2005SignatoryVintageSpeyside18(M)CaskNo:DRU17/A106#4118YearOldCaskStrengthSingleMaltScotchWhisky(700ml)

Sans Signatory released a bunch of these high-ABV sherry casks of ‘Mâ€?from the 2005 vintage, each with “rather labyrinthine cask numbersâ€?/em>, all positively identified as Macallans at whiskyfun.com. These bottlings have received strong reviews and drawn comparisons with the style and quality of Gordon & Macphail’s prolific Speymalts series of Macallans. Being single casks, they come with varying ABVs and degrees of sherry oak input. Tasting his way through a selection that included sister casks from Signatory Vintage, Serge Valentin commented, “Although the distillery â€?or the brand â€?has become something of a symbol of poshness and glitz, every tasting reminds us that it still maintains a high level of quality and deserves to be taken seriously, despite the endless stream of NAS bottlings with sometimes far-fetched stories and themes.â€?You get none of the latter here, just a plain indie label and an impressive looking decanter holding some deep, dark liquid. Though, perhaps the most eye-catching thing about this particular Macallan is its direct import price. Will we ever see official 18 year olds at these ‘modestâ€?values again? Unlikely. Be thankful that independents like Signatory continue to exist. 677 bottles from a first fill-oloroso sherry butt make up the current outturn. 57.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.