling. The result is a whisky polished by over four decades of maturation, exuding unparalleled richness, velvet texture, and multi-layered dark fruit character.
Tasting Notes by GlenDronach:Nose: Opulent dark fruits with hints of walnut, leather and treacle.Palate: Deeply layered with raisin, date, chocolate and velvet tannins, lifted by warm spice.Finish: Exceptionally long, with lingering fruit richness and sherry cask complexity.
